Jaromír Hnát , Martin Ďurovič , Tomas Bystron , Magdaléna Strečková , Karel Bouzek
{"title":"Electrodeposition as an attractive method of NiCoP cathode catalyst for alkaline membrane water electrolysis production","authors":"Jaromír Hnát , Martin Ďurovič , Tomas Bystron , Magdaléna Strečková , Karel Bouzek","doi":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100837","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100837","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phosphide-based materials are among the favourable catalysts due to their promising properties (catalytic activity, stability, and electrical conductivity) for hydrogen evolution reaction in both alkaline and acidic media. This study reports on preparation and subsequent characterisation of a non-platinum NiCoP catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using facile cathodic electrodeposition on a Ni support without toxic phosphorising agents. In the first step, catalyst synthesis optimisation was performed by monitoring the effect of (i) Ni:Co composition and (ii) phosphorus concentration in the deposition solution. Impact of these parameters on the composition as well as the HER electrocatalytic activity of the resulting catalyst was evaluated. Subsequently, the optimised NiCoP catalyst deposited on Ni foam was used as cathode for the HER in an alkaline membrane water electrolyser. It exhibited significant catalytic activity and promising stability. In summary, the cathodic electrodeposition proved to be a feasible method for producing an active and stable NiCoP catalyst for the HER in an alkaline media.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9749,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Journal Advances","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100837"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cost-effective PMMA photocatalytic microreactor for nanocatalyst screening and environmental research","authors":"Soontorn Tuntithavornwat , Kasitipun Saengpitak , Peerapol Phitaksidchareon , Theerut Sdayuruch , Mali Hunsom","doi":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100815","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100815","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photocatalysis offers a sustainable, chemical-free approach for wastewater remediation, yet conventional glass-based reactors remain bulky, catalyst-intensive, and unsuitable for high-throughput material screening. This study presents a low-cost, laser-fabricated poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microreactor (∼0.6 mL) with immobilized commercial TiO<sub>2</sub> or ZnO nanoparticles, supporting both batch and continuous-flow operation. In batch mode, pseudo-first-order rate constants reached 2.57 × 10⁻² min⁻¹ for TiO<sub>2</sub> and 2.82 × 10⁻² min⁻¹ for ZnO during methylene blue degradation, with >80 % removal achieved within 30 min. Methyl orange degradation followed similar trends with lower rates, reflecting charge and structural effects. The microreactor retained >95 % of initial performance over five reuse cycles, confirming coating stability. Continuous-flow tests demonstrated multifunctionality: ∼75 % Ag⁺ removal and >80 % <em>Escherichia coli</em> inactivation within 15 min. Surface modification with cetyl-trimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB) reduced water contact angle from 78° to 26°, boosting TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalytic efficiency (<em>k</em> = 3.30 × 10⁻² min⁻¹) and enhancing antibacterial performance. ZnO outperformed TiO<sub>2</sub> in both dye degradation and antibacterial assays, with ICP-MS revealing substantial Zn²⁺ leaching contributing to bactericidal activity even in the dark. Compared with conventional reactors operating under similar conditions, the microreactor exhibited higher degradation rates, attributed to enhanced mass transfer, uniform illumination, and reduced reagent and catalyst consumption. The platform’s low material cost, facile fabrication, and versatility position it as a promising tool for photocatalyst screening and as a modular element for decentralized water treatment, metal-ion recovery, and environmental disinfection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9749,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Journal Advances","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100815"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144738162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hongguang Zhou , Yunke Kuang , Yanping Gan , Peng Jiang , Yuying Pu , Yanmei Yang
{"title":"Remediation of lead-contaminated soil by Fe-Mn-Ni layered double hydroxide composite biochar","authors":"Hongguang Zhou , Yunke Kuang , Yanping Gan , Peng Jiang , Yuying Pu , Yanmei Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100785","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100785","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the remediation of lead (Pb)-contaminated soil using Fe-Mn-Ni layered double hydroxide composite biochar (LDH/CSB). The results demonstrated that LDH/CSB application significantly increased soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and total organic carbon (TOC) content. The elevation of soil pH enhanced Pb precipitation as insoluble hydroxides (e.g., Pb(OH)<sub>2</sub>), while increased TOC provided abundant oxygen-containing functional groups (e.g., carboxyl and hydroxyl groups) to immobilize Pb through complexation and surface adsorption. The high specific surface area (up to 78.70 m²/g) and layered structure of LDH/CSB further facilitated Pb binding, transforming mobile fractions (acid-soluble and reducible Pb) into stable forms (oxidizable and residual Pb). Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) tests confirmed a 53.80 % reduction in Pb leachability, highlighting reduced bioavailability and ecological risks. This work underscores the potential of LDH/CSB as a sustainable and efficient material for Pb-contaminated soil remediation, with broader applications in heavy metal-polluted environments. Future studies should focus on optimizing field-scale application parameters and evaluating long-term stability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9749,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Journal Advances","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100785"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144925474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Song Wang , Xinyi Luo , Luxiang Tang , Xi Tan , Gang Chen , Guizhi Zhang , Wenhao Xie , Lintao Xu , Zonghe Huang , Xianming Zhang
