Deep eutectic solvents for separation and purification applications in critical metal metallurgy:Recent advances and perspectives

Solvent extraction,a separation and purification technology,is crucial in critical metal metallurgy.Organic solvents commonly used in solvent extraction exhibit disadvantages,such as high volatility,high toxicity,and flammability,causing a spectrum of hazards to human health and environmental safety.Neoteric solvents have been recognized as potential alternatives to these harmful organic solvents.In the past two decades,several neoteric solvents have been proposed,including ionic liquids(ILs)and deep eutectic solvents(DESs).DESs have gradually become the focus of green solvents owing to several advantages,namely,low toxicity,degradability,and low cost.In this critical review,their classification,formation mechanisms,preparation methods,characterization technologies,and special physicochemical properties based on the most recent advancements in research have been systematically described.Subsequently,the major separation and purification applications of DESs in critical metal metallurgy were comprehensively summarized.Finally,future opportunities and challenges of DESs were explored in the current research area.In conclusion,this review provides valuable insights for improving our overall understanding of DESs,and it holds important potential for expanding separation and purification applications in critical metal metallurgy.

Three-Dimensional Numerical Investigation of the Separation Process in a Vortex Tube at Different Operating Conditions

Air separators provide safe, clean, and appropriate air flow to engines and are widely used in vehicles with large engines such as ships and submarines. In this operational study, the separation process in a Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube cleaning （cooling） system is investigated to analyze the impact of the operating gas type on the vortex tube performance; the operating gases used are air, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. The computational fluid dynamic model used is equipped with a three-dimensional structure, and the steady-state condition is applied during computations. The standard k-c turbulence model is employed to resolve nonlinear flow equations, and various key parameters, such as hot and cold exhaust thermal drops, and power separation rates, are described numerically. The results show that nitrogen dioxide creates the greatest separation power out of all gases tested, and the numerical results are validated by good agreement with available experimental data. In addition, a comparison is made between the use of two different boundary conditions, the pressure-far-field and the pressure-outlet, when analyzing complex turbulent flows in the air separators. Results present a comprehensive and practical solution for use in future numerical studies.

STUDY OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL SEPARATION OF BOUNDARY LAYER OVER BLUNT BODIES

In the case of three-dimensional flows, the separation can be defined in more than one way. Discussions about three-dimensional boundary layer separation in the literature have found a rational extension of the zero skin friction. Attempts have been made to establish the identity of “separation lines”. Among definitions, these may be found： （1） envelopes of limiting streamlines, （2） lines dividing flow which has come from different regions, （3） lines of singularities （problems of topology）, （4） lines on which some component of the skin friction vanishes. Each of these is valid under certain conditions, but none is universally valid. In the present work, we use the definition （4）, i.e. at low incidence of a blunt body the separation line is identified as the zero of the meridian skin friction component （Wang 1975）. So the separation line on a flattened spheroid （6：3：1） at 6° of incidence is calculated, as well as experimentally determined by using the electrochemical method, which allows to follow the evolution of the parietal velocity gradient.

Effects of Three-Dimensional Platform Stiffness and Layer Dimensions on Separation of Carcinoma Cells

Cancer cell separation is highly desirable for cancer diagnosis and therapy.Besides biochemical methods,engineered platforms are effective alternatives for sorting carcinoma cells from normal cells based on their unique properties in responding to the physical changes of the surrounding microenvironment.In this work,three-dimensional(3D)biomimetic scaffold platforms were developed to separate nasopharyngeal carcinoma 43(NPC43)cells from immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial 460(NP460)cells based on precisely controlled design parameters including stiffness,number of layers,and structural layout.The migration characteristics of NPC43 and NP460 cells on the scaffold platforms revealed that NPC43 cells could squeeze into 10 lm wide,15 lm deep trenches while NP460 cells could not.The different migration behavior was mainly due to cells having different interactions with the surrounding microenvironment.NPC43 cells had filopodia-like protrusions,while NP460 cells exhibited a sheet-like morphology.Using these 3D biomimetic platforms,89%separation efficiency of NPC43 cells from NP460 cells was achieved on stiffer two-layer scaffold platforms with a 40/10 lm ridge/trench(R/T)grating on the top layer and a 20/10 lm R/T grid on the bottom layer.Moreover,the separation efficiency was further increased to 93%by adding an active conditioned medium(ACM)that caused the cells to have higher motility and deformability.These results demonstrate the capability to apply biomimetic engineered platforms with appropriate designs to separate cancer cells from normal cells for potential cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Role of tannin pretreatment in flotation separation of magnesite and dolomite

