Ayman M. Atta

Polymeric structures as cold flow improvers for waxy residual fuel oil

Abstract Acrylic and methacrylic acids were esterified with dodecyl, hexadecyl and NAFOL 20 + (C av = 21) alcohols. The monomers thus prepared were copolymerized with C 18 α-olefin at different molar ratios. The copolymers were purified, characterized and then assessed as cold flow improvers for a high-pour waxy residual fuel oil (RFO) by pour point and rheological measurements. The asphaltene, resin and wax contents of the RFO as well as the carbon number distribution of the wax fraction were determined. The results show that only the polymeric structures with long side chains of NAFOL 20 + have the potential to decrease the pour point and improve the rheological properties of the fuel oil. The storage stability of the treated RFO is good up to 3 days but then diminishes steadily. The effectiveness of the prepared additives is discussed on the basis of structure in relation to the fuel oil composition.

Spectroscopic studies on the interaction between novel polyvinylthiol-functionalized silver nanoparticles with lysozyme

Silver nanoparticles were functionalized with polyvinylthiol (Ag-PVT) and their effect on the conformation of hen-egg white lysozyme was seen by means of spectroscopic techniques, viz., UV visible, fluorescence (intrinsic and synchronous), resonance Rayleigh scattering and circular dichroism. UV absorption spectra of lysozyme show a hyperchromic shift on the addition of Ag-PVT nanoparticles indicating the complex formation between the two. The interaction between lysozyme and Ag-PVT nanoparticles was takes place via static quenching with 1:1 binding ratio as revealed by the analysis of fluorescence measurements. Circular dichroism spectroscopic data show a decrease in α-helical content of lysozyme on interaction with Ag-PVT nanoparticles which was due to the partial unfolding of the protein. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy disclosed that the microenvironments of both tryptophan and tyrosine residues were perturbed in the presence of Ag-PVT nanoparticles and perturbation in the tryptophan environment was more prominent. Rayleigh scattering (RRS) intensity increases on increasing the Ag-PVT nanoparticles concentration till it reaches to the saturation. The RRS intensity increases four times as compared to the native protein indicating the possibility of protein aggregation at higher concentrations of nanoparticles.

Functionalization of magnetite nanoparticles as oil spill collector.

In the present study, a new magnetic powder based on magnetite can be used as a petroleum crude oil collector. Amidoximes based on rosin as a natural product can be prepared from a reaction between hydroxylamine and rosin/acrylonitrile adducts. The produced rosin amidoximes were used as capping agents for magnetite nanoparticles to prepare hydrophobic coated magnetic powders. A new class of monodisperse hydrophobic magnetite nanoparticles was prepared by a simple and inexpensive co-precipitation method. Iron ions and iodine were prepared by the reaction between ferric chloride and potassium iodide. The structure and morphology of magnetite capped with rosin amidoxime were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The magnetic properties were determined from vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analyses. These prepared magnetite nanoparticles were tested as bioactive nanosystems and their antimicrobial effects were investigated. The prepared nanomaterials were examined as a crude oil collector using magnetic fields. The results show promising data for the separation of the petroleum crude oil from aqueous solution in environmental pollution cleanup.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Poly(Sodium 2-Acrylamido-2-Methylpropane Sulfonate-co-Styrene)/Magnetite Nanoparticle Composites as Corrosion Inhibitors for Steel

Self-stabilized magnetic polymeric composite nanoparticles of coated poly-(sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonate-co-styrene)/magnetite (PAMPS-Na-co-St/Fe3O4) were prepared by emulsifier-free miniemulsion polymerization using styrene (St) as a monomer, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid sodium salt (AMPS-Na) as an ionic comonomer, N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as crosslinker, hexadecane (HD) as a hydrophobic solvent, and 2,2-azodiisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator in the presence of hydrophobic oleic acid coated magnetite particles. Hydrophobic oleic acid coated magnetite particles with an average size of about 7-10 nm were prepared with the new modified water-based magnetite ferrofluid, synthesized by a chemical modified coprecipitation method. The morphology and the particle size distributions of the crosslinked PAMPS-Na-co-St/Fe3O4 composite were observed and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The average Fe3O4 content of PAMPS-Na-co-St/Fe3O4 was determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The inhibitory action of PAMPS-Na-co-St/Fe3O4 towards steel corrosion in 1 M HCl solutions has been investigated by polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods. Polarization measurements indicate that PAMPS-Na-co-St/Fe3O4 acts as a mixed type-inhibitor and the inhibition efficiency increases with inhibitor concentration. The results of potentiodynamic polarization and EIS measurements clearly showed that the inhibition mechanism involves blocking of the steel surface by inhibitor molecules via adsorption.

