System analysis with life cycle assessment for NiMH battery recycling.

The nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery technology has been designed for use in electric vehicles, solar-powered applications and power tools. These batteries contain the critical and strategic raw materials cobalt, nickel and several rare earth elements (REE). When designing a battery recycling process, there are several choices to be made regarding end-products and process chemicals.

Mesoscale Clusters in the Crystallisation of Organic Molecules.

The early stages of the molecular self-assembly pathway leading to crystal nucleation have a significant influence on the properties and purity of organic materials. This mini review collates the work on organic mesoscale clusters and discusses their importance in nucleation processes, with a particular focus on their critical properties and susceptibility to sample treatment parameters. This is accomplished by a review of detection methods, including dynamic light scattering, nanoparticle tracking analysis, small angle X-ray scattering, and transmission electron microscopy.

Investigation into the Nucleation of the -Hydroxybenzoic Acid:Glutaric Acid 1:1 Cocrystal from Stoichiometric and Non-Stoichiometric Solutions.

The nucleation in the -hydroxybenzoic acid:glutaric acid 1:1 cocrystal (PHBA:GLU) system has been investigated in stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric acetonitrile solutions by induction time experiments. Utilizing the ternary phase diagram, the supersaturated non-stoichiometric solutions were created with compositions along the invariant point boundary lines. In all cases, the PHBA:GLU cocrystal was the nucleating phase, even though the non-stoichiometric solutions were also supersaturated with respect to the pure solid phases.

Characterization and Crystal Nucleation Kinetics of a New Metastable Polymorph of Piracetam in Alcoholic Solvents.

A new polymorph of the drug active pharmaceutical ingredient piracetam (Form VI) has been discovered and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD), solid-state Raman, attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The PXRD diffractogram of Form VI shows a distinct peak at 24.2° (2θ) that distinguishes it from the previously known polymorphs and solvates.

Nucleation of the Theophylline:Salicylic Acid 1:1 Cocrystal.

The nucleation behavior of the theophylline-salicylic acid 1:1 (THP:SA) cocrystal in chloroform has been investigated and compared with the corresponding behavior of the pure compounds. Induction times have been determined at different supersaturations at 10 °C under each condition in approximately 40-80 repetition experiments in 20 mL vials. Nucleation times, extracted from the median induction times by accounting for a nucleus growth time, have been used to determine the interfacial energy and the pre-exponential factor within the classical nucleation theory.

Pure Curcumin Spherulites from Impure Solutions Nonclassical Crystallization.

Crystallization experiments performed with highly supercooled solutions produced highly pure (>99 wt %) and highly crystalline mesocrystals of curcumin from impure solutions (∼22% of two structurally similar impurities) in one step. These mesocrystals exhibited a crystallographic hierarchy and were composed of perfectly or imperfectly aligned nanometer-thick crystallites. X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic analysis confirmed that the spherulites are a new solid form of curcumin.

Thermodynamics of the Enantiotropic Pharmaceutical Compound Benzocaine and Solubility in Pure Organic Solvents.

The thermodynamic relationship between FI and FII of ethyl 4-aminobenzoate (benzocaine) has been investigated. Slurry conversion experiments show that the transition temperature below which FI is stable is located between 302 K-303 K (29 °C-30 °C). The polymorphs FI and FII have been characterised by infrared spectroscopy (IR), Raman spectroscopy, transmission powder X-ray diffraction (XRPD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

Solubility and thermodynamic analysis of ketoprofen in organic solvents.

The solubility of the racemic solid phase of ketoprofen (KTP) in methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, acetonitrile, ethyl acetate, 1,4-dioxane and toluene has been determined between 273 and 303 K by a gravimetric method. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, SEM and PXRD, have been used to characterise the solid phase. The melting data and heat capacity of solid and melt have been determined by DSC, and used to estimate fusion thermodynamics and the activity of the solid phase as functions of temperature.

