Patent-based technological developments and surfactants application of lithium-ion batteries fire-extinguishing agent

While newer,more efficient Lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)and extinguishing agents have been developed to reduce the occurrence of thermal runaway accidents,there is still a scarcity of research focused on the application of surfactants in different LIBs extinguishing agents,particularly in terms of patented technologies.The aim of this review paper is to provide an overview of the technological progress of LIBs and LIBs extinguishing agents in terms of patents in Korea,Japan,Europe,the United States,China,etc.The initial part of this review paper is sort out LIBs technology development in different regions.In addition,to compare LIBs extinguishing agent progress and challenges of liquid,solid,combination of multiple,and microencapsulated.The subsequent section of this review focuses on an in-depth analysis dedicated to the efficiency and challenges faced by the surfactants corresponding design principles of LIBs extinguishing agents,such as nonionic and anionic surfactants.A total of 451,760 LIBs-related patent and 20 LIBs-fire-extinguishing agent-related patent were included in the analyses.The extinguishing effect,cooling performance,and anti-recombustion on different agents have been highlighted.After a comprehensive comparison of these agents,this review suggests that temperature-sensitive hydrogel extinguishing agent is ideal for the effective control of LIBs fire.The progress and challenges of surfactants have been extensively examined,focusing on key factors such as surface activity,thermal stability,foaming properties,environmental friendliness,and electrical conductivity.Moreover,it is crucial to emphasize that the selection of a suitable surfactant must align with the extinguishing strategy of the extinguishing agent for optimal firefighting effectiveness.

Synergistic anionic/zwitterionic mixed surfactant system with high emulsification efficiency for enhanced oil recovery in low permeability reservoirs

Emulsification is one of the important mechanisms of surfactant flooding. To improve oil recovery for low permeability reservoirs, a highly efficient emulsification oil flooding system consisting of anionic surfactant sodium alkyl glucosyl hydroxypropyl sulfonate(APGSHS) and zwitterionic surfactant octadecyl betaine(BS-18) is proposed. The performance of APGSHS/BS-18 mixed surfactant system was evaluated in terms of interfacial tension, emulsification capability, emulsion size and distribution, wettability alteration, temperature-resistance and salt-resistance. The emulsification speed was used to evaluate the emulsification ability of surfactant systems, and the results show that mixed surfactant systems can completely emulsify the crude oil into emulsions droplets even under low energy conditions. Meanwhile,the system exhibits good temperature and salt resistance. Finally, the best oil recovery of 25.45% is achieved for low permeability core by the mixed surfactant system with a total concentration of 0.3 wt%while the molar ratio of APGSHS:BS-18 is 4:6. The current study indicates that the anionic/zwitterionic mixed surfactant system can improve the oil flooding efficiency and is potential candidate for application in low permeability reservoirs.

Enabling an Inorganic-Rich Interface via Cationic Surfactant for High-Performance Lithium Metal Batteries

An anion-rich electric double layer(EDL)region is favorable for fabricating an inorganic-rich solid-electrolyte interphase(SEI)towards stable lithium metal anode in ester electrolyte.Herein,cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB),a cationic surfactant,is adopted to draw more anions into EDL by ionic interactions that shield the repelling force on anions during lithium plating.In situ electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy results combined with molecular dynamics simulations validate the enrichment of NO_(3)^(−)/FSI−anions in the EDL region due to the positively charged CTA^(+).In-depth analysis of SEI structure by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry results confirmed the formation of the inorganic-rich SEI,which helps improve the kinetics of Li^(+)transfer,lower the charge transfer activation energy,and homogenize Li deposition.As a result,the Li||Li symmetric cell in the designed electrolyte displays a prolongated cycling time from 500 to 1300 h compared to that in the blank electrolyte at 0.5 mA cm^(-2) with a capacity of 1 mAh cm^(-2).Moreover,Li||LiFePO_(4) and Li||LiCoO_(2) with a high cathode mass loading of>10 mg cm^(-2) can be stably cycled over 180 cycles.

