Creative . Resourceful . Excellent . Green
A GC calibration/training by Agilent engineer was conducted on the 1st of November 2010. The training was conducted on GC #1 and #2. The training was attended by Mahadhir, Huda, Fadhzir and Zaki. The training strengthened our comprehension on how to handle and run the GC-TCD.
Photos will be uploaded soon.
Our Professor has shared this information which was sent through the email. For the sake of those who did not receive the email, here they are. Please check it out. Maybe it will be useful for our research, especially the reference part.
The following are the top 10 most-accessed articles from Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research during the third quarter of 2010:
Kinetics Study and Characteristics of Silica Nanoparticles Produced from Biomass-Based Material
Tzong-Horng Liou and Shao-Jung Wu
Cigarette Butts and Their Application in Corrosion Inhibition for N80 Steel at 90 °C in a Hydrochloric Acid Solution
Jun Zhao, Ningsheng Zhang, Chengtun Qu, Xinmin Wu, Juantao Zhang and Xiang Zhang
Methods for Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass for Efficient Hydrolysis and Biofuel Production
Parveen Kumar, Diane M. Barrett, Michael J. Delwiche and Pieter Stroeve
Membrane Gas Separation: A Review/State of the Art
P. Bernardo, E. Drioli and G. Golemme
Nanostructures with Animal-like Shapes
Boris I. Kharisov, Oxana V. Kharissova and Miguel Jose-Yacaman
Synthesis of Biodiesel via Acid Catalysis
Edgar Lotero, Yijun Liu, Dora E. Lopez, Kaewta Suwannakarn, David A. Bruce, and James G. Goodwin, Jr.
Photobioreactor Design for Commercial Biofuel Production from Microalgae
Aditya M. Kunjapur and R. Bruce Eldridge
Milking Diatoms for Sustainable Energy: Biochemical Engineering versus Gasoline-Secreting Diatom Solar Panels
T. V. Ramachandra, Durga Madhab Mahapatra and Karthick B
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Octave Levenspiel
Recent Advances on the Soluble Carbon Nanotubes
Boris I. Kharisov, Oxana V. Kharissova, Hector Leija Gutierrez and Ubaldo Ortiz Méndez
We are currently constructing a new pyrolysis experimental rig. The framework structure of the rig has been completed. Basically the rig is about 75% completed and is expected to be ready in mid November, complete with all relevant equipments and devices.
The Chemical Reaction Engineering Group (CREG) has just received a new research officer, Mr. Haw Kok Giap.
He is actually a chemist who graduated from Chemistry Department, Faculty Science in 2008. He then pursued his study at Masters Degree level in chemistry field (full time by research) from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and specialized in inorganic heterogeneous chemistry.
Presently, all CREG members are from chemical engineering background. With Mr. Haw around, providing chemistry input into the analytical research work, it will surely provide us with better discussion and analysis. Well, that is what we are aiming for.
Mr. Haw Masters degree titled is “Catalytic oxidative desulfurization of diesel utilizing peroxides, activated carbon and supported transition metals doped Molybdena“. He managed to published his research work in Fuel Processing Technology recently. Details of the publication is as shown below:
Kok-Giap Haw, Wan Azelee Wan Abu Bakar, Rusmidah Ali, Jiunn-Fat Chong, Abdul Aziz Abdul Kadir. 2010. Catalytic oxidative desulfurization of diesel utilizing hydrogen peroxide and functionalized-activated carbon in a biphasic diesel-acetonitrile system. Fuel Processing Technology. 91 (9), 1105-1112. Elsevier. Impact Factor: 2.321.
Mr. Haw first degree research title was: Oxidative desulfurization of diesel fuel with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by activated carbon and organic acid.
If you are interested to contact Mr. Haw, you can email him at: hawkokgiap[alias]yahoo.com.
Save your precious time and money by using this approach to fractional-factorial design of experiments (DOE) for studies involving 6 to 7 variables. Highly recommended.
