{"title":"Kinetics and mechanistic insights into hydrogenative rearrangement of hydroxymethylfurfural over acid-Nickel catalysts","authors":"Fuzeyu Zhong, Weixiao Sun, Xiaohu Ge, Keng Sang, Huihui Qian, Wenyao Chen, Gang Qian, Yueqiang Cao, Jianrong Zeng, Lina Li, Xuezhi Duan, Xinggui Zhou, Jing Zhang","doi":"10.1002/aic.18855","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aic.18855","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Catalytic hydrogenative rearrangement of furanic aldehydes is crucial for producing biomass-derived cyclopentanone fine chemicals. However, designing highly selective catalysts remains challenging due to the interplay among tandem hydrogenation, ring-opening, aldol condensation, dehydration, and parallel ring-hydrogenation. Here, we employ a single self-assembly step by depositing phosphonic acids (PAs) on conventional Ni catalysts to introduce tunable interfacial Brønsted acid sites (BAS), resulting in an unprecedented 3-hydroxymethyl-cyclopentanone yield of 95.8% from hydroxymethylfurfural. Kinetic studies reveal a one-order-of-magnitude increase in ring-opening rates—the slow step in hydrogenative rearrangement—after PAs modification, accompanied by a drop in the apparent activation energy from 154.1 to 105.4 kJ mol<sup>−1</sup>. In contrast, the activation energy for the ring-hydrogenation side reaction remains almost unchanged. Theoretical calculations suggest that BAS synergize with adjacent Ni to lower the C–O cleavage barrier by providing protons to attack the hydroxymethyl oxygen atom, which is the key step to initiate ring-opening.</p>","PeriodicalId":120,"journal":{"name":"AIChE Journal","volume":"71 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143798191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIChE JournalPub Date : 2025-04-08DOI: 10.1002/aic.18843
Qing Liu, Wanru Wang, Ming Yi, Weichi Chen, Kewen Tang
{"title":"Efficient separation of Pd(II) from HCl media by bifunctional thiomorpholinium-based ionic liquids","authors":"Qing Liu, Wanru Wang, Ming Yi, Weichi Chen, Kewen Tang","doi":"10.1002/aic.18843","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aic.18843","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Bifunctional thiomorpholinium-based ionic liquids were synthesized for the efficient separation of Pd(II) in HCl media. The presence of S atoms in the six-membered ring facilitated the efficient extraction of Pd(II), with a remarkable extraction capacity of 212 mg/g. The extraction mechanism involved anion exchange and coordination. Specifically, PdCl<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> preferentially combined with positive N atoms in the thiomorpholinium ring through anion exchange by electrostatic attraction, followed by coordination with the functional sulfur atom to form a stable extracted complex. In addition, the effect of the carbon chain length of the cationic substituent on the extraction performance was systematically investigated to further reveal the structure–activity relationship. More importantly, <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-dihexyl-thiomorpholinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide exhibited excellent Pd(II) selectivity and reusability, retaining 99.4% extraction efficiency after five extraction-stripping cycles. This study guides the design of ionic liquids-based extractants and offers a solvent-free method for the efficient and environmentally friendly separation of Pd(II).</p>","PeriodicalId":120,"journal":{"name":"AIChE Journal","volume":"71 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143798192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIChE JournalPub Date : 2025-04-08DOI: 10.1002/aic.18829
Saiwu Yang, Yongjun Shen, Xiaoqing Mao, Congcong Li, Zhongliang Liu, Bin Wang, Delin Zhu, Huihui Li, Chunzhong Li
{"title":"Constructing grain boundary to stabilize Cu0/Cu+ interfacial sites for efficient CO2 reduction reaction","authors":"Saiwu Yang, Yongjun Shen, Xiaoqing Mao, Congcong Li, Zhongliang Liu, Bin Wang, Delin Zhu, Huihui Li, Chunzhong Li","doi":"10.1002/aic.18829","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aic.18829","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The electrochemical CO<sub>2</sub> reduction reaction (CO<sub>2</sub>RR) to multi-carbon (C<sub>2+</sub>) products derived by renewable energy represents a promising strategy for mitigating CO<sub>2</sub> emissions. One of the intensively studied strategies is to stabilize Cu<sup>+</sup> species on catalysts