Synthesis of Core-shell ZSM-5@ Ordered Mesoporous Silica by Tetradecylamine Surfactant

A core-shell composite consisting of ZSM-5 zeolite as the core and ordered mesoporous silica as the shell was prepared by a surfactant-controlled sol-gel process and using tetradecylamine(TDA) as the template and Tetraethylorthosilicate(TEOS) as the silica precursor.The pores of the silica shell were found to be ordered and perpendicular to the crystal faces of the zeolite core.The thickness of the shell in the coreshell structured composite can be adjusted in the range of 20-90 nm,while the surface morphology and the pore size distribution were modified by changing the mass ratio of TEOS to zeolite.The composite molecular sieves have higher surface area for capturing molecules than ZSM-5,and with the increase of mesoporous shell layer,the ZSM-5@SiO_(2)-x composites show stronger adsorption capacity of butyraldehyde.However,when the shell thickness exceeds 90 nm,the adsorption capacity of butyraldehyde decreases instead.The composites have a huge potential for environmental applications.

A robust viscoelastic surfactant tolerating 20% HCl up to 150℃ for oil well stimulation

Viscoelastic surfactants(VES)are often used as viscous diverters in acidizing stimulation to prolong the acid consumption time and maximize zonal coverage of the acid for improving well productivity.However,the ceiling temperature of commercial VES cannot exceed 120℃in practical use because of the poor thermal stability and fragile molecular structure,hindering their implementation in hightemperature oil reservoirs,i.e.,≥150℃.Here we synthesized a novel C22-tailed diamine,N-erucaminopropyl-N,N-dimethylamine(EDPA),and examined comparatively its rheological behavior,assemblies morphology and molecular stability in 20 wt%HCl with a commercial VES,erucyl dimethyl amidopropyl betaine(EDAB).The feasibility of EDPA for acidizing stimulation was assessed by acid etching of carbonate rock with its HCl solution at 150℃.Rheological results showed that the 2.5 wt%EDPA—20 wt%HCl solution maintains stable viscosity of 90 m Pa s at 150℃for 60 min,while that of 2.0 wt%EDAB HCl solution is just 1 m Pa s under identical conditions.1H NMR spectra and cryo-TEM observations revealed that the chemical structure and self-assembled architectures of EDPA remained intact in such context,but the EDAB suffered from degradation due to the hydrolysis of the amide group,accounting for the poor heat-resistance and acid-tolerance.The reaction rate of 2.5 wt%EDPA HCl solution with carbonate rock was one order of magnitude lower than that of 20 wt%HCl solution at 150℃,underpinning the potential of EDPA to be used in the high-temperature reservoirs acidizing.This work improved the thermal tolerance of VES in highly concentrated HCl solution,paving a feasible way for the acidization of high-temperature reservoir environments(~150℃).

Enhancing sustainability in phosphate ore processing:Performance of frying oil as alternative flotation collector for carbonate removal

Recycling waste frying oils for the synthesis of flotation reagents presents a promising avenue for sustainable waste management.Moreover,it offers a cost-effective solution for crafting a specialized collector designed to efficiently remove carbonates and enhance phosphate enrichment in froth flotation processes.This study focuses on the synthesis of an anionic collector using the saponification reaction of a frying oil sample,subsequently applied to the flotation of calcite and dolomite.To elucidate the adsorption mechanisms of the frying oil collector(FrOC)and sodium oleate,a reference collector,on fluorapatite,calcite,dolomite,and quartz surfaces,comprehensive experiments were conducted,including zeta potential measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.Results revealed diverse adsorption affinities of the molecules towards these minerals.To assess the practical performance of the collector,flotation tests were conducted using a natural phosphate ore mixture,employing a BoxBehnken experimental design.Notably,under optimized conditions(pH 9,1000 g/t of FrOC,3.5 min of conditioning,and 6 min of flotation),FrOC exhibited excellent performance,with calcite and dolomite recoveries exceeding 80%,while apatite recovery in the concentrate fraction remained below 10%.This work exemplifies both circular economy practices and the distinctive approach to sustainable mineral processing.

Effects of gallium surfactant on AlN thin films by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition

In this work, AlN films were grown using gallium (Ga) as surfactant on 4° off-axis 4H-SiC substrates via microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). We have found that AlN growth rate can be greatly improved due to the catalytic effect of trimethyl-gallium (TMGa), but AlN crystal structure and composition are not affected. When the proportion of TMGa in gas phase was low, crystal quality of AlN can be improved and three-dimensional growth mode of AlN was enhanced with the increase of Ga source. When the proportion of TMGa in gas phase was high, two-dimensional growth mode of AlN was presented, with the increase of Ga source results in the deterioration of AlN crystal quality. Finally, employing a two-step growth approach, involving the initial growth of Ga-free AlN nucleation layer followed by Ga-assisted AlN growth, high quality of AlN film with flat surface was obtained and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) values of 415 nm AlN (002) and (102) planes were 465 and 597 arcsec.

