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.

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.

Comment on:Recurrence after spontaneous separation of epiretinal membrane in a young woman:a case report

Dear Editor,Herein,we provide a commentary on the recently published article by Zeng QZ and Yu WZ[1].This case report provides interesting novel insights into the recurrence of epiretinal membrane(ERM)following self-separation in a young patient.In addition to the study,we have been investigating spontaneous ERM release for many years and have recently published a related paper[2].

Fluorinated semi-interpenetrating polymer networks for enhancing the mechanical performance and storage stability of polymer-bonded explosives by controlling curing and phase separation rates

Herein, the effect of fluoropolymer binders on the properties of polymer-bonded explosives(PBXs) was comprehensively investigated. To this end, fluorinated semi-interpenetrating polymer networks(semiIPNs) were prepared using different catalyst amounts(denoted as F23-CLF-30-D). The involved curing and phase separation processes were monitored using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, a haze meter and a rheometer. Curing rate constant and activation energy were calculated using a theoretical model and numerical method, respectively. Results revealed that owing to its co-continuous micro-phase separation structure, the F23-CLF-30-D3 semi-IPN exhibited considerably higher tensile strength and elongation at break than pure fluororubber F2314 and the F23-CLF-30-D0 semi-IPN because the phase separation and curing rates matched in the initial stage of curing.An arc Brazilian test revealed that F23-CLF-30-D-based composites used as mock materials for PBXs exhibited excellent mechanical performance and storage stability. Thus, the matched curing and phase separation rates play a crucial role during the fabrication of high-performance semi-IPNs;these factors can be feasibly controlled using an appropriate catalyst amount.

Process design and intensification of multicomponent azeotropes special distillation separation via molecular simulation and system optimization

This work provides an overview of distillation processes,including process design for different distillation processes,selection of entrainers for special distillation processes,system integration and intensification of distillation processes,optimization of process parameters for distillation processes and recent research progress in dynamic control strategies.Firstly,the feasibility of using thermodynamic topological theories such as residual curve,phase equilibrium line and distillation boundary line to analyze different separation regions is discussed,and the rationality of distillation process design is discussed by using its feasibility.Secondly,the application of molecular simulation methods such as molecular dynamics simulation and quantum chemical calculation in the screening of entrainer is discussed for the extractive distillation process.The thermal coupling mechanism of different distillation processes is used to explore the process of different process intensifications.Next,a mixed integer nonlinear optimization strategy for the distillation process based on different algorithms is introduced.Finally,the improvement of dynamic control strategies for different distillation processes in recent years is summarized.This work focuses on the application of process intensification and system optimization in the design of distillation process,and analyzes the challenges,prospects,and development trends of distillation technology in the separation of multicomponent azeotropes.

Risk factors and risk prediction model for mucocutaneous separation in enterostomy patients:A single center experience

BACKGROUND Mucocutaneous separation(MCS)is a common postoperative complication in enterostomy patients,potentially leading to significant morbidity.Early identification of risk factors is crucial for preventing this condition.However,predictive models for MCS remain underdeveloped.AIM To construct a risk prediction model for MCS in enterostomy patients and assess its clinical predictive accuracy.METHODS A total of 492 patients who underwent enterostomy from January 2019 to March 2023 were included in the study.Patients were divided into two groups,the MCS group(n=110),and the non-MCS(n=382)based on the occurrence of MCS within the first 3 weeks after surgery.Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the independent predictive factors of MCS and the model constructed.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the model’s performance.RESULTS The postoperative MCS incidence rate was 22.4%.Suture dislodgement(P<0.0001),serum albumin level(P<0.0001),body mass index(BMI)(P=0.0006),hemoglobin level(P=0.0409),intestinal rapture(P=0.0043),incision infection(P<0.0001),neoadjuvant therapy(P=0.0432),stoma site(P=0.0028)and elevated intra-abdominal pressure(P=0.0395)were potential predictive factors of MCS.Suture dislodgement[P<0.0001,OR:28.007595%CI:(11.0901-82.1751)],serum albumin level(P=0.0008,OR:0.3504,95%CI:[0.1902-0.6485]),BMI[P=0.0045,OR:2.1361,95%CI:(1.2660-3.6235)],hemoglobin level[P=0.0269,OR:0.5164,95%CI:(0.2881-0.9324)],intestinal rapture[P=0.0351,OR:3.0694,95%CI:(1.0482-8.5558)],incision infection[P=0.0179,OR:0.2885,95%CI:(0.0950-0.7624)]and neoadjuvant therapy[P=0.0112,OR:1.9769,95%CI:(1.1718-3.3690)]were independent predictive factors and included in the model.The model had an area under the curve of 0.827 and good clinical utility on decision curve analysis.CONCLUSION The mucocutaneous separation prediction model constructed in this study has good predictive performance and can provide a reference for early warning of mucocutaneous separation in enterostomy patients.

