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At least 73 records · Page 4

The ‘photosynthetic C 1 pathway’ links carbon assimilation and growth in California poplar

Although primarily studied in relation to photorespiration, serine metabolism in chloroplasts may play a key role in plant CO 2 fertilization responses by linking CO 2 assimilation with growth. Here, we show that the phosphorylated serine pathway is part of a 'photosynthetic C 1 pathway' and demonstrate its high activity in foliage of a C 3 tree where it rapidly integrates photosynthesis and C 1 metabolism contributing to new biomass via methyl transfer reactions, imparting a large natural 13 C-depleted signature. Using 13 CO 2 -labelling, we show that leaf serine, the S-methyl group of leaf methionine, pectin methyl esters, and the associated methanol released during cell wall expansion during growth, are directly produced from photosynthetically-linked C 1 metabolism, within minutes of light exposure. We speculate that the photosynthetic C 1 pathway is highly conserved across the photosynthetic tree of life, is responsible for synthesis of the greenhouse gas methane, and may have evolved with oxygenic photosynthesis by providing a mechanism of directly linking carbon and ammonia assimilation with growth. Although the rise in atmospheric CO 2 inhibits major metabolic pathways like photorespiration, our results suggest that the photosynthetic C 1 pathway may accelerate and represents a missing link between enhanced photosynthesis and plant growth rates during CO 2 fertilization under a changing climate.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Harnessing Solvent Displacement Crystallization for Actinide Synthesis: Insights from Uranyl Oxalate

To address the challenge of actinide crystallization in systems with a low chemical potential, solvent displacement crystallization (SDC) techniques are applied to synthesize uranyl oxalate in a series of alcohols with varying solvent polarity. This work demonstrates the simplicity of applying SDC to actinides and indicates that solvent polarity affects crystallizations. Uranyl oxalate trihydrate was synthesized from methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, and isopropanol as additive solvents, with characterization indicating an absence of solvent influence on the bulk structure. The choice of solvent did cause changes to the observed morphology and particle size. Additionally, the total yield of uranyl oxalate was found to decrease with increasing solvent polarity. These data support the use of SDC techniques for the crystallization of high-solubility actinide compounds.

Anions

A study of various synthetic routes to produce a halogen-labeled traction fluid

Several synthetic routes were studied for the synthesis of the compound 1, 1, 3-trimethyl-1, 3-dicyclohexyl-2 chloropropane. This halogen-labeled fluid would be of use in the study of high traction lubricants under elastohydrodynamic lubrication conditions using infrared emission spectroscopy. The synthetic routes included: dimerization of alpha-methylstyrene, methanol addition to alpha-methylstyrene, a Wittig reaction, and an organometallic approach. Because of steric hindrance and competing reactions, none of these routes were successful.

Jones, W. R., Jr.

Structural Effects on Solubility and Crystallinity in Polyamide Ionomers

Although polyamides have been an industrial staple for decades, their solubility and processability remain limited due to the strong hydrogen bonding between amide groups. Here, we report a family of polyamides in which aryl rings, alkyl spacers, sulfonate groups, and amide linkages are regularly spaced along the polymer backbone, allowing us to probe the structural elements that affect processability. We accessed these polymers through a synthetic route based on an expanded diamine monomer and characterized them through a range of physical and spectroscopic techniques. Our results show that the combination of sulfonate groups with increased amide content results in highly soluble polymers, which can dissolve in polar solvents such as water, methanol, and N,N-dimethylformamide. Infrared spectroscopy on the solid polymers shows that the aliphatic amides engage in hydrogen bonding with the sulfonate groups, thus inhibiting ion aggregation, crystallization, and microphase separation. These findings expand the avenue to sulfonate-containing polyamide chemistry and provide design rules for the synthesis of more processable ionic polyamides.

amides

Evolutionary and functional relationships between plant and microbial C 1 metabolism in terrestrial ecosystems