Effect of carbon material and surfactant on ink property and resulting surface cracks of fuel-cell microporous layers

Ensuring the consistency of electrode structure in proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells is highly desired yet challenging because of wide-existing and unguided cracks in the microporous layer(MPL). The first thing is to evaluate the homogeneity of MPL with cracks quantitatively. This paper proposes the homogeneity index of a full-scale MPL with an area of 50 cm~2, which is yet to be reported in the literature to our knowledge. Besides, the effects of the carbon material and surfactant on the ink and resulting MPL structure have been studied. The ink with a high network development degree produces an MPL with low crack density, but the ink with high PDI produces an MPL with low crack homogeneity. The polarity of the surfactant and the non-polarity of polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) are not mutually soluble,resulting in the heterogeneous PTFE distribution. The findings of this study provide guidelines for MPL fabrication.

Enhanced performance of solution-processed carbon nanotube transparent electrodes in foldable perovskite solar cells through vertical separation of binders by using eco-friendly parylene substrate

The successful utilization of an eco-friendly and biocompatible parylene-C substrate for high-performance solution-processed double-walled carbon nanotube(CNT)electrode-based perovskite solar cells(PSCs)was demonstrated.Through the use of a novel inversion transfer technique,vertical separation of the binders from the CNTs was induced,rendering a stronger p-doping effect and thereby a higher conductivity of the CNTs.The resulting foldable devices exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 18.11%,which is the highest reported among CNT transparent electrode-based PSCs to date,and withstood more than 10,000 folding cycles at a radius of 0.5 mm,demonstrating unprecedented mechanical stability.Furthermore,solar modules were fabricated using entirely laser scribing processes to assess the potential of the solution-processable nanocarbon electrode.Notably,this is the only one to be processed entirely by the laser scribing process and to be biocompatible as well as eco-friendly among the previously reported nonindium tin oxide-based perovskite solar modules.

Preparation and Characterization of Biobased Dehydroabietyl Polyethylene Glycol Glycidyl Ether-Grafted Hydroxyethyl Cellulose with High Emulsifying Property

Dehydroabietyl polyethylene glycol glycidyl ether-grafted hydroxyethyl cellulose(HEC)polymer surfactant(DA(EO)5GE-g-HEC)was prepared using ring-opening polymerization with biobased rosin and hydroxyethyl cellulose as feedstocks.Dehydroabietyl polyethylene glycol glycidyl ether(DA(EO)5GE)was formed by condensation of dehydroabietyl alcohol polyoxyethylene ether(Rosin derivative:DA(EO)5H)and epichlorohydrin.The grafting degree of DA(EO)5GE-g-HEC was manipulated by adjusting the mass ratio of HEC and DA(EO)5GE and confirmed by EA.According to the formula,when m(HEC)/m(DA(EO)2GE)was 1:1~1:5,the grafting rate of DA(EO)5GE in DA(EO)5GE-g-HEC varied from 34.43%to 38.33%.The surface activity and foam properties of DA(EO)5GE-g-HEC aqueous solution were studied.The results showed that with the increase in grafting rate,the critical micellar concentration(CMC)in aqueous solution changed from 1.28 to 0.96 g/L.The results of the thermogravimetric analysis showed that the temperature range of the main stage of mass loss of DA(EO)5GE-g-HEC was 310°C~410°C,and the thermal decomposition processes of the samples with five mass ratios were similar.An oil in water emulsion was prepared by choosing cyclohexane as the oil phase and DA(EO)5GE-g-HEC as the emulsifier.The effect of DA(EO)5GE-g-HEC mass fraction on emulsion particle size and stability was analyzed.The results suggested that when the oil-water ratio was 8:2 with 0.4%emulsifier,the emulsion droplets were the smallest in terms of particle size and were the most stable.The rheological test results showed that the apparent viscosity decreased with the increase in shear rate and showed a typical elastic gel phenomenon.

