Efficent removal of nickel(II) salts from aqueous solution using carboxymethylchitosan-coated silica particles as adsorbent.

Three types of organo-mineral composites have been probed as adsorbents for the removal of Ni(II) ions from aqueous solution. Native Aerosil 200 silica particles have been encapsulated with carboxymethylchitosan (CM-CS) providing SiO+CM-CS, surface-silanized silica particles SiONH+CM-CS were obtained by treatment with APTES and subsequent encapsulation by CM-CS. Alternatively, surface-carboxylated Aerosil 200 was coated by CM-CS affording SiOCOH+CM-CS.

Liquid infused porous surfaces for mineral fouling mitigation.

Prevention of mineral fouling, known as scale, is a long-standing problem in a wide variety of industrial applications, such as oil production, water treatment, and many others. The build-up of inorganic scale such as calcium carbonate on surfaces and facilities is undesirable as it can result in safety risks and associated flow assurance issues. To date the overwhelming amount of research has mainly focused on chemical inhibition of scale bulk precipitation and little attention has been paid to deposition onto surfaces.

Adsorption of Ni(II) ions on colloidal hybrid organic-inorganic silica composites.

Two new silica-based composites were prepared as adsorbents for the capture of Ni(II) ions. The first strategy consists in coating chitosan on colloidal fumed silica after acidic treatment yielding the composite SiO(2)+CS. The second route involves in a first step surface condensation of triethoxysilylbutyronitrile, followed by acidic hydrolysis of the surface-bound nitrile groups affording silica particles covered by carboxylic group.