One-carbon (C 1 ) metabolism, centered on the universal methyl donor S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), plays critical roles in biosynthesis, redox regulation, and stress responses across plants and microbes. A recently proposed photosynthetic C 1 pathway links SAM methyl groups directly to RuBisCO-mediated CO 2 assimilation and integrates with nitrogen and sulfur metabolism. Light-dependent SAM synthesis may regulate the methylation of biopolymers and specialized metabolites and help mitigate photorespiratory stress under elevated temperature and drought. Phylogenetic analysis of two core enzymes suggests evolutionary continuity from methylotrophic microbes to land plants, supporting microbial origins via endosymbiotic gene transfer. Beyond intracellular roles, C 1 metabolism drives biosphere–atmosphere exchange via gases such as methane, methanol, formic acid, and formaldehyde, and numerous specialized volatiles synthesized through SAM methylation. S-methylmethionine, a mobile C 1 metabolite, may mediate phloem transport of reduced sulfur, nitrogen, and methyl groups, linking above- and belowground C 1 cycling in plants. Advances in real-time gas sensing now allow the high-frequency quantification of C 1 fluxes from leaves, stems, and soils, highlighting C 1 metabolism as a critical and underrecognized component of terrestrial carbon and nutrient cycling. Given its microbial ancestry and the production of diverse volatile biosignatures, C 1 metabolism may also offer unique insights into life's origins and biosignature detection on exoplanets.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Well-Defined Iron Sites in Crystalline Carbon Nitride

Carbon nitride materials can be hosts for transition metal sites, but Mössbauer studies on iron complexes in carbon nitrides have always shown a mixture of environments and oxidation states. Here we describe the synthesis and characterization of a crystalline carbon nitride with stoichiometric iron sites that all have the same environment. The material (formula C 6 N 9 H 2 Fe 0.4 Li 1.2 Cl, abbreviated PTI/FeCl 2 ) is derived from reacting poly(triazine imide)·LiCl (PTI/LiCl) with a low-melting FeCl 2 /KCl flux, followed by anaerobic rinsing with methanol. X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption and Mössbauer spectroscopies, and SQUID magnetometry indicate that there are tetrahedral high-spin iron(II) sites throughout the material, all having the same geometry. As a result, the material is active for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction to ammonia, with a production rate of ca. 0.1 mmol cm –2 h –1 and Faradaic efficiency of ca. 80% at −0.80 V vs RHE.

Anions

Plasma processing of interstellar PAHs into solar system kerogen

Processes resulting in the formation of hydrocarbons of carbonaceous chondrites and the identity of the interstellar molecular precursors involved are an objective of investigations into the origin of the solar system and perhaps even life on earth. We have combined the resources and experience of an astronomer and physicists doing laboratory simulations with those of a chemical expert in the analysis of meteoritic hydrocarbons, in a project that investigated the conversion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) formed in stellar atmospheres into alkanes found in meteorites. Plasma hydrogenation has been found in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Astrophysics Laboratory to produce from the precursor PAH naphthalene, a new material having an IR absorption spectrum (Lee, W. and Wdowiak, T.J., Astrophys. J. 417, L49-L51, 1993) remarkably similar to that obtained at Arizona State University of the benzene-methanol extract of the Murchison meteorite (Cronin, J.R. and Pizzarello, S., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 54, 2859-2868, 1990). There are astrophysical and meteoritic arguments for PAH species from extra-solar sources being incorporated into the solar nebula, where plasma hydrogenation is highly plausible. Conversion of PAHs into alkanes could also have occurred in the interstellar medium. The synthesis of laboratory analogs of meteoritic hydrocarbons through plasma hydrogenation of PAH species is underway, as is chemical analysis of those analogs. The objective is to clarify this heretofore uninvestigated process and to understand its role during the origin of the solar system as a mechanism of production of hydrocarbon species now found in meteorites. Results have been obtained in the form of time-of-flight spectroscopy and chemical analysis of the lab analog prepared from naphthalene.