Effects of pulmonary surfactant combined with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome

BACKGROUND Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome(NRDS)is one of the most common diseases in neonatal intensive care units,with an incidence rate of about 7%among infants.Additionally,it is a leading cause of neonatal death in hospitals in China.The main mechanism of the disease is hypoxemia and hypercapnia caused by lack of surfactant AIM To explore the effect of pulmonary surfactant(PS)combined with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation on keratin-14(KRT-14)and endothelin-1(ET-1)levels in peripheral blood and the effectiveness in treating NRDS.METHODS Altogether 137 neonates with respiratory distress syndrome treated in our hospital from April 2019 to July 2021 were included.Of these,64 control cases were treated with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation and 73 observation cases were treated with PS combined with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation.The expression of KRT-14 and ET-1 in the two groups was compared.The deaths,complications,and PaO_(2),PaCO_(2),and PaO_(2)/FiO_(2)blood gas indexes in the two groups were compared.Receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)analysis was used to determine the diagnostic value of KRT-14 and ET-1 in the treatment of NRDS.RESULTS The observation group had a significantly higher effectiveness rate than the control group.There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of neonatal mortality and adverse reactions,such as bronchial dysplasia,cyanosis,and shortness of breath.After treatment,the levels of PaO_(2)and PaO_(2)/FiO_(2)in both groups were significantly higher than before treatment,while the level of PaCO_(2)was significantly lower.After treatment,the observation group had significantly higher levels of PaO_(2)and PaO_(2)/FiO_(2)than the control group,while PaCO_(2)was notably lower in the observation group.After treatment,the KRT-14 and ET-1 levels in both groups were significantly decreased compared with the pre-treatment levels.The observation group had a reduction of KRT-14 and ET-1 levels than the control group.ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of KRT-14 was 0.791,and the AUC of ET-1 was 0.816.CONCLUSION Combining PS with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation significantly improved the effectiveness of NRDS therapy.KRT-14 and ET-1 levels may have potential as therapeutic and diagnostic indicators.

The Meeting Points a New Way out for Surfactant Industrial Chain

In March 2024,a large batch of people along the surfactant industrial chain attended the“2024 Chinese Surfactant Industrial Meeting”,also the 2024(The 2nd)Chinese International Surfactant Industrial Expo held between March 25 and March 28,so as to explore new possibilities in the industry.This event was hosted by China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry and National Engineering Research Center for Surfactant(NERCS)and organized by Productivity Promotion Centre for the Surfactant and Detergent Industry and China Daily chemical Industry Information Center,with the special support by China Quality Mark Certification Group.

The Significance of Flotation Frothers Chemical Structure and Fundamental Properties: A Review

Froth flotation is a separation process widely used in the mineral processing industry that depends on differences in particle surface properties to separate valuable materials from undesired gangue. In froth flotation, an addition of a surfactant, acting as frother is usually needed. The basic function of the frother is to produce a swarm of air bubbles, which remain sufficiently stable for the hydrophobic mineral particles to be captured by them. This Paper presents a combination method of a foaming agent-surfactant composition with desirable selectivity and foaming properties. Wherein 1-butanol (C4H10O) is a main flotation foaming agent, which decides bubble sizes in a collecting area;and tetraethylene glycol (C8H18O5) is an auxiliary foaming agent, which affects a rising velocity of the bubbles in the collecting area and a foaming capability in a selected area. Set concentrations of the two components are respectively 60 ppm for the 1-butanol and 120 ppm for the tetraethylene glycol. An addition sequence is the 1-butanol followed by the tetraethylene glycol. The dual advantages of the selectivity and foaming properties of the foaming agent-surfactant composition in the present disclosure are verified through a series of tests, and desirable yields can be obtained in practice.

Experimental study of surfactant-enhanced spontaneous imbibition in fractured tight sandstone reservoirs: The effect of fracture distribution

Spontaneous imbibition is an important phenomenon in tight reservoirs.The existence of a large number of fractures and micro-nano pores is the key factor affecting the spontaneous imbibition of tight reservoirs.In this study,based on high-pressure mercury injection and nuclear magnetic resonance experiments,the pore distribution of tight sandstone is described.The influence of fractures,core porosity and permeability,and surfactants on the spontaneous imbibition of tight sandstone are studied by physical fracturing,interfacial tension test,wettability test and imbibition experiments.The results show that:the pore radius of tight sandstone is concentrated in 0.01-1 mm.Fractures can effectively reduce the oil drop adsorption on the core surface,enhancing the imbibition recovery of the tight sandstone with an increase of about 10%.As the number of fractures increases,the number of oil droplets adsorbed on the core surface decrease and the imbibition rate increases.The imbibition recovery increases with the increase in pore connectivity,while the imbibition rate increases with the increases in core porosity and permeability.The surfactant can improve the core water wettability and reduce the oilwater interfacial tension,reducing the adsorption of oil droplets on the core surface,and improving the core imbibition recovery with an increase of about 15%.In a word,the existence of fractures and surfactants can enhance the pore connectivity of the reservoir,reduce the adsorption of oil droplets on the core surface,and improve the imbibition rate and recovery rate of the tight oil reservoir.