Adsorption Properties of Uranium (VI) Ions on Reactive Crosslinked Acrylamidoxime and Acrylic Acid Copolymer Resins

Crosslinked acrylic acid (AA) acrylonitrile (AN) copolymer was prepared by suspension copolymerization in the presence of poly (vinyl alcohol) as suspending agent and N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and divinylbenzene (DVB) as crosslinking agents. The molecular ratios between AN and AA was 95: 5 mol%. Different ratios 2, 5, and 10 wt% of crosslinkers was used. The nitrile group of the copolymer was converted to acrylamidoxime in the presence of hydroxylamine. Morphologies of the prepared resins were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Recovery of uranium ions was investigated. The adsorption of uranium was occurred in nitric acid, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid solutions. Effect of pH, time of loading, type of acid, ratio, and type of crosslinker were investigated. Regeneration of eluted resins was determined.

Synthesis of Stabilized Myrrh-Capped Hydrocolloidal Magnetite Nanoparticles

Herein we report a new method for synthesizing stabilized magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) colloids. A new class of monodisperse water-soluble magnetite nano-particles was prepared by a simple and inexpensive co-precipitation method. Iron ions and iodine were prepared by the reaction between ferric chloride and potassium iodide. The ferrous and ferric ions were hydrolyzed at low temperature at pH 9 in the presence of iodine to produce iron oxide nanoparticles. The natural product myrrh gum was used as capping agent to produce highly dispersed coated magnetite nanoparticles. The structure and morphology of the magnetic nanogel was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to examine the crystal structure of the produced magnetite nanoparticles.

Synthesis of Environmentally Friendly Highly Dispersed Magnetite Nanoparticles Based on Rosin Cationic Surfactants as Thin Film Coatings of Steel

This work presents a new method to prepare monodisperse magnetite nanoparticles capping with new cationic surfactants based on rosin. Core/shell type magnetite nanoparticles were synthesized using bis-N-(3-levopimaric maleic acid adduct-2-hydroxy) propyl-triethyl ammonium chloride (LPMQA) as capping agent. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was employed to characterize the nanoparticles chemical structure. Transmittance electron microscopies (TEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) were used to examine the morphology of the modified magnetite nanoparticles. The magnetite dispersed aqueous acid solution was evaluated as an effective anticorrosion behavior of a hydrophobic surface on steel. The inhibition effect of magnetite nanoparticles on steel corrosion in 1 M HCl solution was investigated using potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Results obtained from both potentiodynamic polarisation and EIS measurements reveal that the magnetite nanoparticle is an effective inhibitor for the corrosion of steel in 1.0 M HCl solution. Polarization data show that magnetite nanoparticles behave as a mixed type inhibitor. The inhibition efficiencies obtained from potentiodynamic polarization and EIS methods are in good agreement.

Synthesis and Application of Hybrid Polymer Composites Based on Silver Nanoparticles as Corrosion Protection for Line Pipe Steel

A facile method was developed to synthesize in high yield dispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with small particle sizes of less than 10 nm. Silver nitrate was reduced to silver nanoparticles by p-chloroaniline in the presence of polyoxyethylene maleate 4-nonyl-2-propylene-phenol (NMA) as a stabilizer. The produced AgNPs were used to prepare hybrid polymer based on N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and potassium persulfate (KPS) using a semi-batch solution polymerization method. The prepared AgNPs and hybrid polymer were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The corrosion inhibition activity of the AgNPs and hybrid polymer towards steel corrosion in the presence of hydrochloric acid has been investigated by polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods. Polarization measurements indicate that the AgNPs and hybrid polymer acts as a mixed type-inhibitor and the inhibition efficiency increases with inhibitor concentration. The results of potentiodynamic polarization and EIS measurements clearly showed that the inhibition mechanism involves blocking of the steel surface by inhibitor molecules via adsorption.

Characterization and Evaluation of Acrylic Acid Co-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane-1-sulfonic Acid Hydrogels for Uranium Recovery

Crosslinked 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid -co- acrylic acid (AMPS/AA) hydrogels were synthesized by radical polymerization in the presence of N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as the crosslinking agent using potassium persulfate (KPS) as initiator. Hydrogels with different compositions and crosslinker concentrations were prepared. The structures of hydrogels were characterized by FTIR analysis. Thermal stabilities of the hydrogels were investigated using TGA and DSC analysis. Swelling kinetics and the equilibrium water content (EWC) of the hydrogels were studied. The swelling behavior of these hydrogels was investigated at different pHs at room temperature. Also the swelling behavior of these hydrogels was investigated at different ionic strength. The ability of the prepared hydrogels to bind uranium(VI) was tested under noncompetitive conditions by batch equilibrium procedure. Experimental work using uranyl nitrate hexahydrate bought from the local market was carried out in the safeguards destructive analysis laboratory (KMP-I) in the National Center for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control.

Epoxy resin based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) waste: Synthesis and characterization

Aromatic epoxy resin based on poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, was synthesised by glycolysis of PET with different ratios of diethanolamine or triethanolamine and manganese acetate as a catalyst. The glycolyzed products were reacted with epichlorohydrine to prepare a series of di- and tetraglycidyl epoxy resins with different molecular weights. P-Phenylene diamine and diaminodiphenylether were used as curing agents. The curing reactions and thermal properties of cured aromatic epoxy resins were investigated. Curing and post cure peaks were observed in dynamic DSC thermograms. The crosslinked network was thermally stable up to 470oC. Preliminary tests indicate that the resins exhibit superior adhesion properties.