To read the article which was written by Joseph F. Louvar from Wayne State University, which was published in CEP, January 2010 edition, please download the article from the link below:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/qfxx293n96p92bk/simpligyexptdesign.pdf
Contributed by Prof. Dr. Nor Aishah Saidina Amin.
The term “biomass fuel” is a broad term that encompasses all leaves, roots, seeds, and stalks of all plants as well as animal waste. Anything that can burn and decompose can be a biomass fuel, or also called biofuel. Although crude oil is not considered biomass, but it once was millions of years ago.
The wood used to build a campfire is biomass fuel. The idea of using biomass as fuel to create energy to run our homes and cars isn’t new. It’s been around for a long time, but until gasoline went to four bucks a gallon and utility bills went through the roof, nobody seemed too interested in developing the technology into a practical and financially feasible substitute for fossil fuel. But biomass fuel is an idea whose time has come.
You hear now about a grass that grows in Africa being used to create energy or about corn grown in America being used to create energy. You hear about methane gas that’s a natural byproduct of landfills being captured and turned into usable energy. And you haven’t heard the end of these ideas and others like them, either.
Burning fossil fuel (oil, gas, coal) is easy, but it’s quickly becoming far too expensive, and the problem is that there’s a limited supply of all fossil fuels. The earth gives these fuels up after men drill or mine into the earth, but there’s no more being made. When what’s here is gone, it will be millions and millions of years before there is more. So you see the problem.
But biomass is a renewable resource, unlike fossil fuel. If we use grass or corn today, next year there will be more grass or corn because we can produce them easily. Another good thing about using these biofuels is that they be grown at the backyard like what our ancestors have done before. Landfills keep getting bigger and bigger, and the gas that could be harnessed and used has been ignored – until now. Yes, biomass fuel is an idea whose time has come!
If you’re interested to know more about how energy power is generated and how you can conserve it–even create it–using sustainable and green alternative energy sources, check out the free energy saving tips on this site http://bestenergysave.com.
If you want to know about olefin price, you can refer to this site: http://www.lookchem.com/news/price/2010-6-22/394.html.
Propylene (CAS.NO.115-07-1)(refined level) : 40.12 – 40.38 cents (usd)/pound
Ethylene (CAS.NO.74-85-1) : 31.255 – 31.495 cents (usd)/pound
I’m interested in the glycerol to olefin project which supports the green technology efforts. However, China in the other hand, perhaps because they have substantial coal reserves have long planned to commission their Coal-to-Olefin (CTO) project. This is confirmed from the news which I just read from Steelguru.com, below:
It is reported that three Chinese factories making olefins from coal are slated to start up this year, part of a serious look that Beijing is taking at using its large coal reserves to reduce its heavy dependence on imported polyolefins. But before the government lifts some restrictions it imposed in May 2009 and allows more projects making polyethylene and polypropylene from coal, analysts say that government officials will want to see more details on the economic and environmental performance of the factories.
Mr Sun Weishan vice general secretary of the Beijing-based China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association Speaking at a recent industry conference in Beijing, several Chinese petrochemical industry officials urged the government to give coal-to-olefins work high priority, considering that the country imports about half of its PE and one-third of its PP. The three projects starting this year will provide a boost to China’s polyolefin supplies. The factories, in the coal belt of northern and western China, will have He said that capacity for 1.56 million tonnes of polyolefins, or about 6.9% of the country’s current PO capacity.
I’m preparing a list of universities, institution, research centers etc that provides catalyst characterization equipments. The list, as can seen below, will be updated from time to time and I hope this can be a good reference for our research. If you know any place or any institution or any organization that provides related characterization equipment, please let me know in the comment area or contact me at zaki.yz[alias]gmail.com. I welcome any input and feedback from everyone, not only CREG members, researchers in Malaysia, but from all over the world.
