Kateřina Mamulová Kutláková

Antibacterial activity of kaolinite/nanoTiO2 composites in relation to irradiation time.

The paper addresses laboratory preparation and antibacterial activity testing of kaolinite/nanoTiO2 composite in respect of the daylight irradiation time. Kaolinite/nanoTiO2 composites with 20 and 40 wt% of TiO2 were laboratory prepared, dried at 105 °C and calcined at 600 °C. The calcination caused transformation of kaolinite to metakaolinite and origination of the metakaolinite/nanoTiO2 composite. X-ray powder diffraction, Raman and FTIR spectroscopic methods revealed titanium dioxide only in the form of anatase in all evaluated samples (non-calcined and calcined) and also transformation of kaolinite to metakaolinite after the calcination treatment. Scanning electron microscopy was used as a method for characterization of morphology and elemental composition of the studied samples. A standard microdilution test was used to determine the antibacterial activity using four human pathogenic bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). A lamp with a wide spectrum bulb simulating daylight was used for induction of photocatalysis. The antibacterial assays found all the KATI samples to have antibacterial potency with different onset of the activity when calcined samples exhibited antibacterial activity earlier than the non-calcined. Significant difference in antibacterial activity of KATI samples for different bacterial strains was not observed.

Recycling of blast furnace sludge by briquetting with starch binder: Waste gas from thermal treatment utilizable as a fuel

Steel plants generate significant amounts of wastes such as sludge, slag, and dust. Blast furnace sludge is a fine-grained waste characterized as hazardous and affecting the environment negatively. Briquetting is one of the possible ways of recycling of this waste while the formed briquettes serve as a feed material to the blast furnace. Several binders, both organic and inorganic, had been assessed, however, only the solid product had been analysed. The aim of this study was to assess the possibilities of briquetting using commonly available laundry starch as a binder while evaluating the possible utilization of the waste gas originating from the thermal treatment of the briquettes. Briquettes (100g) were formed with the admixture of starch (UNIPRET) and their mechanical properties were analysed. Consequently, they were subjected to thermal treatment of 900, 1000 and 1100°C with retention period of 40min during which was the waste gas collected and its content analysed using gas chromatography. Dependency of the concentration of the compounds forming the waste gas on the temperature used was determined using Principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation matrix. Starch was found to be a very good binder and reduction agent, it was confirmed that metallic iron was formed during the thermal treatment. Approximately 20l of waste gas was obtained from the treatment of one briquette; main compounds were methane and hydrogen rendering the waste gas utilizable as a fuel while the greatest yield was during the lowest temperatures. Preparation of blast furnace sludge briquettes using starch as a binder and their thermal treatment represents a suitable method for recycling of this type of metallurgical waste. Moreover, the composition of the resulting gas is favourable for its use as a fuel.

Modified clay minerals efficiency against chemical and biological warfare agents for civil human protection

Sorption efficiencies of modified montmorillonite and vermiculite of their mono ionic Na and organic HDTMA and HDP forms were studied against chemical and biological warfare agents such as yperite and selected bacterial strains. Yperite interactions with modified clay minerals were observed through its capture in low-density polyethylene foil-modified clay composites by measuring yperite gas permeation with using chemical indication and gas chromatography methods. The antibacterial activities of synthetized organoclays were tested against selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species in minimum inhibitory concentration tests. The obtained results showed a positive influence of modified clay minerals on the significant yperite breakthrough-time increase. The most effective material was the polyethylene-Na form montmorillonite, while the polyethylene-Na form vermiculite showed the lowest efficiency. With increasing organic cations loading in the interlayer space the montmorillonite efficiency decreased, and in the case of vermiculite an opposite effect was observed. Generally the modified montmorillonites were more effective than modified vermiculites. The HDP cations seem to be more effective compare to the HDTMA. The antibacterial activity tests confirmed efficiency of all organically modified clay minerals against Gram-positive bacteria. The confirmation of antibacterial activity against Y. pestis, plague bacteria, is the most interesting result of this part of the study.