Solubility of Two Polymorphs of Tolbutamide in n-Propanol: Comparison of Methods.

The solid-liquid solubility of two polymorphs of the title compound has been measured in n-propanol over the temperature range (278 K-303 K) by an isothermal, gravimetric method and a low heating rate polythermal method. Due to marked differences in the settling behavior of crystals of the two polymorphs in the investigated solvent, it is found that the low heating rate polythermal method gives the overall best performance for this particular system. Systematic slurry conversion experiments show that FII is the stable polymorph over the investigated temperature range (268 K-308 K).

Solid and Solution State Thermodynamics of Polymorphs of Butamben (Butyl 4-Aminobenzoate) in Pure Organic Solvents.

The solubility of butamben has been measured gravimetrically in pure methanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, and toluene over the temperature range 268-298 K. Polymorph transition and melting temperatures, associated enthalpy changes, and the heat capacity of the solid forms and the supercooled melt have been measured by differential scanning calorimetry. Based on extrapolated calorimetric data, the Gibbs energy, enthalpy and entropy of fusion, and the activity of solid butamben (the ideal solubility) have been calculated from below ambient temperature up to the melting point.

Solute clustering in undersaturated solutions - systematic dependence on time, temperature and concentration.

Molecular clustering and solvent-solute interactions in isopropanol solutions of fenoxycarb have been thoroughly and systematically investigated by dynamic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and nanoparticle tracking, supported by infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. The existence of molecular aggregates, clusters, ranging in size up to almost a micrometre is clearly recorded at undersaturated as well as supersaturated conditions by all three analysis techniques. The results systematically reveal that the cluster size increases with solute concentration and time at stagnant conditions.

Crystal Nucleation of Tolbutamide in Solution: Relationship to Solvent, Solute Conformation, and Solution Structure.

The influence of the solvent in nucleation of tolbutamide, a medium-sized, flexible and polymorphic organic molecule, has been explored by measuring nucleation induction times, estimating solvent-solute interaction enthalpies using molecular modelling and calorimetric data, probing interactions and clustering with spectroscopy, and modelling solvent-dependence of molecular conformation in solution. The nucleation driving force required to reach the same induction time is strongly solvent-dependent, increasing in the order: acetonitrile View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Modelling and understanding powder flow properties and compactability of selected active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipients and physical mixtures from critical material properties.

The development of solid dosage forms and manufacturing processes are governed by complex physical properties of the powder and the type of pharmaceutical unit operation the manufacturing processes employs. Suitable powder flow properties and compactability are crucial bulk level properties for tablet manufacturing by direct compression. It is also generally agreed that small scale powder flow measurements can be useful to predict large scale production failure.

Thermodynamic Stability Analysis of Tolbutamide Polymorphs and Solubility in Organic Solvents.

Melting temperatures and enthalpies of fusion have been determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for 2 polymorphs of the drug tolbutamide: FI(H) and FV. Heat capacities have been determined by temperature-modulated DSC for 4 polymorphs: FI(L), FI(H), FII, FV, and for the supercooled melt. The enthalpy of fusion of FII at its melting point has been estimated from the enthalpy of transition of FII into FI(H) through a thermodynamic cycle.

Solubility and crystal nucleation in organic solvents of two polymorphs of curcumin.

Two crystal polymorphs of 1,7-bis-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione (curcumin) have been obtained by crystallization from ethanol (EtOH) solution. The polymorphs have been characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction and shown to be the previously described forms I and III. The solubility of both polymorphs in EtOH and of one polymorph in ethyl acetate (EA) has been measured between 10°C and 50°C with a gravimetric method.

Influence of solvent on crystal nucleation of risperidone.

Over 2100 induction time experiments were carried out for the medium-sized, antipsychotic drug molecule, risperidone in seven different organic solvents. To reach the same induction time the required driving force increases in the order: cumene, toluene, acetone, ethyl acetate, methanol, propanol, and butanol, which reasonably well correlates to the interfacial energies as determined within classical nucleation theory. FTIR spectroscopy has been used to investigate any shifts in the spectra and to estimate the interaction of solute and solvent at the corresponding site.