Flotation separation of magnesite and its calcium-containing carbonate minerals is a difficult problem.Recently,new regulat-ors have been proposed for magnesite flotation decalcification,although traditional regulators such as tannin,water glass,sodium carbon-ate,and sodium hexametaphosphate are more widely used in industry.However,they are rarely used as the main regulators in research because they perform poorly in magnesite and dolomite single-mineral flotation tests.Inspired by the limonite presedimentation method and the addition of a regulator to magnesite slurry mixing,we used a tannin pretreatment method for separating magnesite and dolomite.Microflotation experiments confirmed that the tannin pretreatment method selectively and largely reduces the flotation recovery rate of dolomite without affecting the flotation recovery rate of magnesite.Moreover,the contact angles of the tannin-pretreated magnesite and dolomite increased and decreased,respectively,in the presence of NaOl.Zeta potential and Fourier transform infrared analyses showed that the tannin pretreatment method efficiently hinders NaOl adsorption on the dolomite surface but does not affect NaOl adsorption on the magnesite surface.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations confirmed that tannin interacts more strongly with dolomite than with magnesite.

Direct capture and separation of CO_(2) from air

Direct air capture(DAC)has attracted increasing interest and investment over the past few years.There are a fast-growing number of companies that entered the field and demonstrated DAC carbon removal setups and potential.However,current DAC methods are still based on solid absorbents or alkali solutions approaches which have low capture efficiency and low energy efficiency.This highlight proposed a promising CO_(2) capture technology,an electric energy driven closed-loop system for the direct removal of CO_(2) from ambient air which are based on two individual technologies:Polyam-N-Cu hybrid system promoted CO_(2) capture with ocean as anthropogenic CO_(2) sink and a chloride-mediated electrochemical pH swing system to remove CO_(2) from oceanwater.

A theory for three-dimensional response of micropolar plates

Through combined applications of the transfer-matrix method and asymptotic expansion technique,we formulate a theory to predict the three-dimensional response of micropolar plates.No ad hoc assumptions regarding through-thickness assumptions of the field variables are made,and the governing equations are two-dimensional,with the displacements and microrotations of the mid-plane as the unknowns.Once the deformation of the mid-plane is solved,a three-dimensional micropolar elastic field within the plate is generated,which is exact up to the second order except in the boundary region close to the plate edge.As an illustrative example,the bending of a clamped infinitely long plate caused by a uniformly distributed transverse force is analyzed and discussed in detail.

Oxygen tension modulates cell function in an in vitro three-dimensional glioblastoma tumor model

Hypoxia is a typical feature of the tumor microenvironment,one of the most critical factors affecting cell behavior and tumor progression.However,the lack of tumor models able to precisely emulate natural brain tumor tissue has impeded the study of the effects of hypoxia on the progression and growth of tumor cells.This study reports a three-dimensional(3D)brain tumor model obtained by encapsulating U87MG(U87)cells in a hydrogel containing type I collagen.It also documents the effect of various oxygen concentrations(1%,7%,and 21%)in the culture environment on U87 cell morphology,proliferation,viability,cell cycle,apoptosis rate,and migration.Finally,it compares two-dimensional(2D)and 3D cultures.For comparison purposes,cells cultured in flat culture dishes were used as the control(2D model).Cells cultured in the 3D model proliferated more slowly but had a higher apoptosis rate and proportion of cells in the resting phase(G0 phase)/gap I phase(G1 phase)than those cultured in the 2D model.Besides,the two models yielded significantly different cell morphologies.Finally,hypoxia(e.g.,1%O2)affected cell morphology,slowed cell growth,reduced cell viability,and increased the apoptosis rate in the 3D model.These results indicate that the constructed 3D model is effective for investigating the effects of biological and chemical factors on cell morphology and function,and can be more representative of the tumor microenvironment than 2D culture systems.The developed 3D glioblastoma tumor model is equally applicable to other studies in pharmacology and pathology.

Three-dimensional cell-based strategies for liver regeneration

Liver regeneration and the development of effective therapies for liver failure remain formidable challenges in modern medicine.In recent years,the utilization of 3D cell-based strategies has emerged as a promising approach for addressing these urgent clinical requirements.This review provides a thorough analysis of the application of 3D cell-based approaches to liver regeneration and their potential impact on patients with end-stage liver failure.Here,we discuss various 3D culture models that incorporate hepatocytes and stem cells to restore liver function and ameliorate the consequences of liver failure.Furthermore,we explored the challenges in transitioning these innovative strategies from preclinical studies to clinical applications.The collective insights presented herein highlight the significance of 3D cell-based strategies as a transformative paradigm for liver regeneration and improved patient care.