to facilitate the adsorption of *CO intermediates. However, the reductive environment during CO<sub>2</sub>RR renders the Cu<sup>+</sup> species on the catalyst surface susceptible to reduction to Cu<sup>0</sup>. Here, we developed a GB-Cu<sub>2</sub>O-Cu catalyst featuring enriched grain boundaries via an <i>in situ</i> electrochemical reduction process to stabilize Cu<sup>+</sup> species, resulting in an abundance of Cu<sup>0</sup>/Cu<sup>+</sup> interfacial active sites. <i>In situ</i> x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy further revealed that the presence of grain boundaries effectively shields the Cu<sup>+</sup> species on the catalyst surface from undergoing reduction during CO<sub>2</sub>RR, facilitating the concentration of *CO intermediates and thus promoting C-C dimerization to C<sub>2+</sub> products.</p>","PeriodicalId":120,"journal":{"name":"AIChE Journal","volume":"71 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143797849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIChE JournalPub Date : 2025-04-04DOI: 10.1002/aic.18847
Linhan Ren, Jiayuan Li, Suiqin Li, Kai Li, Yuhang Wang, Jieyu Wang, Ying Chen, Jiahui He, Xing Zhong, Jianguo Wang
{"title":"Flow electrooxidation of chiral alcohols with high enantioselectivity via integrated metal-organic frameworks and aminoxyl radicals","authors":"Linhan Ren, Jiayuan Li, Suiqin Li, Kai Li, Yuhang Wang, Jieyu Wang, Ying Chen, Jiahui He, Xing Zhong, Jianguo Wang","doi":"10.1002/aic.18847","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aic.18847","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Chiral compounds play a pivotal role in pharmaceutical chemistry, and the oxidation of chiral alcohols to corresponding carboxylic acids is a crucial step. However, the enantioselectivity is susceptible to degradation due to sensitivity to enol isomerization and racemization. In this study, Ru/S-Ni-MOFs electrocatalysts with high specific surface area were synthesized. After undergoing electrochemical reconfiguration, which combined with 4-acetamido-TEMPO (ACT) as co-catalysts to achieve efficient oxidation of chiral alcohols, with enantioselectivity reaching 99% at industrial-grade current density of 500 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>. Additionally, 100 g of chiral acid were successfully synthesized with a yield of 98% and an enantioselectivity of 99% in the large-scale electrolyzer. <i>In situ</i> experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrated that S doping shifts the center of d-band toward the Fermi level, which stabilizes ACTH and inhibits the dissociation of OH, thereby enhancing electrocatalytic activity. This study presents an efficient synergistic electrocatalytic strategy for practical large-scale electrosynthesis of chiral carboxylic acid compounds.</p>","PeriodicalId":120,"journal":{"name":"AIChE Journal","volume":"71 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143782428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIChE JournalPub Date : 2025-04-03DOI: 10.1002/aic.18833
Daniel Ovalle, Joshua L. Pulsipher, Yixin Ye, Kyle Harshbarger, Scott Bury, Carl D. Laird, Ignacio E. Grossmann
{"title":"Optimal reactive operation of general topology supply chain and manufacturing networks under disruptions","authors":"Daniel Ovalle, Joshua L. Pulsipher, Yixin Ye, Kyle Harshbarger, Scott Bury, Carl D. Laird, Ignacio E. Grossmann","doi":"10.1002/aic.18833","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aic.18833","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Supply and manufacturing networks in the chemical industry involve diverse processing steps across different locations, rendering their operation vulnerable to disruptions from unplanned events. Optimal responses should consider factors such as product allocation, delayed shipments, and price renegotiation, among other factors. In such context, we propose a multiperiod mixed-integer linear programming model that integrates production, scheduling, shipping, and order management to minimize the financial impact of such disruptions. The model accommodates arbitrary supply chain topologies and incorporates various disruption scenarios, offering adaptability to real-world complexities. A case study from the chemical industry demonstrates the scalability of the model under finer time discretization and explores the influence of disruption types and order management costs on optimal schedules. This approach provides a tractable, adaptable framework for developing responsive operational plans in supply chain and manufacturing networks under uncertainty.