NASA Discipline Exobiology

Carbonaceous chondrites and the origin of life

Organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites can be separated into three fractions. The first component, the fraction that is insoluble in chloroform and methanol, has a part which is of interstellar origin. The other two fractions (chloroform-soluble hydrocarbons and methanol-soluble polar organics) are hypothesized to have been synthesized on a planetoid body. We propose that the polar organics, i.e., amino acids, were synthesized close to its surface by the radiolysis of hydrocarbons and ammonium carbonate in a liquid water environment. Some hydrocarbons may have been synthesized by a Fischer-Tropsch mechanism in the interior of the body. Ferrous ion acted as a protection against back reactions. The simultaneous synthesis of iron-rich clays with the polar organics may be indicative of events related to the origin of life on Earth.

Hartman, Hyman

Heterointercalation in Chevrel-Phase Sulfides: A Model Periodic Solid for the Investigation of Chain Electron Transfer

Modulation of electron density localization on periodic crystal solids through electron transfer from interstitial cations can directly influence the bonding configurations of small-molecule intermediates at the catalyst binding site. This study presents the microwave-assisted solid-state synthesis of four heterointercalant Chevrel-phase (CP) sulfides with varying metal cation intercalants with compositional and electronic structure investigations of the electron density redistribution as a result of intercalation. The heterointercalant CP sulfides, with the general formula Cu x M y Mo 6 S 8 (where M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni; x, y = 1.5−2.5), are presented here for the probe reaction of electrochemical CO 2 reduction. A change in product selectivity is observed toward the production of methanol at low overpotentials of −0.5 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), as a result of the intercalant combination present within the CP interstitial cavity. Structural confirmation of all materials was examined through Rietveld refinement of the powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) data, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED). Electron transfer from the intercalated metal cations to the Mo 6 S 8 cluster was investigated via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the intercalated metal cations and the chalcogenide cluster. Electron transfer was further confirmed through X-ray absorption analysis (XAS) of the K-edges of Mo and intercalants. Intermediate studies of electrochemical reduction of formaldehyde to methanol resulted in a faradaic efficiency of ∼78% methanol production on Cu x Ni y Mo 6 S 8 . The results presented herein identify distinct principles for materials design that can be utilized in other compositional spaces within the broad families of periodic crystal solids.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH

Scalable and adaptable two-ligand co-solvent transfer methodology for gold bipyramids to organic solvents

Large and faceted nanoparticles, such as gold bipyramids, presently require synthesis using alkyl ammonium halide ligands in aqueous conditions to stabilize the structure, which impedes subsequent transfer and suspension of such nanoparticles in low polarity solvents despite success with few nanometer gold nanoparticles of shapes such as spheres. Phase transfer methodologies present a feasible avenue to maintain colloidal stability of suspensions and move high surface energy particles into organic solvent environments. Here, we present a method to yield stable suspensions of gold bipyramids in low-polarity solvents, including methanol, dimethylformamide, chloroform, and toluene, through the requisite combination of two capping agents and the presence of a co-solvent. By utilizing PEG-SH functionalization for stability, dodecanethiol (DDT) as the organic-soluble capping agent, and methanol to aid in the phase transfer, gold bipyramids with a wide-range of aspect ratios and sizes can be transferred between water and chloroform readily and maintain colloidal stability. Subsequent transfer to various organic and low-polarity solvents is then demonstrated for the first time.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH

Synthesis and Characterization of Ru(II) Tris(1,1O-phenanthroline)-Electron Acceptor Dyads Incorporating the 4-benzoyl-N-methylpyridinium Cation or N-Benzyl-N'-methyl-viologen. Improving the Dynamic Range, Sensitivity and Response Time of Sol-Gel Based Optical Oxygen Sensors