{"title":"Self-cleaning photocatalytic BiOI/Ti3C2 composite membrane for oil-water emulsion separation and dye removal","authors":"Song Wang , Xinyi Luo , Luxiang Tang , Xi Tan , Gang Chen , Guizhi Zhang , Wenhao Xie , Lintao Xu , Zonghe Huang , Xianming Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100828","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100828","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Membrane separation technology is widely used for wastewater treatment, but wastewater containing oil droplets and soluble pollutants results in severe membrane fouling. Photocatalysis technology is an efficient and eco-friendly way to degrade contaminants. In this work, photocatalytic BiOI/Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub> composite membranes were prepared via a simple self-assembly vacuum filter method for oil-water emulsion separation and dye degradation. The pure water flux of the optimal BiOI/Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub> composite membrane (M3) reaches 4720 Lm<sup>-2</sup>h<sup>-1</sup>bar<sup>-1</sup>, 1.2 times higher than that of pure Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub> membrane. Simultaneously, the composite membrane M3 has a high flux and oil rejection ratio (over 97 %) for oil/water emulsions. In addition, the composite membrane M3 has an excellent flux and dye removal effect for methylene blue(0.9954), rhodamine B(0.9984), and methyl orange (0.8670), respectively. More importantly, the composite membrane M3 exhibits a high permeation flux and rejection ratio for methylene blue under visible light irradiation after five consecutive cycles, indicating the M3 membrane has a good self-cleaning ability. Furthermore, the mechanisms of separation and photodegradation were discussed. This work provides a new strategy combining membrane separation and photocatalysis technology to treat multi-component oily wastewater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9749,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Journal Advances","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100828"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144829942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eric Franke , Sergei Shalnev , Felix Küster , Martin Gräbner
{"title":"Kinetic study into the phosphorus release and carbon conversion behavior of sewage sludge coke during gasification","authors":"Eric Franke , Sergei Shalnev , Felix Küster , Martin Gräbner","doi":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100826","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100826","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sewage sludge (SS) is a promising secondary resource containing valuable elements such as carbon and phosphorus which can be recovered using thermochemical conversion and utilized for the chemical industry. The biogenic origin of carbon offers a renewable and sustainable alternative to fossil-based raw materials contributing to resource circularity and reducing the dependency on primary feedstocks. This study investigates the thermochemical carbon conversion and phosphorus release behavior from SS and sewage sludge coke (SSC) with a focus on determining the kinetics of the carbon conversion as well as the phosphorus release. The experiments were conducted using a thermogravimetric analysis under controlled gasification conditions with varying temperatures up to 1450°C, different heating rates (HRs) of 2.5 K min<sup>-1</sup> to 15 K min<sup>-1</sup> and gasification atmosphere compositions with different partial pressures of carbon dioxide in argon.</div><div>Both, the isothermal and non-isothermal method have been used to assess the carbon conversion and were compared with each other. The energies of activation were 175 kJ mol<sup>-1</sup> and 162 kJ mol<sup>-1</sup> for a p<sub>CO2</sub> of 1 bar with a reaction order of 0.68 ± 0.12. Three particle evolution models (VM, RPM and SCM) were implemented and compared. A novel method was used to determine the starting temperature of the phosphorus release (1015°C in nitrogen). Based on the peak positions of the phosphorus signal, the kinetic parameters (E<sub>A</sub> = 359 kJ mol<sup>-1</sup> and k<sub>0</sub> = 1.5 · 10<sup>9</sup> s<sup>-1</sup>) for the phosphorus release were determined.</div><div>These results provide new insights into the phosphorus release kinetics and contribute to the understanding required for process design and phosphorus recovery from SS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9749,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Journal Advances","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100826"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abas Siraj Hamda , Hirpha Adugna Areti , Rabira Lemessa Gudeta , Lata Deso Abo , Mani Jayakumar
{"title":"Carbon-based nanomaterials for water treatment: A comprehensive review of recent advances and mechanisms","authors":"Abas Siraj Hamda , Hirpha Adugna Areti , Rabira Lemessa Gudeta , Lata Deso Abo , Mani Jayakumar","doi":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100834","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100834","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heavy metal defilement in water resources positions a serious risk to social health and environment. Carbon-based nanomaterials, due to their sole physico-chemical properties like tunable surface functionalities, high surface area, and excellent adsorption capabilities, have considered as one of the potential candidates for water treatment. This comprehensive review offers a contemporary advances in the development and application of numerous carbon derived nano-materials, comprising of activated-carbon, biochar, carbon nano-tubes, carbon-quantum dots, and graphene-based materials, for the elimination of toxic heavy metals from aqueous environments. The mechanisms of metal adsorption, surface alterations to boost performance, regeneration potential, and challenges for real-world application are critically discussed. Future research directions are proposed to bridge existing gaps and promote sustainable utilization of carbon derived nano-materials in water treatment technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9749,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Journal Advances","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100834"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Grégory Bana , Fabrice Lamadie , Sophie Charton , Didier Lucor , Nida Sheibat-Othman