Analysis of the structure and morphology of fenoxycarb crystals.

In this paper, we have explored the relationship between surface structure and crystal growth and morphology of fenoxycarb (FC). Experimental vs. predicted morphologies/face indices of fenoxycarb crystals are presented.

Investigating the role of solvent-solute interaction in crystal nucleation of salicylic acid from organic solvents.

In previous work, it has been shown that the crystal nucleation of salicylic acid (SA) in different solvents becomes increasingly more difficult in the order: chloroform, ethyl acetate acetonitrile, acetone, methanol, and acetic acid. In the present work, vibration spectroscopy, calorimetric measurements, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. Raman and infrared spectra suggest that SA exists predominately as dimers in chloroform, but in the other five solvents there is no clear evidence of dimerization.

Particle engineering of benzoic acid by spherical agglomeration.

The influence of process conditions on the properties of benzoic acid spherical agglomerates, are investigated. Agglomerates are produced in a fed-batch agitated tank process. Benzoic acid is dissolved in ethanol and the solution is mixed with the bridging liquid, before being fed into an agitated aqueous solution.

On the mechanisms of formation of spherical agglomerates.

Spherical agglomerates of benzoic acid have been successfully prepared by semi-batch, agitated vessel, drowning-out crystallization in water-ethanol-toluene mixtures. Benzoic acid is dissolved in ethanol, toluene is added and this mixture is fed at constant rate to the agitated crystallizer containing water. The influence of the amount of bridging liquid and the feeding rate on the product particle size distribution, morphology, and mechanical compression characteristics have been investigated.

Prediction of solubility curves and melting properties of organic and pharmaceutical compounds.

The relationships between solubility, temperature dependence of solubility, melting temperature and melting enthalpy are investigated for the purpose of finding relations that can significantly reduce the need for experimental work in the selection of the solvent for processing of organic fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The relationships are investigated theoretically and by evaluation of experimental data for 41 organic and pharmaceutical compounds comprising a total of 115 solubility curves in organic and aqueous solvents. The work considers (i) selection of the equation for correlation of solubility data based on thermodynamic considerations and ability to predict melting properties of the solute from solubility data, (ii) prediction of the temperature dependence of solubility, and (iii) prediction of solubility curves in new solvents.

Spherical crystallization of benzoic acid.

This paper deals with the development of a method for spherical crystallization of benzoic acid. Benzoic acid is dissolved in ethanol, water is used as anti-solvent and chloroform is used as bridging liquid. After an introductory screening of different methods, the influence of the amount of the bridging liquid, the solute concentration and the stirring rate is investigated.

Oiling out or molten hydrate-liquid-liquid phase separation in the system vanillin-water.

Vanillin crystals in a saturated aqueous solution disappear and a second liquid phase emerges when the temperature is raised above 51 degrees C. The phenomenon has been investigated with crystallization and equilibration experiments, using DSC, TGA, XRD and hot-stage microscopy for analysis. The new liquid solidifies on cooling, appears to melt at 51 degrees C, and has a composition corresponding to a dihydrate.

Selective desorption of carbon dioxide from sewage sludge for in situ methane enrichment--Part II: Modelling and evaluation of experiments.

In situ methane enrichment in anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge has been investigated by experiments and by modelling. Sludge from a full scale digester was fed to a pilot scale bubble column having 0.3 m diameter for preferential desorption of carbon dioxide.

Effect of preparation method on compactability of paracetamol granules and agglomerates.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of fracture strength of paracetamol particles on their compactability. For this purpose two series of paracetamol particles were prepared by crystal agglomeration and by granulation using different solvents. A free flowing particle size fraction of all types of particles was characterized with respect to their shape, degree of agglomeration and single fracture strength.