Water-resistant organic thermoelectric generator with >10μW output

Flexible p–n thermoelectric generator(TEG)technology has rapidly advanced with power enhancement and size reduction.To achieve a stable power supply and highly efficient energy conversion,absolute chemical stability of n-type materials is essential to ensuring large temperature differences between device terminals and ambient stability.With the aim of improving the long-term stability of the n-type operation of carbon nanotubes(CNTs)in air and water,this study uses cationic surfactants,such as octylene-1,8-bis(dimethyldodecylammonium bromide)(12-8-12),a gemini surfactant,to stabilize the nanotubes in a coating,which retains the n-doped state for more than 28 days after exposure to air and water in experiments.TEGs with 10 p-n units of 12-8-12/CNT(n-type)and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate/CNT(p-type)layers are manufactured,and their water stability is evaluated.The initial maximum output of 16.1μW(75 K temperature difference)is retained after water immersion for 40 days without using a sealant to prevent TEG module degradation.The excellent stability of these CNT-based TEGs makes them suitable for underwater applications,such as battery-free health monitoring and information gathering systems,and facilitates the development of soft electronics.

Effects of Cationic Surfactant on Fresh and Hardened Properties of Cement-Based Mortar

The objective of this study is to analyze the effects of using surfactant(CTAB)and cellulose nanofibers(NFC)as an admixture in cement mortars.We examined composite properties as porosity,compression energy,thermal conductivity and hydration.The results showed that with the addition of 0.7%by weight of NFC per emulsion in the presence of a cationic surfactant(CTAB).The new material produced presented a dry porosity between 4.7%and 4.4%,compressive strength between 9.8 and 22.9 MPa,and thermal conductivity between 0.95 and 2.25 W·m^(−1)·K^(−1).Thus we show better mechanical and thermal performance than that traditional Portland cement mortar with a density similar.In addition,the mortar made by emulsion of ordinary portland cement,cellulose nanofiber and organophilic clay(OC)treated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB)obtained has good resistance under high temperature and water,as well as excellent thermal insulation performance under high temperature and humidity conditions.This study verified that the presence of NFC promotes hydration,leading to the production of more calcium silicate and portlandite gel.

A novel triple responsive smart fluid for tight oil fracturing-oil expulsion integration

The traditional multi-process to enhance tight oil recovery based on fracturing and huff-n-puff has obvious deficiencies,such as low recovery efficiency,rapid production decline,high cost,and complexity,etc.Therefore,a new technology,the so-called fracturing-oil expulsion integration,which does not need flowback after fracturing while making full use of the fracturing energy and gel breaking fluids,are needed to enable efficient exploitation of tight oil.A novel triple-responsive smart fluid based on“pseudo-Gemini”zwitterionic viscoelastic surfactant(VES)consisting of N-erucylamidopropyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-2-hydroxy-1-propane-sulfonate(EHSB),N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-propanediamine(TMEDA)and sodium p-toluenesulfonate(NaPts),is developed.Then,the rheology of smart fluid is systematically studied at varying conditions(CO_(2),temperature and pressure).Moreover,the mechanism of triple-response is discussed in detail.Finally,a series of fracturing and spontaneous imbibition performances are systematically investigated.The smart fluid shows excellent CO_(2)-,thermal-,and pressure-triple responsive behavior.It can meet the technical requirement of tight oil fracturing construction at 140°C in the presence of 3.5 MPa CO_(2).The gel breaking fluid shows excellent spontaneous imbibition oil expulsion(∼40%),salt resistance(1.2×104 mg/L Na+),temperature resistance(140°C)and aging stability(30 days).

