NaCl aerosol filtration over filter media with intrafiber porosity: can filtrate capacity be increased by wicking into this pore volume?

This paper investigates a novel fiber-based filter media wherein a NaCl filtrate is collected and reservoired not only onto the surfaces of the fibers and within their inter-fiber voidage but also within the internal porosity of high pore volume nanoporous fibers or vapor grown carbon nanofibers (VGCF) floc used to fabricate the media. This transport process is shown to occur through a NaCl dissolution into the water-filled nanopores of the fiber and a subsequent intra-fiber wicking phenomenon. The study further elucidates two distinct NaCl accommodation mechanisms which are uniquely available to filter media containing nanoporous intrafiber porosity: (1) wicking and capillary condensation of liquid NaCl aerosols directly into the intrafiber pores at high RH, and (2) dissolution of otherwise solid NaCl aerosols deposited onto fiber surfaces (at low RH) into the interior nanopores of the fiber because these pores (when hydrophilic) are saturated with water (even at low RH).

Characterization of Dirt Holding Capacity of Microfiber-Based Filter Media Using Thermal Impedance Spectroscopy.

With the development of new classes of high-speed vessels like LCAC, which are expected to ingest high amounts of salt particulates, it is of vital importance to develop a new class of filtration media which can meet this requirement. A microfibrous filter media embedded with nanofibers was thus developed using a nanofiber flocked suspension with a microfibrous support created using traditional wet-lay papermaking methods. While the pressure drop is normally used as the conventional parameter to predict service-life of the filter media, it does not give a proper indication of filter service life.

Insights into the thermal and chemical stability of multilayered VCT MXene.

We report on the thermal stability of multilayered V2CTx MXenes under different atmospheres by combining in situ Raman spectroscopy with ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to elucidate and monitor the molecular, electronic, and structural changes of both the surface and bulk of the V2CTx MXene which has recently received much attention. The MXene samples were heated up to 600 °C in inert (N2), oxidative (CO2, air), and reductive (H2) environments under similar conditions. In situ Raman showed that the V[double bond, length as m-dash]O vibration for two-dimensional vanadia is preserved up to 600 °C under N2, while its intensity reduces under H2.

Filtration performance of novel microfibrous media embedded with nanofiber flocs for aerosol particle removal.

Ingestion and accumulation of sea salt and other impurities is a major challenge for high speed vessels, turbine engines, and other air breathing systems. The performance and reliability of filters are anticipated to be improved significantly after the rate of performance degradation is reduced via enhanced filtration media and well-designed filtration approaches. This study proposes to apply anionic surfactant to disperse the nanofibers thoroughly and employ cationic surfactant to flocculate the dispersed nanofibers into numerous small groups of nanofiber flocs.

A novel nano-nonwoven fabric with three-dimensionally dispersed nanofibers: entrapment of carbon nanofibers within nonwovens using the wet-lay process.

This study demonstrates, for the first time, the manufacturing of novel nano-nonwovens that are comprised of three-dimensionally distributed carbon nanofibers within the matrices of traditional wet-laid nonwovens. The preparation of these nano-nonwovens involves dispersing and flocking carbon nanofibers, and optimizing colloidal chemistry during wet-lay formation. The distribution of nanofibers within the nano-nonwoven was verified using polydispersed aerosol filtration testing, air permeability, low surface tension liquid capillary porometry, SEM and cyclic voltammetry.

Note: Heated sample platform for in situ temperature-programmed XPS.

We present the design, fabrication, and performance of the multi-specimen heated platform for linear in situ heating during the Temperature-Programmed XPS (TPXPS). The platform is versatile, compatible with high vacuum (HV) and bakeout. The heater platform is tested under in situ linear heating of typical high surface area sorbent∕catalyst support--nanoporous TiO(2).

Characterization of active sites, determination of mechanisms of H(2)S, COS and CS(2) sorption and regeneration of ZnO low-temperature sorbents: past, current and perspectives.

The intellectually and technically challenging pursuit of the emerging global environmentally "green" and energy-efficient infrastructure of the 21st century requires the development of a worldwide network of low- to medium-power fuel cell (FC) based portable electric power-generating devices and high-power biomass/clean coal "electric+chemical plants" with zero carbon footprint utilizing integrated coal gasification combined cycle with geologic carbon sequestration (IGCC-GCS) under energy-efficient low-temperature conditions. These emerging technologies require the deep and ultradeep desulfurization of gaseous feeds, since sulfur compounds, especially hydrogen sulfide H(2)S are highly corrosive and poisonous to both technological processes and the environment. Therefore, it is of crucial importance for both academic and industrial research communities to have a solid understanding of the atomic-level structures of active sites and molecular-level mechanisms of surface chemical reactions of the novel deep and ultradeep desulfurization materials, especially desulfurization sorbents.

Regenerable Fe-Mn-ZnO/SiO2 sorbents for room temperature removal of H2S from fuel reformates: performance, active sites, Operando studies.

Fe- and Mn-promoted H(2)S sorbents Fe(x)-Mn(y)-Zn(1-x-y)O/SiO(2) (x, y = 0, 0.025) for desulfurization of model fuel reformates at room temperature were prepared, tested and characterized. Sulfur uptake capacity at 25 °C significantly exceeds that of both commercial unsupported ZnO sorbents and un-promoted supported ZnO/SiO(2) sorbents.