</p>","PeriodicalId":120,"journal":{"name":"AIChE Journal","volume":"71 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aic.18833","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143782438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A differentiable deep learning approach for inverse optimization of hopper flows in particulate manufacturing","authors":"Chengbo Liu, Tingting Liu, Yu Jiang, Yuanye Zhou, Yanjiao Li, Kun Hong, Xizhong Chen","doi":"10.1002/aic.18825","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aic.18825","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding granular dynamics is essential for many industrial applications, yet significant challenges persist. The discrete element method allows for direct tracking of particle motions, but it suffers from high computational costs, in particular for inverse problems. Recently, machine learning has seen rapid development and brings new possibilities for tackling these challenges. In this work, a differentiable model designed for rapid prediction and inverse optimization of particulate processes is developed. The proposed method is used to improve the maximum discharge rate of hopper flows and automatically optimize the hopper shape based on the target discharge rate. Additionally, controlling the degree of mixing of two particle components is explored and further validated with experiments. The modeling outcomes demonstrate that the differentiable deep learning approach developed in this work can efficiently address inverse optimization challenges in particulate processes, providing a new tool for the design and optimization of particulate manufacturing processes.</p>","PeriodicalId":120,"journal":{"name":"AIChE Journal","volume":"71 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143775876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Carburization induced phase transition of Ni3In to Ni3InC0.5 intermetallic carbide for acetylene semihydrogenation","authors":"Xiaohu Ge, Nina Fei, Yueqiang Cao, Hao Jiang, Jing Zhang, Gang Qian, Xinggui Zhou, Xuezhi Duan","doi":"10.1002/aic.18842","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aic.18842","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In this work, we develop a carburization strategy to transform hexagonal Ni<sub>3</sub>In into face-centered cubic Ni<sub>3</sub>InC<sub>0.5</sub> intermetallic carbide, leveraging partially isolated Ni sites for improved acetylene semihydrogenation. The catalyst synthesized via carburization of Ni<sub>3</sub>In intermetallic compound derived from Ni/In/Mg/Al layered double hydroxides in a C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub>/H<sub>2</sub> atmosphere is evidenced to show Ni<sub>3</sub>InC<sub>0.5</sub> intermetallic carbide phase through detailed characterizations, including high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Catalytic tests reveal that the Ni<sub>3</sub>InC<sub>0.5</sub> catalyst achieves 92.0% ethylene selectivity at full acetylene conversion, outperforming the Ni and Ni<sub>3</sub>In catalysts. Both experimental and theoretical evidence demonstrate that interstitial carbon atoms in Ni<sub>3</sub>InC<sub>0.5</sub> synergize with neighboring In atoms to modify the electronic structure of surface Ni sites via significant hybridization between Ni 3<i>d</i>, In 5<i>p</i>, and C 2<i>p</i> orbitals. These unique features enable higher kinetic favorability of ethylene desorption over its further hydrogenation on the Ni<sub>3</sub>InC<sub>0.5</sub> catalyst and thus contribute to the enhanced semihydrogenation.</p>","PeriodicalId":120,"journal":{"name":"AIChE Journal","volume":"71 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143758205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIChE JournalPub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1002/aic.18838
Miguel J. Bagajewicz, Andre L. M. Nahes, Eduardo M. Queiroz, Diego G. Oliva, Javier A. Francesconi, André L. H. Costa