The title compounds (1 and 2, above) were synthesized by Sonogashira coupling reactions of appropriate Ru(1I) complexes with the electron a cceptors. Characterization was conducted in solution and in frozen ma trices. Finally, the title compounds were evaluated as dopants of sol-gel materials. It was found that the intramolecular quenching efficie ncy of 4-benzoyl-Nmethylpyridinium cation in solution depends on the solvent: photoluminescence is quenched completely in CH,CN, but not i n methanol or ethanol. On the other hand, intramolecular emission que nching by 4-benzyl-N-methyl viologen is complete in all solvents. The difference between the two quenchers is traced electrochemically to t he solvation of the 4-benzoyl-Nmethylpyridiniums by alcohol. In froze n matrices or adsorbed on the surfaces of silica aerogel, both Ru(I1) complex/electron acceptor dyads of this study are photoluminescent, and the absence of quenching has been traced to the environmental rigi dity. When doped aerogels are cooled at 77 K, the emission intensity increases by approximately 4x, and the spectra shift to the blue, analogous to what is observed with Ru(I1) complexes in solutions undergoi ng fluid-to-rigid transition. However, in contrast to frozen solution s, the luminescent moieties in the bulk of aerogels kept at low tempe ratures are still accessible to gas-phase quenchers diffusing through the mesopores, leading to more sensitive platforms for sensors than o ther room-temperature configurations. Thus the photoluminescence of o ur Ru(I1) complex dyads adsorbed on aerogel is quenchable by O2 both at room temperature and at 77 K. Furthermore, it was also found that O 2 modulates the photoluminescence of aerogels doped with 4-benzoyl -N -methylpyridinium-based dyads over a wider dynamic range compared wi th aerogels doped with either our vislogen-based dyads or with Ru(I1) tris(1,lO-phenanthroline) itself.

Leventis, Nicholas

Solvent selection for a biomass-to-bioproduct pipeline through integrated reductive catalytic fractionation and microbial funneling

The growing significance of lignin-first biorefineries, which focus on upgrading the aromatics resulting from lignin depolymerization, presents opportunities for bioproduct synthesis using microbial strains capable of funneling a diverse array of phenolics into a single commodity chemical. In this study, we evaluated a biomass-to-bioproduct pipeline involving the reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) of poplar biomass followed by biological funneling with a Novosphingobium aromaticivorans strain that produces 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC), a potential bioplastic precursor. Considering the impact of solvent on RCF reactor operating pressure, and the potential inhibitory effects of solvent on downstream microbial funneling, we performed an analysis of six pure solvents, namely methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, isobutanol, 1,4-dioxane and ethylene glycol, and different variations of their aqueous mixtures comprising 5 to 50 vol% water. For each pure solvent and solvent/water system, we measured phenolic monomer yields in the RCF process and PDC yields from the phenolic monomers. We then developed correlation models that relate phenolic monomer yields from RCF-derived samples to Hansen solubility parameters to determine solvent descriptors that contribute to high yields. Furthermore, we developed an integrated biorefinery system to estimate the minimum selling price (MSP) of PDC and the associated carbon footprint to identify solvent systems with better costs and sustainability metrics. These analyses resulted in the 50 vol% methanol/water system being identified as optimal because it reduces RCF reactor pressure and is compatible with microbial funneling with N. aromaticivorans. This solvent system produced 63 g PDC per kg biomass (264 g PDC per kg lignin) from 85 g phenolic monomers per kg biomass at a reduced reactor pressure of 48 bar (reduced by 26% compared to our previous poplar-to-PDC pipeline). The MSP for this system is $\$$13.98 per kg of purified PDC (carbon footprint of 1.47 kg CO 2 e per kg), which is about 24% lower than a previously described poplar-to-PDC pipeline and 46% lower than a lignin-to-PDC pipeline that used pure methanol as the solvent. The results from this study illustrate improvements that can be made in lignocellulosic biorefineries that are compatible with the hybrid chemical and biological processes needed to gain value from lignin.