A) X-Ray diffraction (XRD)
1. Faculty of Mechanical, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia; En. Zainal (0197512727)
2. Ibnu Sina, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
3. Faculty of Science – Chemistry Department, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
B) Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
1. Faculty of Mechanical, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (SEM-EDX & FESEM)
2. Ibnu Sina, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (FESEM-EDX)
3. Faculty of Science – Chemistry Department, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
C) Nitrogen Adsorption (NA)
1. Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
2. Ibnu Sina, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
D) Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR)
1. Faculty of Chemical Engineering (N29), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
2. Ibnu Sina, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
3. Faculty of Science – Chemistry Department, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
4. AMTEC, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
E) Atomic Adsorption Spectroscopy (AAS)
1. Faculty of Science – Chemistry Department, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
2.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
F) Temperature Program Desorption Ammonia (TPD-NH3)
1. Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
2. Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, Tel: +604-599 6411, Fax: +604-594 1013; DR AHMAD ZUHAIRI ABDULLAH, Email: chzuhairi@eng.usm.my
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
G) Temperature Program Desorption Reduction Oxidation (TPDRO)
1. Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
2. Ibnu Sina, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
H) Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA)
1. AMTEC, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
2. Ibnu Sina, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
I) Thermal Gravimetric Analysis – Differential Thermal Analysis (TGA-DTA)
1. Ibnu Sina, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
2. Faculty of Science – Chemistry Department, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (DTA only)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
J) X-Ray Florescent (XRF)
1. Faculty of Mechanical, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
If you have or know other institution that provide any characterization equipment, please contact me at zaki.yz[alias]gmail.com. I’ll update the list for the benefit of all of us….
Thanks.
Frankly, as a chemical engineer, I have never really studied or know much about laser. Laser, an acronym for light amplification by stipulated emission of radiation, is a really interesting area to study and apply. My nearest experience with laser is merely using a laser pointer during presentations and also a so called laser printer. When I was a kid, I learned about laser while watching Star Wars and Battle Star Galactica.
Recently, while surfing the net, I came across Arcor Laser, a company providing various services related to the laser business. I never expected or rather known such a laser oriented business like Arcor Laser existed. All this while, as mentioned earlier, I have just wondered and saw laser in movies, but in reality, laser is a very useful technology. The application of laser evolved around the automotive, aerospace, medical, electronics, oil patch, heavy equipment, military, power generation, research and development as well as fire arms industry.
Among the signature services provided by Arcor Laser are the laser welding and fuel cell welding. Again, I have never thought of a laser welding, but from what I read, this technology provides an excellent tool for welding many types of material. The focused beam delivers a concentration of heat with spectacular accuracy. This process results in a very narrow weld bead with weld penetration control as close as plus or minus .001”. The heat affected zone, unlike normal welding, is minimized assuring minimal dimensional distortion. These weld characteristics provide more reliable welds, more repeatedly on smaller, thinner parts, unmatched by traditional welding.
Despite of the advantages and benefits of using laser welding, several factors are required to ensure the success of the process. Before laser welding takes place, we need to select the correct type of laser for the material and thickness. Besides that the reflectivity and conductivity should be considered as well as it will affect the weld quality. Likewise the conventional welding, the spot to be welded must be ensured clean to avoid contamination which will result to poor quality. Integration of the entire above mentioned factor will ensure an optimum laser welds.
Arcor laser not only dwell on laser welding and fuel cell welding. They are also very capable in laser materials processing services, system integration, development of intellectual property opportunities, laser cutting, cladding, drilling, welding, and surface modification. In short, whenever there are problems using the conventional method, you can discuss and consult Arcor for innovative solutions using laser.
For me as a researcher, I may consider adopting laser as one of the techniques to gain energy and other products in the field of reaction and catalysis engineering. Who knows I may come out with a revolutionary discovery of the century?
Photo credited to http://opticsclub.engineering.ucdavis.edu/
http://www.ohgizmo.com/2007/11/06/ohgizmo-review-dragon-lasers-250mw-hulk/
Methane–Carbon Dioxide: Conversions to Syngas and Hydrocarbons, by:
Nor Aishah Saidina Amin, Istadi, Tung Chun Yaw, Ruzina Isha