Academic literature on the topic 'Pyrolysis mineral matrix effect'

Environmental management through effective utilization of biowastes has been a topic of intensive research in recent years. This study examines the effect of pyrolysis temperature on the physical and morphological characteristic of biochar (BC) derived from lignocellulosic wastes. The biochar was prepared by pyrolysing date palm biomass at various temperatures, i.e., 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 °C. These pyrolysed biochars were then characterized for their carbon content, mineral compositions, chemical functionalities, and morphological structures, for understanding their physicochemical characteristics and microstructural evolution. It was revealed that the pyrolytic condition plays a key role in the formation of biochar microstructure. These biochar samples were then utilized without any further treatments/purifications for their practical application as reinforcement materials for polymer composites. They were blended with a polypropylene matrix by a melt mixing technique followed by injection molding process. The type of biochar was found to significantly affect the composites properties. Differences in microstructure, surface chemistry, and chemical compositions of BCs were observed to be determining factors affecting the compatibility and thermomechanical properties of resulted composites.

In traditional kerogen pyrolysis experiments, the effects of minerals and rock fabric on the pyrolysis products were ignored. To further clarify the role of the mineral matrix and rock fabric on hydrocarbon generation and retention, a closed anhydrous pyrolysis experiment was conducted on core plugs, powdered rock and kerogen from a clay-rich sample of Maoming oil shale within a temperature range of 312 °C to 600 °C, at a fixed pressure of 30 Mpa. The experiment’s results showed that the yields of heavy hydrocarbons (C14+) generated from the core plugs and powdered rock were obviously lower than that of kerogen, which may be caused by the retention effect of clay minerals in raw shale. The yields of gaseous hydrocarbons generated from core plugs were lower compared with powdered rock due to the retention of C2+ hydrocarbons by the intact rock fabric and the preferential generation of methane. Light hydrocarbon (C6-14) yields generated from the core plugs and powdered rock were higher than kerogen, which may be the consequence of the cleavage of extraction bitumen and the interactions with kerogen. Moreover, the ratios of iso to normal paraffin (iC4/nC4, iC5/nC5) of the core plugs and powdered rock were higher than kerogen. Our experimental results show that kerogen pyrolysis in a confined system may overestimate the hydrocarbon generation potential due to the negligence of the retention effect of minerals and the rock fabric, especially in the source rocks rich in clay minerals.

The heat build-up and fire performance of wood plastic composites containing recycled mineral wool filler were investigated. Six wood polypropylene composites with recycled mineral wool content between 0 % and 64 % were evaluated. It was found that the heat build-up of the studied composites increased with initial addition of recycled mineral wool, but increasing the content of recycled mineral wool in the composites further did not have a notable effect onthe heat build-up. Fire performance investigation showed that the addition of recycled mineral wool into the composites did not decrease the magnitude of heat release rate peak, but decreased the total heat release of the composites. Investigation of residual masses after the pyrolysis demonstrated a good dispersion of recycled mineral wool fibers in the polymer matrix. It is concluded that fire protection of the polymer matrix is essential when developing the fire performance of wood plastic composites with recycled mineral wool as filler.

Pyrolysis-GC/MS is increasingly used to quantify microplastics (MP) in environmental samples. In general, prior to analysis, purification steps are carried out to reduce the environmental matrix in sediment samples. The conventionally used protocol of density separation followed by digestion of organic matter does not allow for complete isolation of MP from the associated organic and mineral matter. Among the pyrolysis products used as indicator compounds for plastic polymers, some may originate from other substances present in the environmental samples. In this paper, the indicator compounds are reviewed for the most common polymers: PE, PP, PS, PET and PVC and selected taking into account potential interactions with substances present in environmental matrices. Even after a purification step, a residual mineral fraction remains in a sediment sample, including matrix effects. This effect may be positive or negative, depending on the investigated polymer and is thus important to consider when using Pyr-GC/MS for the quantification of MP in sediment samples. It also shows that no external calibration can be used to reliably quantify MP in such samples and that the use of internal standards is compulsory.