Sripada, Sarada [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Ce

An evaluation of microorganisms for unconventional food regeneration schemes in CELSS - Research recommendations

The benefits and deficiencies of various candidates for a controlled ecological life support system (CELSS) for manned spacecraft missions of at least 3-14 yr are discussed. Conventional plants are considered unacceptable due to their inefficient production of foodstuffs and overproduction of stems and leafy matter. The alternate concepts are algae and/or bacteria or chemical synthesis of food. Microorganisms are considered the most promising because of their direct use of CO2 and possible utilization of waste streams. Yeasts are cited as the most viable candidates, since a large data base and experience already exists in the commercial food industry. The addition of hydrogen bactria and solar-grown algae is recommended, together with genetic manipulation experiments to tailor the microorganisms to production of foodstuffs closer to the 70 percent carbohydrate, 20 percent protein, and 10 percent lipid optimal food currently accepted. The yeast strain, Hansenula polymorpha, has been successfully grown in methanol and encouraged to produce a 55 percent carbohydrate content.

Stokes, B. O.

p K a of alcohols dictates their reactivity with reduced uranium-substituted thiomolybdate clusters

The uranium-substituted thiomolybdate cluster, (Cp* 3 Mo 3 S 4 )UCp*, has been demonstrated as a model for water reduction by single uranium atoms supported on a molybdenum sulfide surface (U@MoS 2 ). In this study, the scope of O–H bond activation is expanded through the investigation of the reactivity of various alcohols with differing pKa values for the –OH proton. The reaction of (Cp* 3 Mo 3 S 4 )UCp* with stoichiometric amounts of methanol, phenol, 2,6-dichlorophenol, and nonafluoro-tert-butyl alcohol affords the corresponding mono-alkoxide species, (Cp* 3 Mo 3 S 4 )Cp*U(OR), via a uranium-metalloligand cooperative activation of the O–H bond. This observed reactivity is analogous to the O–H bond activation reported by (Cp* 3 Mo 3 S 4 )UCp* in the presence of water. However, addition of tert-butanol induces protonolysis of the Cp* ligand on uranium, resulting in the formation of a uranium tris-tert-butoxide cluster, (Cp* 3 Mo 3 S 4 )U(O t Bu) 3 . Independent synthesis of (Cp* 3 Mo 3 S 4 )Cp*U(O t Bu) was possible via an alternative pathway, eliminating sterics as a justification for the observed discrepancy in reactivity. Furthermore, these results offer insight into the role the –OH proton pKa plays in dictating the mechanism of O–H bond activation of alcohols by the uranium-substituted thiomolybdate cluster.

Patra, Kamaless

Novel Ordered Crown Ether-Containing Polyimides for Ion Conduction

We report the synthesis and characterization of thermally-stable polyimides for use as battery and fuel cell electrolyte membranes. Dianhydrides used were 1,4,5,8- naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride and/or 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride. Diamines used were anti-4,4-diaminodibenzo-l8-crown-6, 4,4'- diaminodibenzo-24-crown-8, 2,2-bis(4-aminophenyl)hexafluoropropane, and/or 2,5- diaminobenzenesulfonic acid. The polymers were characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. Polymers containing the hexafluoroisopropylidene (HFIP) group were soluble in common organic solvents, while polymers without the HFIP group were very poorly soluble. Sulfonation yields polymers that are sparingly soluble in aqueous base and/or methanol. Degree of sulfonation, determined by titration, was between one and three sulfonate groups per repeat unit. Proton conductivity was determined as a function of water content, with a maximum conductivity of l x 10(exp -2) per centimeter when fully hydrated. Crown ether-containing polymers exhibit a high degree of order that may be indicative of crown ether channel formation, which may facilitate Li(+) transport for use in battery membranes.

Irvin, Jennifer A.