A Cu-Pd alloy catalyst with partial phase separation for the electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reaction

Cu catalysts can convert CO_(2) through an electrochemical reduction reaction into a variety of useful carbon-based products.However,this capability provides an obstacle to increasing the selectivity for a single product.Herein,we report a simple fabrication method for a Cu-Pd alloy catalyst for use in a membrane electrode assembly(MEA)-based CO_(2) electrolyzer for the electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reaction(ECRR)with high selectivity for CO production.When the composition of the Cu-Pd alloy catalyst was fabricated at 6:4,the selectivity for CO increased and the production of multi-carbon compounds and hydrogen is suppressed.Introducing a Cu-Pd alloy catalyst with 6:4 ratio as the cathode of the MEAbased CO_(2) electrolyzer showed a CO faradaic efficiency of 92.8%at 2.4 V_(cell).We assumed that these results contributed from the crystal planes on the surface of the Cu-Pd alloy.The phases of the Cu-Pd alloy catalyst were partially separated through annealing to fabricate a catalyst with high selectivity for CO at low voltage and C_(2)H_4 at high voltage.The results of CO-stripping testing confirmed that when Cu partially separates from the lattice of the Cu-Pd alloy,the desorption of~*CO is suppressed,suggesting that C-C coupling reaction is favored.

Precursor solution prepared by evaporation deamination complex method for solvent separation of Mo and W by H_2O_2-complexation

An novel method on preparation of precursor solution for solvent separation of molybdenum （Mo） and tungsten （W） by hydrogen peroxide （H2O2）-complexation from the ammonium tungstate solution containing high Mo was studied. The precursor solution was obtained via evaporation deamination and H202-complex transformation processes. Then it was extracted with a mixture extractant of tri-alkyl phosphine oxide （TRPO） and tributyl phosphate （TBP） to separate Mo and W. The results indicated that the evaporation deamination complex method reduced the acid consumption by more than 90% in comparison with the traditional directly acid regulation complex method. The transformation rates of W and Mo were higher than 95% and the decomposition rate of H202 was less than 15% at a 1.8-1.9 times H202 dosage, 45-50 ℃, initial pH of 1.80-1.90, and transformation volume ratio of 100% for 60 min in the H2O2-complexation transformation process. The minimum extraction rate of W was 2%, the maximum extraction rate of Mo was 82.6% and the highest separation coefficient was 76.7 in a single-stage extraction.

Study on Quality Improvement of Flue-cured Tobacco by Threshing and Pneumatic Separation

This study was conducted to further classify threshed strips, so as to broaden the usable range of raw material and facilitate the effective utilization of to- bacco resource. During the threshing and redwing process, various process param- eters including the rotating speeds of threshing drums of threshing machioe, draught fans and fling drums were scientifically and rationally set according to the actual quality of the raw material. According to the characteristic that strips with close in- herent quality have basically the same specific gravity and leaf thickness, the strips from each discharge hole were accurately evaluated, and classified, followed by redrying and packaging. The results showed that the threshing and separating pro- cedure could improve the separating effect and precision according to tobacco qual- ity, so as to satisfy the separation and classification requirements for tobacco.

单生过程separationcutoff的基于特征值的判别准则

对于时间逆具有随机单调性的以{0,1,…,mn}({mn}为关于n单调增的自然数列)为状态空间且从0出发的单生过程族,利用其负转移速率矩阵第一非零特征值的正性及最快强平稳时的任意阶矩,可以由转移速率矩阵的特征值表示这些性质,得到该族马氏过程separation cutoff存在的一个基于特征值的判别准则,验证了Peres的乘积条件对于此类单生过程成立.

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.

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.

Separation of arsenic from arsenic-antimony-bearing dust through selective oxidation-sulfidation roasting with CuS

The feasibility of a new method for separating arsenic from arsenic-antimony-bearing dusts using Cu S was put forward,in which Sb was transformed into Sb2O4 and Sb2S3 that stayed in the roasted calcine while As was volatilized in the form of As4O6.The factors such as roasting temperature and Cu S addition amount were studied using XRD,EPMA and SEM-EDS.Cu S has an active effect on the separation of arsenic due to the destruction of(Sb,As)2 O3 structures in the original dust and the simultaneous release of As in the form of As4O6.At a roasting temperature of 400°C and Cu S addition amount of 130%,the volatilization rates of arsenic and antimony reach 97.80 wt.%and 8.29 wt.%,respectively.Further,the high As volatile matter can be used to prepare ferric arsenate after it is oxidized,with this treatment rendering the vapor harmlessness.

Magnetically induced phase separation in the fcc phase and thermodynamic calculations of phase equilibria of the Co-Cr system

Two-phase equilibria between the ferromagnetic fcc and the paramagnetic fcc phase from 800 ℃ to 900 ℃ in the Co-rich region have been detected by the diffusion couple technique. Two phase separation region of the fcc has been confirmed along the Curie temperature.The phase equilibria including the present results and the thermodynamic data of the Co-Cr system reported in the literature were analyzed on the basis of the thermodynamic evaluation. A set of thermodynamic values for the liquid, fcc, hcp, bcc, sigma phases was obtained. The calculated phase equilibria were in good agreement with most of the experimental data.

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.

