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Ye H, Li D, Ye X, Zheng Y, Zhang Z, Zhang H, Chen Z. An adjustable permeation membrane up to the separation for multicomponent gas mixture. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7380. [PMID: 31089201 PMCID: PMC6517568 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43751-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The mixture separation is of fundamental importance in the modern industry. The membrane-based separation technology has attracted considerable attention due to the high efficiency, low energy consumption, etc. However, the tradeoff between the permeability and selectivity is a crucial challenge, which is also difficult to adjust during the separation process. Based on the salt water-filled carbon nanotubes, a separation membrane with the adjustable molecular channels by the electric field is proposed in this work. The separation mechanism is clarified on the basis of the characteristic size of the molecular channel and the overall effective diameter of gas molecules. The molecular dynamics simulation is performed to examine the feasibility and validity of the designed separation membrane. The simulations on the binary gas mixture (H2 and N2) reveal the flow control and high-purity separation as the electric field intensity varies. As for the mixed gas with the three components (H2, N2 and Xe), the successive separations and the switch between the high-efficiency and high-purity separation could be achieved only through adjusting the electric field intensity. This work incorporates the control into the membrane-based separation technology, which provides a novel solution for the complex industrial separation requirement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongfei Ye
- International Research Center for Computational Mechanics, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Faculty of Vehicle Engineering and Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P.R. China
| | - Dong Li
- International Research Center for Computational Mechanics, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Faculty of Vehicle Engineering and Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P.R. China
| | - Xin Ye
- International Research Center for Computational Mechanics, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Faculty of Vehicle Engineering and Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P.R. China
| | - Yonggang Zheng
- International Research Center for Computational Mechanics, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Faculty of Vehicle Engineering and Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P.R. China
| | - Zhongqiang Zhang
- Micro/Nano Science and Technology Center, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 210013, P.R. China
| | - Hongwu Zhang
- International Research Center for Computational Mechanics, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Faculty of Vehicle Engineering and Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P.R. China.
| | - Zhen Chen
- International Research Center for Computational Mechanics, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Faculty of Vehicle Engineering and Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P.R. China. .,Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
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Lei G, Zhang Y, Liu H, Song F. Mechanical properties of hollow and water-filled graphyne nanotube and carbon nanotube hybrid structure. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2018; 29:195702. [PMID: 29457775 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aab075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
By performing molecular dynamics simulations, a GNT/CNT hybrid structure constructed via combing (6, 6) graphyne nanotube (GNT) with (6, 6) carbon nanotube (CNT) has been designed and investigated. The mechanical properties induced by the percentage of GNT, water content and electric field were examined. Calculation results reveal that the fracture strain and strength of hollow hybrid structure are remarkably smaller than that of perfect (6, 6) CNT. In addition, the Young's modulus decreases monotonously with the increase of percentage of GNT. More importantly, the tunable mechanical properties of hybrid structure can be achieved through filling with water molecules and applying an electric field along tensile direction. Specifically, increasing water content from 0.0 to 8.70 mmol g-1 in the absence of electric field could result in fracture strain and strength reducing by 15.09% and 12.87%, respectively. Besides, enhancing fracture strain and strength of water-filled hybrid structure with water content of 8.70 mmol g-1 can also be obtained with rising electric field intensity. These findings would provide a valuable theoretical basis for designing and fabricating a nanodevice with controllable mechanical performances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangping Lei
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, People's Republic of China
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Ye H, Zheng Y, Zhou L, Zhao J, Zhang H, Chen Z. Divergent effect of electric fields on the mechanical property of water-filled carbon nanotubes with an application as a nanoscale trigger. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2018; 29:025707. [PMID: 29226852 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aa98ee] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Polar water molecules exhibit extraordinary phenomena under nanoscale confinement. Through the application of an electric field, a water-filled carbon nanotube (CNT) that has been successfully fabricated in the laboratory is expected to have distinct responses to the external electricity. Here, we examine the effect of electric field direction on the mechanical property of water-filled CNTs. It is observed that a longitudinal electric field enhances, but the transverse electric field reduces the elastic modulus and critical buckling stress of water-filled CNTs. The divergent effect of the electric field is attributed to the competition between the axial and circumferential pressures induced by polar water molecules. Furthermore, it is notable that the transverse electric field could result in an internal pressure with elliptical distribution, which is an effective and convenient approach to apply nonuniform pressure on nanochannels. Based on pre-strained water-filled CNTs, we designed a nanoscale trigger with an evident and rapid height change initiated by switching the direction of the electric field. The reported finding provides a foundation for an electricity-controlled property of nanochannels filled with polar molecules and provides an insight into the design of nanoscale functional devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongfei Ye
- International Research Center for Computational Mechanics, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Faculty of Vehicle Engineering and Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People's Republic of China
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Facile synthesis of silicon nitride nanowires with flexible mechanical properties and with diameters controlled by flow rate. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45538. [PMID: 28349956 PMCID: PMC5368666 DOI: 10.1038/srep45538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultralong Si3N4 nanowires (NWs) were successfully synthesized with size controlled in N2 gas by using an efficient method. The diameters of the Si3N4 NWs increased when the flow rate of N2 gas increased, with average diameters of 290 nm from flow rates of 100 ml/min, 343 nm from flow rates of 200 ml/min and 425 nm from flow rates of 400 ml/min. Young's modulus was found to rely strongly on the diameters of the Si3N4 NWs, decreasing from approximately 526.0 GPa to 321.9 GPa; as the diameters increased from 360 nm to 960 nm. These findings provide a promising method for tailoring these mechanical properties of the NWs in a controlled manner over a wide range of Young's modulus values. Vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanisms were used to model the growth of Si3N4 NWs on the inner wall of an alumina crucible and on the surface of the powder mixture. Alumina may be an effective mediator of NW growth that plays an important role in controlling the concentrations of Si-containing reactants to support the growth of NWs on the inner wall of the alumina crucible. This approach offers a valuable means for preparing ultralong Si3N4 NWs doped with Al with unique properties.
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Bai X, Liu Y, Yu L, Hua Z. Distribution behavior of superparamagnetic carbon nanotubes in an aqueous system. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32845. [PMID: 27599569 PMCID: PMC5013395 DOI: 10.1038/srep32845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the distribution behavior of superparamagnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes (SPM-MWCNTs) in an aqueous system containing Lake Tai sediment. Specifically, the effects of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and sediment on SPM-MWCNTs under various conditions and the interaction forms between them were evaluated through a modified mathematical model and characterization. The results showed that DOM can stabilize SPM-MWCNTs by providing sterically and electrostatically stable surfaces, even under high sodium concentrations. The fitting accuracy of the Freundlich adsorption isotherm is higher than that of the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Therefore, the adsorption of SPM-MWCNT on the sediment should proceed through a multiple, complex and heterogeneous adsorption mechanism. Characterization analyses indicated that DOM may serve as a bridge for the inorganic adsorption between SPM-MWCNTs and sediment. This study is the first to investigate the distribution behavior of magnetite coated carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which simplified the separation and quantification considerably. The findings of this study will serve as a valuable reference for future studies of magnetic CNTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Bai
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.,School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Yuqi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Lu Yu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Zulin Hua
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
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