Comparison of ammonia with methanol, liquefied natural gas and conventional marine transportation fuels through life cycle cost and emissions analysis

This work evaluates ammonia as a potential marine fuel for a SUEZMAX tanker and compares it with methanol, liquefied natural gas, and conventional fuel oils. The motivation arises from the need to identify low-emission, cost-competitive fuel options that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. The central hypothesis is that ammonia produced from renewable energy sources can achieve lower well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions with varying life cycle costs based on the region. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis were performed for a thirty-year vessel lifetime on two representative trade routes: from Saudi Arabia to Japan and from Saudi Arabia to the Netherlands. Four ammonia production pathways were assessed: natural gas, natural gas with carbon capture, natural gas pyrolysis, and renewable electricity–based synthesis. Results show that wind-based ammonia produced in Saudi Arabia achieved the lowest life cycle well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions, between 0.58 and 0.64 million metric tons, among all fuels when using regional grid process electricity. With renewable process electricity, ammonia produced from natural gas pyrolysis in Saudi Arabia showed comparable emissions of 0.37 to 0.44 million metric tons with wind-based ammonia of 0.37 to 0.43 million metric tons. Liquefied natural gas exhibited the lowest life cycle cost, between 402 and 412 million United States dollars, and the only negative carbon abatement cost, ranging from −277 to –322 United States dollars per metric ton of greenhouse gas, compared with high sulfur fuel oil. The findings indicate that renewable ammonia offers a promising long-term pathway for reducing shipping emissions, while liquefied natural gas remains the most cost-effective option in the near term.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI

Promoting the oxidative coupling of methanol and dimethylamine using group 1 alkali metals on palladium-gold nanoparticles

PdAu/SiO 2 catalysts were synthesized by strong electrostatic adsorption (SEA) and characterized by TEM, DRIFTS, XRD, XAS, and O 2 -TPD. The use of group 1 alkali salt solutions to control pH during SEA syntheses led to uptake of alkali metals observed reductions in the densities of terminal silanol groups of the SiO 2 support. In the absence of alkali metals, PdAu/SiO 2 catalyzes oxidative C-N bond formation between methanol and dimethylamine (DMA), yielding dimethylformamide (DMF) with ∼95 % carbon selectivity (CO 2 ∼5 %) at temperatures below 413 K. When Na, K, and Cs were present on the catalyst, methyl formate (MF) and tetramethylurea (TMU) were observed as additional products (combined ∼30 % carbon selectivity) while only TMU was detected for the Li-promoted catalyst. Total coupling product rate increased for promoted samples in the order Li < Na < Cs < K, and the apparent kinetics over the Cs-promoted catalyst were distinct from those over the alkali-free catalyst as the apparent reaction order with respect to DMA decreased and the apparent activation energy increased. Finally, this work demonstrates the sensitivity of oxidative coupling reactions to alkali metal promoters and the opportunity to achieve alkali promotion of metal catalysts during SEA synthesis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH

Role of washing solvents in defining the magnetic performance of Sm 2 Fe 17 N 3 obtained by reduction diffusion

Calciothermic reduction-diffusion (RD) is one of the leading synthesis methods for Sm 2 Fe 17 N 3 (SmFeN), but sintering of such RD-derived powders is hampered by oxidation and CaO byproducts. Here, we systematically evaluate how post-synthesis washing solvents govern powder chemistry and magnetic performance. RD-synthesized SmFeN powder was washed with several aqueous and non-aqueous solvents using identical washing protocols. This was followed by an assessment of both the as-washed powder as well as after annealing at 425 °C. Phase content was quantified by synchrotron PXRD and Rietveld refinement and SEM/EDS. The oxygen content of the powders was determined via inert gas fusion and the magnetization by DC magnetometry. While all aqueous-based solutions were able to remove CaO, the non-aqueous solutions were only effective with extended washing times. Prior to annealing, the crystalline phases and magnetic properties of the as-washed powders were largely the same regardless of washing solvent. However, differences emerge after annealing, where water-based washing markedly lowers the coercivity (H c ~3.8-4.3 kOe). In contrast, non-aqueous NH 4 Cl-methanol washing protocols were more effective in preserving coercivity (H c ~4.9-5.9 kOe). We attribute this to lower oxygen content in the non-aqueous samples (~9,400 ppm v ~6,400 ppm, respectively) which in turn reduced the formation of α-Fe during annealing. These results highlight the importance of solvent choice in washing RD-synthesized SmFeN and demonstrate that non-aqueous protocols, which better limit oxidation, outperform aqueous solvents despite the need for longer washing times.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE