Chemical Engineering June 2020 - 9

A new trace-moisture analyzer harnesses
the power of MOFs
T
he presence of moisture -
even in very small amounts
- can be extremely detrimental
the manufacture of
RO-3066I Christine B. - Motionless Mixer 1/2 pg Ad for Chem. Engineering | Size (Live): 7 " x 4.875 " 4-C | Date: 04/11/15 | SCD#16ROSS242
many products, including semiconductors.
Removal of moisture from
a contaminated process is a laborintensive
process that requires
large volumes of high-purity gases.
Harnessing the optical characteristics
of a metal-organic framework
(MOF) material, Taiyo Nippon
Sanso Corp. (TNSC; Tokyo; www.
tn-sanso.co.jp) has developed a
new trace moisture analyzer for nitrogen
gas that is said to be more
compact, sensitive, reliable and
faster than current technologies for
industrial-gas moisture analysis.
Through joint research with the
Faculty of Advanced Science and
Technology at Kumamoto University
(FAST; www.fast.kumamoto-u.
ac.jp), TNSC investigated the porous
MOF material Cu-BTC, which consists
of a divalent copper ion (Cu2+)
and benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate
(BTC). The Cu-BTC MOF's wavelength
absorbance changes in conjunction
with moisture absorption
and desorption, and the analyzer
detects this absorbance change and
converts it into a moisture-concentration
reading. According to TNSC,
the new analyzer boasts a response
speed of less than five minutes and
a lower detection limit of 10 parts
per billion by volume (ppbv). The
strong correlation demonstrated
between changes in wavelength
absorption and moisture mean that
the MOF-based measurements are
highly reliable, with much faster response
times than conventional
analyzers. TNSC is currently testing
the technology at its plants and
plans to commercialize the analyzers
during the next fiscal year. They
are also evaluating analysis of additional
gases beyond nitrogen.
7.0 "
Chitin from shells
Chitin is used in the food industry as thickeners and
stabilizers, as well as in anti-microbial food packaging.
Conventional routes chemically extract the chitin from
(Continues on p. 10)
oxidation of ethanol. The research, described in a
recent issue of Angewandte Chemie International
Edition, provides new ideas for designing various gel
or foam materials for high-performance electrocatalysis
and photoelectrocatalysis in fuel cells.
In previous studies, the research group had found
unusual self-healing properties of noble metal gels.
Inspired by this phenomenon, a freeze-thaw method
was developed as an additive-free approach to directly
destabilize various dilute metal-nanoparticle
solutions. Upon freezing, large aggregates are
generated due to the intensified salting-out effects
incurred by the dramatically raised local solute concentration.
Meanwhile, the aggregates are shaped
at micrometer scale by in-situ-formed ice crystals.
After thawing, aggregates assemble into monolithic
hydrogels as a result of their self-healing properties.
Purified and dried, clean hydrogels and the corresponding
NMAs are obtained.
The resulting gold-palladium (Au-Pd) aerogels
were found to display " impressive " light-driven
photoelectrocatalytic performance, delivering a
current density of up to 6.5 times higher than that
of commercial palladium-on-carbon (Pd/C) for
the ethanol oxidation reaction.
" Which static mixer is right
for you? Let me show you. "
Ross offers expert support and the world's broadest selection of
static mixers for applications involving turbulent or laminar flow.
With no moving parts, our heavy duty LPD, LLPD and ISG
designs are ideal for sanitary and non-sanitary mixing, with
choices for ultra-low ∆P and unlimited viscosity.
For a free white paper, visit StaticMixers.com/Learn
Or call Christine Banaszek today: 1-800-243-ROSS
4.875 "
Christine Banaszek
Applications Engineer
Employee Owner
Try our Knowledge Base & Product Selector web app:
mixers.com/web-app
Scan to learn more.
For details visit adlinks.chemengonline.com/76991-08
ChemiCal engineering www.Chemengonline.Com June 2020
9

http://tn-sanso.co.jp http://www.fast.kumamoto-u http://www.ac.jp http://www.StaticMixers.com/Learn http://www.mixers.com/web-app http://adlinks.chemengonline.com/76991-08 http://www.Chemengonline.Com

Chemical Engineering June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering June 2020