Phase separation and transcriptional regulation in cancer development

Liquid-liquid phase separation,a novel biochemical phenomenon,has been increasingly studied for its medical applications.It underlies the formation of membrane-less organelles and is involved in many cellular and biological processes.During transcriptional regulation,dynamic condensates are formed through interactions between transcriptional elements,such as transcription factors,coactivators,and mediators.Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation,but the precise mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis often remain to be elucidated.Emerging evidence has linked abnormal transcriptional condensates to several diseases,especially cancer,implying that phase separation plays an important role in tumorigenesis.Condensates formed by phase separation may have an effect on gene transcription in tumors.In the present review,we focus on the correlation between phase separation and transcriptional regulation,as well as how this phenomenon contributes to cancer development.

Three-dimensional visualization technology for guiding one-step percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic lithotripsy for the treatment of complex hepatolithiasis

BACKGROUND Biliary stone disease is a highly prevalent condition and a leading cause of hospitalization worldwide.Hepatolithiasis with associated strictures has high residual and recurrence rates after traditional multisession percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic lithotripsy(PTCSL).AIM To study one-step PTCSL using the percutaneous transhepatic one-step biliary fistulation(PTOBF)technique guided by three-dimensional(3D)visualization.METHODS This was a retrospective,single-center study analyzing,140 patients who,between October 2016 and October 2023,underwent one-step PTCSL for hepatolithiasis.The patients were divided into two groups:The 3D-PTOBF group and the PTOBF group.Stone clearance on choledochoscopy,complications,and long-term clearance and recurrence rates were assessed.RESULTS Age,total bilirubin,direct bilirubin,Child-Pugh class,and stone location were similar between the 2 groups,but there was a significant difference in bile duct strictures,with biliary strictures more common in the 3D-PTOBF group(P=0.001).The median follow-up time was 55.0(55.0,512.0)days.The immediate stone clearance ratio(88.6%vs 27.1%,P=0.000)and stricture resolution ratio(97.1%vs 78.6%,P=0.001)in the 3D-PTOBF group were significantly greater than those in the PTOBF group.Postoperative complication(8.6%vs 41.4%,P=0.000)and stone recurrence rates(7.1%vs 38.6%,P=0.000)were significantly lower in the 3D-PTOBF group.CONCLUSION Three-dimensional visualization helps make one-step PTCSL a safe,effective,and promising treatment for patients with complicated primary hepatolithiasis.The perioperative and long-term outcomes are satisfactory for patients with complicated primary hepatolithiasis.This minimally invasive method has the potential to be used as a substitute for hepatobiliary surgery.

The combined application of stem cells and three-dimensional bioprinting scaffolds for the repair of spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury is considered one of the most difficult injuries to repair and has one of the worst prognoses for injuries to the nervous system.Following surgery,the poor regenerative capacity of nerve cells and the generation of new scars can make it very difficult for the impaired nervous system to restore its neural functionality.Traditional treatments can only alleviate secondary injuries but cannot fundamentally repair the spinal cord.Consequently,there is a critical need to develop new treatments to promote functional repair after spinal cord injury.Over recent years,there have been seve ral developments in the use of stem cell therapy for the treatment of spinal cord injury.Alongside significant developments in the field of tissue engineering,three-dimensional bioprinting technology has become a hot research topic due to its ability to accurately print complex structures.This led to the loading of three-dimensional bioprinting scaffolds which provided precise cell localization.These three-dimensional bioprinting scaffolds co uld repair damaged neural circuits and had the potential to repair the damaged spinal cord.In this review,we discuss the mechanisms underlying simple stem cell therapy,the application of different types of stem cells for the treatment of spinal cord injury,and the different manufa cturing methods for three-dimensional bioprinting scaffolds.In particular,we focus on the development of three-dimensional bioprinting scaffolds for the treatment of spinal cord injury.

Advances in depressants for flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals at low alkalinity:A critical review

The flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals at low alkalinity can be achieved using selective depressants.In the flotation system of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals,depressants usually preferentially interact with the pyrite surface to render the mineral surface hydrophilic and hinder the adsorption of the collector.This review summarizes the advances in depressants for the flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals at low alkalinity.These advances include use of inorganic depressants (oxidants and sulfur–oxygen compounds),natural polysaccharides (starch,dextrin,konjac glucomannan,and galactomannan),modified polymers (carboxymethyl cellulose,polyacrylamide,lignosulfonate,and tricarboxylate sodium starch),organic acids (polyglutamic acid,sodium humate,tannic acid,pyrogallic acid,salicylic acid,and lactic acid),sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate,and diethylenetriamine.The potential application of specific inorganic and organic depressants in the flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals at low alkalinity is reviewed.The advances in the use of organic depressants with respect to the flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals are comprehensively detailed.Additionally,the depression performances and mechanisms of different types of organic depressants on mineral surfaces are summarized.Finally,several perspectives on depressants vis-à-vis flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals at low alkalinity are proposed.

Recent progress in ternary mixed matrix membranes for CO_(2) separation

Mixed matrix membranes(MMMs)could combine the advantages of both polymeric membranes and porousfillers,making them an effective alternative to conventional polymer membranes.However,interfacial incompatibility issues,such as the presence of interfacial voids,hardening of polymer chains,and blockage of micropores by polymers between common MMMsfillers and the polymer matrix,currently limit the gas sep-aration performance of MMMs.Ternary phase MMMs(consisting of afiller,an additive,and a matrix)made by adding a third compound,usually functionalized additives,can overcome the structural problems of binary phase MMMs and positively impact membrane separation performance.This review introduces the structure and fabrication processes for ternary MMMs,categorizes various nanofillers and the third component,and summarizes and analyzes in detail the CO_(2) separation performance of newly developed ternary MMMs based on both rubbery and glassy polymers.Based on this separation data,the challenges of ternary MMMs are also discussed.Finally,future directions for ternary MMMs are proposed.

Virtual and augmented reality systems and three-dimensional printing of the renal model—novel trends to guide preoperative planning for renal cancer

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the applications of three-dimensional (3D) technology, including virtual reality, augmented reality (AR), and 3D printing system, in the field of medicine, particularly in renal interventions for cancer treatment.MethodsA specialized software transforms 2D medical images into precise 3D digital models, facilitating improved anatomical understanding and surgical planning. Patient-specific 3D printed anatomical models are utilized for preoperative planning, intraoperative guidance, and surgical education. AR technology enables the overlay of digital perceptions onto real-world surgical environments.ResultsPatient-specific 3D printed anatomical models have multiple applications, such as preoperative planning, intraoperative guidance, trainee education, and patient counseling. Virtual reality involves substituting the real world with a computer-generated 3D environment, while AR overlays digitally created perceptions onto the existing reality. The advances in 3D modeling technology have sparked considerable interest in their application to partial nephrectomy in the realm of renal cancer. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, constructs 3D objects based on computer-aided design or digital 3D models. Utilizing 3D-printed preoperative renal models provides benefits for surgical planning, offering a more reliable assessment of the tumor's relationship with vital anatomical structures and enabling better preparation for procedures. AR technology allows surgeons to visualize patient-specific renal anatomical structures and their spatial relationships with surrounding organs by projecting CT/MRI images onto a live laparoscopic video. Incorporating patient-specific 3D digital models into healthcare enhances best practice, resulting in improved patient care, increased patient satisfaction, and cost saving for the healthcare system.

High-speed autopolarization synchronization modulation three-dimensional structured illumination microscopy

In recent years,notable progress has been achieved in both the hardware and algorithms of structured illumination microscopy(SIM).Nevertheless,the advancement of three-dimensional structured illumination microscopy(3DSIM)has been impeded by challenges arising from the speed and intricacy of polarization modulation.We introduce a high-speed modulation 3DSIM system,leveraging the polarizationmaintaining and modulation capabilities of a digital micromirror device(DMD)in conjunction with an electrooptic modulator.The DMD-3DSIM system yields a twofold enhancement in both lateral(133 nm)and axial(300 nm)resolution compared to wide-field imaging and can acquire a data set comprising 29 sections of 1024 pixels×1024 pixels,with 15 ms exposure time and 6.75 s per volume.The versatility of the DMD-3DSIM approach was exemplified through the imaging of various specimens,including fluorescent beads,nuclear pores,microtubules,actin filaments,and mitochondria within cells,as well as plant and animal tissues.Notably,polarized 3DSIM elucidated the orientation of actin filaments.Furthermore,the implementation of diverse deconvolution algorithms further enhances 3D resolution.The DMD-based 3DSIM system presents a rapid and reliable methodology for investigating biomedical phenomena,boasting capabilities encompassing 3D superresolution,fast temporal resolution,and polarization imaging.

