Jacques Lambert

Adsorption studies of methylene blue and phenol onto vetiver roots activated carbon prepared by chemical activation

Vetiver roots have been utilized for the preparation of activated carbon (AC) by chemical activation with different impregnation ratios of phosphoric acid, X(P) (gH(3)PO(4)/g precursor): 0.5:1; 1:1 and 1.5:1. Textural characterization, determined by nitrogen adsorption at 77K shows that mixed microporous and mesoporous structures activated carbons (ACs) with high surface area (>1000 m(2)/g) and high pore volume (up to 1.19 cm(3)/g) can be obtained. The surface chemical properties of these ACs were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Boehm titration. Their textural and chemical characteristics were compared to those of an AC sample obtained by steam activation of vetiver roots. Classical molecules used for characterizing liquid phase adsorption, phenol and methylene blue (MB), were used. Adsorption kinetics of MB and phenol have been studied using commonly used kinetic models, i.e., the pseudo-first-order model, the pseudo-second-order model, the intraparticle diffusion model and as well the fractal, BWS (Brouers, Weron and Sotolongo) kinetic equation. The correlation coefficients (R(2)) and the normalized standard deviation Deltaq (%) were determined showing globally, that the recently derived fractal kinetic equation could best describe the adsorption kinetics for the adsorbates tested here, indicating a complex adsorption mechanism. The experimental adsorption isotherms of these molecules on the activated carbon were as well analysed using four isotherms: the classical Freundlich, Langmuir, Redlich-Peterson equations, but as well the newly published deformed Weibull Brouers-Sotolongo isotherm. The results obtained from the application of the equations show that the best fits were achieved with the Brouers-Sotolongo equation and with the Redlich-Peterson equation. Influence of surface functional groups towards MB adsorption is as well studied using various ACs prepared from vetiver roots and sugar cane bagasse. Opposite effects governing MB and phenol adsorption mechanism on ACs are demonstrated. The various effects involved in adsorption mechanisms of each molecule are demonstrated.

The exposure of bacteria to CdTe-core quantum dots: the importance of surface chemistry on cytotoxicity

A series of water-soluble CdTe-core quantum dots (QDs) with diameters below 5.0 nm and functionalized at their surface with polar ligands such as thioglycolic acid (TGA) or the tripeptide glutathione (GSH) were synthesized and characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, their photoluminescence measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Because cell elongations and growth inhibitions were observed during labeling experiments, the cytotoxicity of CdTe-core QDs was investigated. Using growth inhibition tests combining different bacterial strains with different CdTe-core QDs, it was possible to demonstrate that the cytotoxicity of QDs towards bacteria depends on exposure concentrations, surface chemistry and coating, and that it varied with the strain considered. Growth inhibition tests carried out with heavy-metal-resistant bacteria, as well as ICP-AES analyses of cadmium species released by CdTe@TGA QDs, demonstrated that the leakage of Cd2+ is not the main source of QD toxicity. Our study suggests that QD cytotoxicity is rather due to the formation of TeO2 and probably the existence of CdO formed by surface oxidation. In this respect, QDs possessing a CdO shell appeared very toxic.

The influence of capping thioalkyl acid on the growth and photoluminescence efficiency of CdTe and CdSe quantum dots

The influence of thioalkyl acid ligand was evaluated during aqueous synthesis at 100u2009°C and under hydrothermal conditions (150u2009°C) of CdTe and CdSe quantum dots (QDs). Experiments performed with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), 6-mercaptohexanoic acid (MHA) and 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) demonstrated that the use of MHA and MUA allowed for the preparation of very small nanoparticles (0.6-2.5xa0nm) in carrying out the reaction under atmospheric pressure or in an autoclave and that the photophysical properties of QDs were dependent on the ligand and on the synthesis conditions. The influence of various experimental conditions, including the Te-to-Cd ratio, temperature, and precursor concentration, on the growth rate of CdTe or CdSe QDs has been systematically investigated. The fluorescence intensities of CdTe QDs capped with MPA, MHA, or MUA versus pH were also found to be related to the surface coverage of the nanoparticles.

Preparation and characterisation of raw chars and physically activated carbons derived from marine Posidonia oceanica (L.) fibres.

Industrial valorisation of low cost and renewable biomass as raw precursor of activated carbon for environmental applications is an interesting alternative to costly commercial activated carbons. In this study, the possible use of Mediterranean, Posidonia oceanica fibrous biomass, as a precursor for chars and physically activated carbons, is investigated. Firstly, the raw marine material was chemically and biochemically characterised throughout dry-basis elemental, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Then, several P. oceanica chars were prepared and characterised under different pyrolysis times and temperatures. In addition, physically activated carbons (PACs) were produced via water steam flow under various activation periods. The results showed that the pyrolysis induces the creation of pores at different levels with respect to the involved temperature. Thereafter, the physical activation tends to enhance the development of the porous structure. In that issue, the performed Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Barrett-Joiner-Halenda (BJH) analysis revealed that the prepared PACs have a mainly mesoporous inner morphology with a varying fraction of micropores.

Catalytic activation of cobalt induced by oxidizing treatments in the methanation of carbon dioxide

A ribbon of Co catalyzing CO2 hydrogenation at atmospheric pressure and temperatures ranging from 200 to 500 °C has been taken as an example for studying the activating effect of pre-oxidation upon the activity of metals in hydrogenation reactions. The chemical state of the Co surface could be determined at any time by direct and quick transfer of the sample from the reactor into the ultrahigh vacuum chamber of an electron spectrometer. After cleaning and prolonged exposure to H2 (15 h, 1 bar, 500 °C) the sample displayed no visible activity up to 500 °C despite the absence of any visible contaminant on its surface. Activities ranging over several orders of magnitude could be induced in the metal by adequate pre-oxidations according to their severity. A large part of this activation was transient and its progressive decay required periods of time which were longer the more severe the pre-oxidation and the lower the temperature of reaction. The activity at any time after treatment was shown to depend not only on the oxidation but also on the subsequent reduction, since an increase of the rate of reduction resulted in a corresponding though transient increase of the activity. Reduction of most of the surface region was shown to occur very quickly, whereas deeper layers continued to reduce during the progressive decay of the activity. No visible contamination occurred during deactivation. The activation is interpreted in terms of the creation of surface defects by the alternate oxidations and reductions whereas the deactivation is considered to originate in the thermal restructuring of the surface.

Oxidizing pretreatments as a means of activating cobalt in Co2 methanation; parallel kinetic probing and surface analysis

Abstract Pre-oxidations of Co conducted at T ⩾ 300°C results in strong rate enhancements of CO 2 hydrogenation. From direct transfer of the sample into an UHV vessel equipped with AES, XPS and UPS facilities it has been shown that the effect cannot be explained in terms of surface cleaning or of some influence of oxygen remaining in the sub-surface regionsurface distortions entailed by the reduction process and the opposite thermal restructuring seem to offer the best way of explanation.