CH4/N2 separation on methane molecules grade diameter channel molecular sieves with a CHA-type structure

Samples of methane molecules grade diameter channel CHA-type molecular sieves(Chabazite-K, SAPO-34 and SSZ-13) were investigated using the adsorption separation of CH4/N2 mixtures. The isotherms recorded for CH4 and N2 follow a typical type-Ι behavior, which were fitted well with the Sips model(R2>0.999) and the selectivity was calculated using IAST theory. The results reveal that Chabazite-K has the highest selectivity(SCH4/N= 5.5).2 SSZ-13 has the largest capacity, which can adsorb up to a maximum of 30.957 cm3·g-1(STP) of CH4, due to it having the largest pore volume and surface area, but the lowest selectivity(SCH4/N2= 2.5). From the breakthrough test, we can conclude that SSZ-13 may be a suitable candidate for the recovery of CH4 from low concentration methane(CH4<20%) based on its larger pore volume and higher CH4 capacity. Chabazite-K is more suited to the separation of high concentration methane(CH4>50%) due to its higher selectivity.

Separation of CO_2/CH_4 and CH_4/N_2 mixtures using MOF-5 and Cu_3(BTC)_2

In this paper we used MOF-5 and Cu3（BTC）2 to separate CO2/CH4 and CI-I4/N2 mixtures under dynamic conditions. Both materials were synthesized and pelletized, thus allowing for a meaningful characterization in view of process scale-up. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. By performing breakthrough experiments, we found that Cu3（BTC）2 separated CO2/CH4 slightly better than MOF-5. Because the crystal structure of Cu3 （BTC）2 includes unsaturated accessible metal sites formed via dehydration, it predominantly interacted with CO2 molecules and more easily captured them. Conversely, MOF-5 with a suitable pore size separated CH4/N2 more efficiently in our breakthrough test.

New influence factor inducing difficulty in selective flotation separation of Cu–Zn mixed sulfide minerals

Selective flotation separation of Cu-Zn mixed sulfides has been proven to be difficult. Thus far, researchers have found no satis- factory way to separate Cu-Zn mixed sulfides by selective flotation, mainly because of the complex surface and interface interaction mecha- nisms in the flotation solution. Undesired activation occurs between copper ions and the sphalerite surfaces. In addition to recycled water and mineral dissolution, ancient fluids in the minerals are observed to be a new source of metal ions. In this study, significant amounts of ancient fluids were found to exist in Cu-Zn sulfide and gangue minerals, mostly as gas-liquid fluid inclusions. The concentration of copper ions re- leased from the ancient fluids reached 1.02 × 10-6 tool/L, whereas, in the cases of sphalerite and quartz, this concentration was 0.62 ×10-6 mol/L and 0.44 × 10-6 mol/L, respectively. As a result, the ancient fluid is a significant source of copper ions compared to mineral dissolution under the same experimental conditions, which promotes the unwanted activation of sphalerite. Therefore, the ancient fluid is considered to be a new factor that affects the selective flotation separation of Cu-Zn mixed sulfide ores.

Effects of Ni addition on liquid phase separation and giant magnetoresistance of Cu-Co alloys

The effects of Ni addition on the liquid phase separation and giant magnetoresi stance (GMR) of Cu Co alloys were discussed. The results reveal that Ni additio n can partially restrain the liquid phase separation of Cu Co alloys, resultin g in a decrease of volume fraction for the Co rich particles separated from the liquid phase and in refined microstructures. The composition analyses indicate t hat Ni is dissolved in both the Co rich and the Cu rich phases, but Ni content in the Co rich phase is much higher than that in the Cu matrix. At the same ti me, Ni addition enhance the solubility between Cu and Co, especially Cu in Co s olid solution. Ni alloying into Cu Co alloys can fully prevent the liquid phase separation during melt spinning, which is very beneficial to improve GMR of Cu Co alloys.

Selective separation of Cu(Ⅱ),Zn(Ⅱ),and Cd(Ⅱ)by solvent extraction

An experimental investigation was presented on the separation of Cu（Ⅱ）, Zn（Ⅱ）, and Cd（Ⅱ） from a rich sulfate leachate of zinc slag by solvent extraction. The results of orthogonal experiments indicate that LIX 984N is highly selective and very efficient in the extraction of Cu（Ⅱ）, and the analysis of variance indicates that the sequence of parameters according to their influence on the separation efficiency is phase ratio 〉 LIX 984N concentration 〉 pH value 〉 extraction time. The optimal condition for copper extraction is obtained as 25% of LIX 984N concentration, 7 rain of extraction time, 3：2 of phase ratio O/A, and pH = 1.7. The separation of Zn（Ⅱ） and Cd（Ⅱ） was performed after the copper extraction from the raffinate. Comparative analysis of the separation with di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid （D2EHPA）, D2EHPA-tributyl- phosophate （TBP） synergistic extracting system, and 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono 2-ethylhexyl ester （HEHEHP） was made at pH = 2.0. It is demonstrated that the extraction efficiency with D2EHPA is improved after being saponified by sodium hydroxide, and D2EHPA-TBP synergistic extracting, as well as HEHEHP, has a superior selectivity to Zn（Ⅱ） over Cd（Ⅱ）.