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Bai G, Guo M, Mao S, Yin F. Graphene Oxide Inhibits Calcium Carbonate Nucleation. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:4592-4600. [PMID: 38381623 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Formation of minerals such as calcium carbonate often causes energy consumption and even safety risk increase due to the hindrance on heat/mass transfer. However, the current antiscalants are not efficient enough because of the poor understanding of the scale inhibition mechanisms. Here, we report an ultrahigh-performance antiscalant, graphene oxide (GO), which exhibits an outstanding nucleation inhibition effect far better than the current state-of-the-art antiscalants even on a subppm dosage. Our experiments reveal that the superior nucleation inhibition effect of GO is attributed to its limiting effect on the nucleation kinetics of ions and its ability to increase the nucleation barrier of calcium carbonate by altering the normal pathway of calcium carbonate polymorph formation. Further analysis indicates that the ion-limiting effect and the polymorph control ability of GO may stem from its oxygen functional group-rich surface chemistry and two-dimensional (2D) planar features, which endow GO with a Ca2+ binding ability and additional steric hindrance for CO32- diffusion, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoying Bai
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Materials Laminating Fabrication and Interface Control Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, P. R. China
| | - Mengzi Guo
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Materials Laminating Fabrication and Interface Control Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, P. R. China
| | - Shuaipeng Mao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Materials Laminating Fabrication and Interface Control Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, P. R. China
| | - Fuxing Yin
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Materials Laminating Fabrication and Interface Control Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, P. R. China
- Institute of New Materials, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510651, Guangdong, P. R. China
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Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Tian Y, Fu Z, Guo J, He G, Li L, Zhao F, Guo X. Continuous Synthesis of Spherical Polyelectrolyte Brushes by Photo-Emulsion Polymerization in a Microreactor. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:4576. [PMID: 38231985 PMCID: PMC10708043 DOI: 10.3390/polym15234576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Nanosized spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) are ideal candidates for the preparation of nanometal catalysts, protein separation, and medical diagnostics. Until now, SPBs have been synthesized by photo-emulsion polymerization in a batch reactor, which remains challenging to scale up. This paper reports a successful continuous preparation of SPBs by photo-emulsion polymerization in a self-made microreactor. The effects of residence time, monomer concentration, and feed ratios on the conversion of monomers and SPB structures are systematically investigated by dynamic lighting scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) SPBs obtained in a microreactor exhibiting a narrow size distribution with a short reaction time are very effective in inhibiting the calcium carbonate scale and are comparable to those produced in a batch reactor. This work confirms the feasibility of continuous preparation and scaled-up production of SPBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.Z.); (Y.T.); (Z.F.); (G.H.); (L.L.); (F.Z.)
| | - Yuhua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.Z.); (Y.T.); (Z.F.); (G.H.); (L.L.); (F.Z.)
| | - Yang Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.Z.); (Y.T.); (Z.F.); (G.H.); (L.L.); (F.Z.)
| | - Zhinan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.Z.); (Y.T.); (Z.F.); (G.H.); (L.L.); (F.Z.)
| | - Jiangtao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.Z.); (Y.T.); (Z.F.); (G.H.); (L.L.); (F.Z.)
| | - Guofeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.Z.); (Y.T.); (Z.F.); (G.H.); (L.L.); (F.Z.)
- Jiangsu Feymer Technology Co., Ltd., Zhangjiagang 215613, China
| | - Li Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.Z.); (Y.T.); (Z.F.); (G.H.); (L.L.); (F.Z.)
| | - Fang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.Z.); (Y.T.); (Z.F.); (G.H.); (L.L.); (F.Z.)
| | - Xuhong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.Z.); (Y.T.); (Z.F.); (G.H.); (L.L.); (F.Z.)