{"title":"Globally optimal basic design of multiple-unit heat exchangers","authors":"Miguel J. Bagajewicz, Andre L. M. Nahes, Eduardo M. Queiroz, Diego G. Oliva, Javier A. Francesconi, André L. H. Costa","doi":"10.1002/aic.18838","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aic.18838","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A novel approach (Complete Set Trimming) to address the globally optimal design of multiple-unit heat exchangers (Shell and Tube, Double Pipe, Plate, etc.) is presented. Three arrangements: Series, Parallel, Series–Parallel, and Parallel–Series, for minimizing area, CAPEX, or total annualized cost are considered. The geometry of all (equal) units is determined together with the number of units and the fluid allocation. The article illustrates the need to minimize CAPEX explicitly instead of using the minimization of Area as its proxy objective function. In addition, the influence of available pressure drop in the final optimal design is also discussed. Finally, the article shows that solutions obtained by minimizing the Total Annualized Cost (TAC) render different solutions than those obtained by minimizing CAPEX, indicating that pumping costs matter, depending on the balance between operational and capital costs.</p>","PeriodicalId":120,"journal":{"name":"AIChE Journal","volume":"71 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143745613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIChE JournalPub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1002/aic.18836
Surya Prakash Tiwari, Robert L. Thompson, Wei Shi, Nicholas Siefert, David Hopkinson, Janice A. Steckel
{"title":"Foaming prediction in pure liquids from dimensionless numbers inspired by the theory of fluid behavior for drops","authors":"Surya Prakash Tiwari, Robert L. Thompson, Wei Shi, Nicholas Siefert, David Hopkinson, Janice A. Steckel","doi":"10.1002/aic.18836","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aic.18836","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Foaming prediction is critical for selecting materials and designing processes in industries such as bioprocessing and gas processing. Existing models lack the generality needed for a wide range of materials and overlook the foaming behavior in pure liquids. This work presents a novel method for predicting foaming in pure liquids based on their density, surface tension, and viscosity, using Reynolds (<i>Re</i>) and Ohnesorge (<i>Oh</i>) numbers. A foaming prediction map, leveraging the theory of fluid drop behavior, was developed by plotting these numbers. This map delineates distinct non-foaming and foaming regions, functioning as a binary classifier for foaming predictions. The map was fitted and validated through shake test experiments on 46 liquids, demonstrating reliable predictions, except for a specific region characterized by small <i>Oh</i> and large <i>Re</i> numbers. This region corresponded to relatively low foam stability and high turbulence, making foaming predictions challenging for liquids in this category.</p>","PeriodicalId":120,"journal":{"name":"AIChE Journal","volume":"71 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143745615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIChE JournalPub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1002/aic.18845
Yuting Wu, Shikun Zhong, Bona Lu, Shanglin Liu, Youhao Xu, Wei Wang
{"title":"Reactive simulation of an industrial-scale FCC reaction-regeneration full loop system","authors":"Yuting Wu, Shikun Zhong, Bona Lu, Shanglin Liu, Youhao Xu, Wei Wang","doi":"10.1002/aic.18845","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aic.18845","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study pioneers a three-dimensional, transient reactive simulation of an industrial fluid catalytic cracking full-loop system. Within a two-fluid model framework, the simulation incorporates the Energy Minimization Multiscale (EMMS)-based models to account for the effects of mesoscale flow structures on drag and heat transfer, and integrates a 12-lumped kinetics model and a coke combustion model to describe catalytic cracking reactions and catalyst regeneration, respectively. It finds the significant impact of reactions on solid concentration and gas velocity distributions throughout the system, particularly in the first reaction zone. The first reaction zone achieves 80% conversion of feedstock oil, with the second reaction zone contributing an additional 19% conversion. These variations in product concentration along the bed height reflect substantial differences in reaction types under varying environments. Furthermore, the simulation captures temperature changes along the solid circulation path, facilitating the determination of the heat exchanger power required to control the reaction temperature.</p>","PeriodicalId":120,"journal":{"name":"AIChE Journal","volume":"71 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143745612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}