Functional nanostructures of montmorillonite with conducting polyaniline

Abstract The present work describes the effect of montmorillonite (MMT) particles on the alignment of conducting polyaniline (PANI) chains in a PANI/MMT composite. The composite was prepared both as a powder, pressed into pellets, and as thin films deposited on glass surfaces. For comparison, pure PANI was also prepared in these two forms. A combination of X-ray powder diffraction analysis and molecular modelling confirmed the successful intercalation of the PANI into theMMT, while Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the conducting form of PANI (i.e. the emeraldine salt) in all samples. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to study the morphologies of all samples. Conductivity measurements showed that the presence of the MMT particles in the PANI/MMT composites contributes to a significant increase in the electrical conductivity in comparison with the pure PANI samples. Moreover, in the pressed pellets the presence of theMMT particles led to an extremely high electrical anisotropy. TheUV-VIS spectroscopy results showed that the PANI/MMT thin film exhibited a selective transmittance in the range 450-650 nm; therefore, the PANI/MMT thin film is not only conductive, but also suitable for use in various optical applications.

Structure and properties of polyaniline/montmorillonite nanocomposites prepared under various conditions

Abstract Three different methods have been used for the preparation of polyaniline/montmorillonite nanocomposites: (i) two-step process: first intercalation of anilinium into Ca–montmorillonite structure followed with oxidisation; (ii) two-step process: first oxidisation with subsequent addition of Ca–montmorillonite aqueous suspension; (iii) one-step process: oxidisation and polymerisation in the presence of Ca–montmorillonite aqueous suspension. Structure and properties of samples have been investigated using combination of X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, elemental analysis and conductivity measurements in order to find the relationship between technology, structure and electrical properties. Results confirmed the crucial effect of the preparative procedure on polyaniline/montmorillonite composites.

Effects of binder choice in converter and blast furnace sludge briquette preparation: Environmental and practical implications

Blast furnace and converter sludges are fine-grained waste materials characterized as dangerous waste with a negative impact on the environment. One way of recycling of such materials is briquetting followed by reuse of the material in the blast furnace. In the briquetting process, an important step is the choice of the binder suitable for manufacturing the briquettes with suitable mechanical properties. In this work, the effect of the binder choice (laundry starch UNIPRET, Portland cement) on the reduction of iron oxides in the assessed waste materials during thermal treatment (900, 1000, 1100 °C) is evaluated. Simultaneously, the effect of the binder choice on the amount and composition of the resulting waste gas was evaluated as well as its possible impact on the environment. The performed experiments proved the mutual relationship between the level of iron oxides to metal iron conversion, the binder content and retention temperature. Type of binder also affected the volume of the resulting waste gas. Factor analysis for mixed data (FAMD) proved that the resulting concentrations of the assessed hydrocarbons were correlated (apart from ethyne) and that they are closely associated with the binder applied. Conversely, the concentrations of ethyne, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide were not associated with the binder but with the retention temperature. FAMD did not show any direct effect of final retention temperature on the amount of the rest of the resulting hydrocarbons. In comparison with the starch-containing briquettes, the cement-containing briquettes were also proved to lead to lower resulting concentrations of PAHs in the waste gas.

Leaching test for calcined kaolinite and kaolinite/TiO2 photoactive composite

Kaolinite is a suitable material for fixing TiO2 nanoparticles in a composite form. The kaolinite/TiO2 composite has promising photoactive properties which are as important as is the possible impact of the composite on the environment. Accordingly, the stability of the kaolinite/TiO2 composite dried at 105°C (KTI1) and calcined at 600 °C (KTI6) and the stability of the original kaolinite treated at various temperatures (105–800 °C) were studied by the leaching test in accordance with European standard BS EN 12457-2:2002 (British Standards Institution, 2002). The stability was evaluated on the basis of elements leached from the materials to extraction agents. Atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma was used for determining the concentration of elements. In order to better understand the process of calcination and the structure changes in the kaolinite/TiO2 composite and calcined kaolinite, the materials were evaluated using X-ray powder diffraction and infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transformation. The processes of kaolinite dehydroxylation and metakaolinite formation were observed. Kaolinite is an appropriate carrier for composite preparation due to its stability even after its treatment at high temperatures. The experiments confirmed the TiO2 nanoparticles to be very strongly bound to the kaolinite surface. On the other hand, the experiments demonstrated that the presence of TiO2 on the kaolinite surface caused the release of Al in high concentrations to the final extracts, especially after kaolinite/TiO2 composite calcination.