The flow behavior of droplet adsorption on a liquid-liquid interface accompanied by cross-linking reaction and phase separation in a microchannel

The adsorption process of droplets on the liquid-liquid interface and phase separation process can regulate the spatial distribution of the fluid system,which are crucial for chemical engineering.However,the cross-linking reaction,which is widely used in the field of polymers,can change the physical properties of the fluids and affect the flow behavior accordingly.A configuration of microchannels is designed to conveniently generate uniform droplets in one phase of the parallel flow.The flow behavior of the adsorption process of sodium alginate droplets on the liquid-liquid interface is investigated,and the subsequent process of phase separation is studied.In the process of droplet adsorption,the crosslinking reaction occurs synchronously,which makes the droplet viscosity and the elasticity modules of the droplet surface increase,thus affecting the dynamics of the adsorption process and the equilibrium shape of the droplet.The variation of the adsorption length with time is divided into three stages,which all conform to power law relationship.The exponents of the second and third stages deviate from the results of the Tanner's law.The flow pattern maps of droplet adsorption and phase separation are drawn,and the operating ranges of complete adsorption and complete separation are provided.This study provides a theoretical basis for further studying the flow behavior of droplets with cross-linking reaction in a microchannel.

Environmental,economic and exergy analysis of separation of ternary azeotrope by variable pressure extractive distillation based on multi-objective optimization

In this work,the ternary azeotrope of tert-butyl alcohol/ethyl acetate/water is separated by extractive distillation(ED)to recover the available constituents and protect the environment.Based on the conductor like shielding model and relative volatility method,ethylene glycol was selected as the extractant in the separation process.In addition,in view of the characteristic that the relative volatility between components changes with pressure,the multi-objective optimization method based on nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II optimizes the pressure and the amount of solvent cooperatively to avoid falling into the optimal local solution.Based on the optimal process parameters,the proposed heat-integrated process can reduce the gas emissions by 29.30%.The heat-integrated ED,further coupled with the pervaporation process,can reduce gas emission by 42.36%and has the highest exergy efficiency of 47.56%.In addition,based on the heat-integrated process,the proposed two heat pump assisted heat-integrated ED processes show good economic and environmental performance.The double heat pump assisted heat-integrated ED can reduce the total annual cost by 28.78%and the gas emissions by 55.83%compared with the basis process,which has a good application prospect.This work provides a feasible approach for the separation of ternary azeotropes.

Flotation separation of scheelite from calcite using luteolin as a novel depressant

This paper proposes luteolin(LUT)as a novel depressant for the flotation-based separation of scheelite and calcite in a sodium oleate(NaOL)system.The suitability of LUT as a calcite depressant is confirmed through micro-flotation testing.At pH=9,with LUT concentration of 50 mg·L^(-1) and NaOL concentration of 50 mg·L^(-1),scheelite recovery reaches 80.3%.Calcite,on the other hand,exhibits a recovery rate of 17.6%,indicating a significant difference in floatability between the two minerals.Subsequently,the surface modifica-tions of scheelite and calcite following LUT treatment are characterized using adsorption capacity testing,Zeta potential analysis,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),and atomic force microscopy(AFM).The study in-vestigates the selective depressant mechanism of LUT on calcite.Adsorption capacity testing and Zeta potential analysis demonstrate sub-stantial absorption of LUT on the surface of calcite,impeding the further adsorption of sodium oleate,while its impact on scheelite is min-imal.FT-IR and XPS analyses reveal the selective adsorption of LUT onto the surface of calcite,forming strong chemisorption bonds between the hydroxyl group and calcium ions present.AFM directly illustrates the distinct adsorption densities of LUT on the two miner-al types.Consequently,LUT can effectively serve as a depressant for calcite,enabling the successful separation of scheelite and calcite.

Development of a toroidal soft x-ray imaging system and application for investigating three-dimensional plasma on J-TEXT

A toroidal soft x-ray imaging(T-SXRI)system has been developed to investigate threedimensional(3D)plasma physics on J-TEXT.This T-SXRI system consists of three sets of SXR arrays.Two sets are newly developed and located on the vacuum chamber wall at toroidal positionsφof 126.4°and 272.6°,respectively,while one set was established previously atφ=65.50.Each set of SXR arrays consists of three arrays viewing the plasma poloidally,and hence can be used separately to obtain SXR images via the tomographic method.The sawtooth precursor oscillations are measured by T-SXRI,and the corresponding images of perturbative SXR signals are successfully reconstructed at these three toroidal positions,hence providing measurement of the 3D structure of precursor oscillations.The observed 3D structure is consistent with the helical structure of the m/n=1/1 mode.The experimental observation confirms that the T-SXRI system is able to observe 3D structures in the J-TEXT plasma.