Effect of different ventilation methods combined with pulmonary surfactant on neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome

BACKGROUND Acute respiratory distress syndrome precipitates is widespread pulmonary injury in impacted individuals,the neonatal respiratory distress syndrome(NRDS),primarily observed in preterm infants,represents a prevalent critical condition in neonatal clinical settings.AIM To investigate the clinical efficacy of various ventilation strategies combined with pulmonary surfactant(PS)therapy in the treatment of NRDS.METHODS A total of 20 neonates diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome,admitted between May 2021 and June 2022,were randomly assigned to either a research group or a control group.Neonates in the research group received treatment involving high-frequency oscillatory ventilation(HFOV)in conjunction with PS.In contrast,neonates in the control group were administered either controlled mechanical ventilation or synchronous intermittent mandatory ventilation,combined with PS.Arterial blood samples from the neonates in both groups were collected before treatment,as well as 6 h,12 h,24 h,and 48 h post-treatment.These samples underwent blood gas analysis,with measurements taken for pH value,partial pressures of oxygen(O_(2))and carbon dioxide.Concurrently,data was collected on the duration of ventilator use,length of hospitalization time,O_(2) treatment time,treatment outcomes,and complications of the ventilator.RESULTS From 6-48 h post-treatment,both groups demonstrated significant improvements in arterial blood pH and oxygen partial pressure,along with a significant decrease in carbon dioxide partial pressure compared to pre-treatment values(P<0.05).Although these changes progressed over time,there were no significant differences between the two groups(P>0.05).However,the research group had significantly lower X-ray scores,shorter hospitalization time,and less time on O_(2) therapy compared to the control group(P<0.05).Mortality rates were similar between the two groups(P>0.05),but the research group had a significantly lower incidence of complications(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The integration of HFOV combine with PS has proven to effectively expedite the treatment duration,decrease the occurrence of complications,and secure the therapeutic efficacy in managing NRDS.

Effect of surfactant addition on leaching process of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores with magnesium sulfate

Surfactants were proposed to be added into magnesium sulfate solution to improve the leaching process of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores(WREOs).Effects of surfactants and their concentration on the seepage of leaching solutions and the leaching efficiency of rare earth(RE)and aluminum(Al)were investigated,and the leaching kinetics,the mass transfer process,the adhesion work and the adhesion work reduction factor were analyzed to reveal its strengthening leaching mechanism.The results show that cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB)has a better strengthening effect on the leaching process than dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide(DTAB),sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS),sodium oleate and oleic acid.In the presence of 0.04%CTAB in 0.2 mol/L solution,the permeability coefficient of WREOs increases from 0.945×10^(-5)to 1.640×10^(-5)cm·s^(-1),and the leaching efficiency of RE increases from 80%to 90%,confirming the promotion of surfactants on the leaching process of WREOs.Kinetic analysis shows that the leaching process conforms to the inner diffusion control model,and the leaching kinetics equations of RE and Al related to CTAB content are obtained.Mass transfer discussion shows a smaller height equivalent to theoretical plate(HETP)of RE and Al at CTAB content of 0.04%,suggesting the higher mass transfer efficiency here.According to the interfacial properties of leaching solutions,the calculated adhesion work and the adhesion work reduction factor further demonstrate the strengthening leaching effect of CTAB on the leaching process of WREOs.

Effect of Surfactants on the Thermoelectric Performance of Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Thermoelectrics are a promising solution to the recovery of some of the 60%of the worldwide energy wasted as heat.However,their conversion efficiency is low and the best performing materials are brittle,toxic,and made of expensive ceramics.The challenge in developing better performing materials is in disrupting the electrical vs thermal conductivity correlation,to achieve low thermal conductivity simultaneously with a high electrical conductivity.Carbon nanotubes allow for the decoupling of the electronic density of states from the phonon density of states and this paper shows that flexible,thin films of double-walled carbon nanotube(DWCNT)can form effective n-and p-doped semiconductors that can achieve a combined Seebeck coefficient of 157.6µV K^(−1),the highest reported for a single DWCNT device to date.This is achieved through selected surfactant doping,whose role is correlated with the length of the hydrocarbon chain of the hydrophobic tail group of the surfactant’s molecules.CNTs functionalized with Triton X-405 show the highest output power consisting of a single junction of p-and n-type thermoelectric elements,reaching as high as 67 nW for a 45 K temperature gradient.Thus enabling flexible,cheaper,and more efficient thermoelectric generators through the use of functionalized CNTs.