{"title":"Bridging experiments and models, towards a new paradigm: DROP-PINN, a physics-informed neural network to predict droplet rupture in multiphase systems","authors":"Grégory Bana , Fabrice Lamadie , Sophie Charton , Didier Lucor , Nida Sheibat-Othman","doi":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100829","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100829","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The population balance equation (PBE) is today a convenient tool to describe the evolution of multiphase systems, such as bubble plumes or columns, mixing tanks, solvent extraction columns, where they are used to infer the particle size distribution required to quantify buoyancy forces or the interfacial exchange area. However, the PBE often rely on semi-empirical models (or kernels) to predict the events likely to modify the population properties, such as breakage and coalescence. These kernels contain parameters that are tailored to specific fluid properties and operating conditions, thus limiting their general applicability (i.e. transposition to other operating conditions or processes than those used during model development). As a consequence, accurately predicting the frequency of events that modify the population of droplets remains challenging. In this study, we focus on the breakage phenomenon. Recent advances in machine learning, particularly Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), present new opportunities for predicting the breakage frequencies. However, ANN training requires a large and high-fidelity dataset, making it time-consuming and error-prone. Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) may address this challenge by embedding physical laws into the learning process, ensuring physically consistent PBE predictions. This paper introduces a novel PINN-based algorithm that is trained to infer the droplet breakage frequencies in a turbulent agitated vessel without prior knowledge of the breakage kernel. It uses only the PBE discretized structure and a reasonable number of measured droplet size distributions obtained by in situ imaging. The methodology, we have named DROP-PINN, is first deployed and evaluated through controlled simulations, then experimentally over a wide range of dispersed phase viscosity, interfacial tension and agitation speed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9749,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Journal Advances","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100829"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144889134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multiscale computing in complex gas-solid reactive systems—— A macroscale study on complexity","authors":"Chengzhe Du","doi":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100808","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100808","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Complex systems and complexity science have gained attention in recent years. In the field of chemical engineering, fluidized bed systems serve as typical examples characterized by nonlinearity, non-equilibrium, dissipative structures, etc. However, our current understanding of the complexity therein remains limited. This study aims to apply concepts from complexity science to the multi-scale computational processes, where complex gas-solid reactive flow systems are targeted. By examining two specific application scenarios in the Energy Minimization Multi-Scale (EMMS) model, concepts such as phase transitions and fractal/self-similarity are demonstrated within the realm of complexity science. After illustrating effects of different handling strategies, general procedures for addressing complex scenarios in macroscopic simulations are derived. This study represents an initial step towards uncovering the underlying connections among fluidization systems, multiscale simulations, and complexity science, thus providing opportunities for further exploration of complexity across different scales.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9749,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Journal Advances","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100808"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tobias Niederkofler , Aldo Giovannini , Roman Lackner
{"title":"Kinetics of the MgSO4 . 6H2Odehydration reaction for low-temperature thermochemical energy storage applications","authors":"Tobias Niederkofler , Aldo Giovannini , Roman Lackner","doi":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100814","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100814","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transitioning to renewable energy systems for residential thermal energy supply requires replacing carbon-based technologies. However, renewable energy generation is inherently intermittent, leading to supply–demand mismatches that reduce efficiency. Long-term storage solutions are essential to bridge these gaps and ensure a reliable thermal energy supply. Magnesium sulfate shows promising behavior as a thermochemical energy storage material, but its practical implementation is limited by kinetic constraints. This study models the dehydration reaction of <figure><img></figure> up to a temperature of 150<!--> <!-->°C, a temperature range compatible with solar thermal collectors, using thermogravimetric analysis at a water vapor pressure of 12<!--> <!-->hPa. Through a differential isoconversional method, the reaction from hexahydrate to monohydrate is examined to detect intermediate reaction steps. Moreover, the study identifies an appropriate reaction model and analyzes the dependence of the reaction rate on temperature and pressure. The resulting model shows strong alignment with experimental data, providing valuable insight into the dehydration kinetics of magnesium sulfate under realistic operating conditions and advancing renewable energy storage solutions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9749,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Journal Advances","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100814"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144829943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}