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, China
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Singh V, Zhang J, Chen J, Salzmann CG, Tiwari MK. Precision Covalent Organic Frameworks for Surface Nucleation Control. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2302466. [PMID: 37311152 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202302466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Unwanted accumulation of ice and lime scale crystals on surfaces is a long-standing challenge with major economic and sustainability implications. Passive inhibition of icing and scaling by liquid-repellent surfaces are often inadequate, susceptible to surface failure under harsh conditions, and unsuitable for long-term/real-life usages. Such surfaces often require a multiplicity of additional features such as optical transparency, robust impact resistance, and ability to prevent contamination from low surface energy liquids. Unfortunately, most promising advances have relied on using perfluoro compounds, which are bio-persistent and/or highly toxic. Here it is shown that organic, reticular mesoporous structures, covalent organic frameworks (COFs), may offer a solution. By exploiting simple and scalable synthesis of defect-free COFs and rational post-synthetic functionalization, nanocoatings with precision nanoporosity (morphology) are prepared that can inhibit nucleation at the molecular level without compromising the related contamination prevention and robustness. The results offer a simple strategy to exploit the nanoconfinement effect, which remarkably delays the nucleation of ice and scale formation on surfaces. Ice nucleation is suppressed down to -28 °C, scale formation is avoided for >2 weeks in supersaturated conditions, and jets of organic solvents impacting at Weber numbers >105 are resisted with surfaces that also offer optical transparency (>92%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikramjeet Singh
- Nanoengineered Systems Laboratory, UCL Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, London, W1W 7TS, UK
| | - Jianhui Zhang
- Nanoengineered Systems Laboratory, UCL Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, London, W1W 7TS, UK
| | - Jianan Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Christoph G Salzmann
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Manish K Tiwari
- Nanoengineered Systems Laboratory, UCL Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, London, W1W 7TS, UK
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Probing interaction forces associated with calcite scaling in aqueous solutions by atomic force microscopy. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 633:764-774. [PMID: 36481427 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.11.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The prevention of calcite aggregation and scaling remains a challenging problem in aqueous based systems and environmental science. Decades of research studies have proposed microscopic mechanisms of aggregation control, but experiments at the nanoscale and molecular level are rarely conducted. Here we show that the nanoscale topographic features of calcite during its aggregation depend significantly on the intermolecular and surface forces involved in this process. By measuring the forces between a calcite or silica particle and a calcite surface in aqueous solutions using atomic force microscopy, we found that higher solution pH and inhibitor concentration and lower salinity resulted in a system of stronger repulsion and weaker adhesion, which is favorable for reducing the possibility of calcite aggregation and surface deposition. Conflicting roles of Mg2+ in calcite aggregation prevention, being positive in acidic pH and negative in alkaline pH, were also observed. The nanoscale structural changes of calcite, visualized by atomic force microscopy or scanning electron microscopy, indicated a size dependence of aggregated and deposited calcite crystals on the calcite-calcite and calcite-silica interactions, respectively. The generalized framework of the calcite aggregation mechanism achieved in this work can be extended to other types of systems and provides a basis for investigating the anti-aggregation strategy of calcite from industrial and environmental perspectives.
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Zhang K, Ge F, Tang F, Tan L, Qiu Y, Zhu X. A structure-property study for konjac glucomannan and guar galactomannan: Selective carboxylation and scale inhibition. Carbohydr Polym 2023; 299:120220. [PMID: 36876821 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.120220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The effect of structural difference for konjac glucomannan (KGM) and guar galactomannan (GGM) on their physicochemical properties including selective carboxylation, biodegradation and scale inhibition was firstly investigated. Compared with GGM, KGM can be specially modified by amino acid to prepare carboxyl-functionalized polysaccharides. The structure-activity relationship explaining the difference in carboxylation activity and the anti-scaling abilities of polysaccharides and carboxylated derivatives were explored by static anti-scaling, iron oxide dispersion and biodegradation tests coupled with structural and morphological characterizations. KGM with linear structure was preferred for carboxylated modification by glutamic acid (KGMG) and aspartic acid (KGMA) while GGM with branched structure failed to accomplish that due to steric hindrance. GGM and KGM showed limited scale inhibition performance, which was probably attributed to the moderate adsorption and isolation effect of macromolecular stereoscopic structure. While KGMA and KGMG performed as effective and degradable inhibitors for CaCO3 scale with inhibitory efficiencies > 90 %.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kegui Zhang
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Feng Ge
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Fukai Tang
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Lichao Tan
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Yue Qiu
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Xinsheng Zhu
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing 210042, China.
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