A la croisée de la terre solide et de l'atmosphère, les sols forment le plus grand réservoir terrestre de carbone organique, contenant deux fois plus de carbone que l'atmosphère et la végétation réunies, et constituant un contrôle majeur sur le flux des gaz à effet de serre. En outre, le carbone organique des sols (COS) est essentiel pour leur santé et fertilité, ainsi que pour la qualité de l'eau. La précision de l'outil le plus précieux dont nous disposons pour prédire l'évolution de ce réservoir, les modèles de dynamique du COS, est limitée par notre capacité à estimer la proportion du COS qui persistera sur le long terme. Cette quantité importante de carbone présente dans les sols depuis des siècles ou des millénaires, considérée comme « stable », peut varier fortement d'un endroit à l'autre. L'ambition de ma thèse était d’explorer une nouvelle approche basée sur l'analyse thermique et l’apprentissage automatique, pour caractériser le COS, estimer la proportion du carbone « stable » dans les échantillons de sol et ensuite utiliser cette nouvelle information pour améliorer la précision des modèles de dynamique du COS. Dans un deuxième temps, je me suis concentrée sur la technique de l'analyse thermique pour comprendre mieux les informations qu'elle offre, à la base des expériences modèles en laboratoire. Enfin, les résultats principaux de ma thèse consistent en une approche opérationnelle améliorant la précision des modèles du COS avec une valeur claire et significative pour une gestion « intelligente » des sols et, en des nouveaux aperçus sur le principe de fonctionnement, les limites et les possibilités de la technique d'analyse thermique au cœur de cette approche
Soils store twice the amount of carbon that is found in atmosphere and vegetation combined. They act as a buffer between solid earth and atmosphere and exercise a major control on the atmospheric concentration of CO2 through the release or sink of greenhouse gases. Organic carbon in soils in the form of organic matter is essential to soil health and fertility, to nutrient availability and water quality. The performance of the most valuable tool at our disposal for understanding and predicting the evolution of this reservoir, soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics models, is currently limited by a missing key: the ability to estimate the proportion of SOC that will remain unchanged over projection-relevant timescales. This important amount of carbon present in soils for centuries or millennia, and therefore considered “stable”, can vary greatly from one location to another. The goal of my thesis was to explore a new approach based on thermal analysis and machine learning, to characterise SOC, estimate the proportion of “stable” carbon in soil samples, and use this information to improve the accuracy of SOC dynamics models. In a second step, I focused on the thermal analysis technique in the heart of this approach to understand better the important information it offers, based on model laboratory experiments. Finally, the main results of my thesis consist of a complete and validated operational approach improving the accuracy of SOC models with a clear and significant value for “climate-smart” soil management, while the experimental part offers new insights into the working principle, limitations and possibilities of the thermal analysis technique at the heart of this approach

Este trabalho tem como objetivo a identificação da melhor rota para a produção de combustíveis e derivados sintéticos através do desenvolvimento e aplicação de uma ferramenta metodológica desenvolvida tendo como base ferramentas da qualidade: diagrama de afinidade, diagrama de relações e matriz causa-efeito. Estes diagramas foram adaptados para a análise e discussão dos fatores positivos e negativos de cada item da tríade considerada: insumo-processo-produto. A partir desta análise foram criadas as matrizes de causa-efeito, também separadas em fatores positivos e negativos para os insumos: gás natural (GN), biomassa e carvão mineral; para os processos: produção de gás de síntese (syngas) a partir do GN, gaseificação do carvão e a gaseificação da biomassa; e para os produtos: óleo lubrificante, óleo diesel, nafta, metanol e amônia. A análise destas matrizes causa-efeito gerou a matriz final, denominada matriz saldo, que permitiu a seleção da rota mais adequada para a produção de combustíveis e derivados sintéticos. Dentre os insumos estudados, o gás natural apresentou evidentes vantagens e, consequentemente, o processo a ser utilizado deve ser a produção do syngas a partir do GN, e dentre os produtos o metanol apresentou maiores benefícios para ser produzido.
This paper aims to present to identify of the best route for the production of fuels and synthetic derivatives through the development and application of a methodological tool based on quality tools: affinity diagram, relations diagram and matrices cause-effect. The diagrams have been adapted for the analysis and discussion of positive and negative factors of each item of the triad considered: feedstock-process-product. From the analysis, matrices of cause and effect were created and also, separated into positive and negative factors for the inputs: natural gas (NG), biomass and coal; for the processes: production of synthesis gas (syngas) from GN, coal gasification and biomass gasification; and for the products: lubricating oil, diesel fuel, naphtha, methanol and ammonia. The analysis of cause-effect matrices generated the final matrix, named balance matrix, which allowed the selection of the most suitable route for the production of fuels and synthetic derivatives. Among the input studied, NG presented remarkable advantages among the others. Therefore, the process to be used should be the production of syngas from NG. Among the products considered, methanol showed the best benefits to be produced.

Etude de la spectroscopie et des processus de relaxation non radiative de la molécule en matrice de gaz rare, à l'aide du rayonnement synchrotron a desy. Observation de la fluorescence de rydberg avec d'importants déplacements stokes absorption-émission diminuant du néon au xénon

Mineral matter affect various coal properties as well as the yield and composition of products released during thermal processes. This necessitates investigation of the effect of the inherent minerals on the products derived during pyrolysis, as pyrolysis forms the basis of most coal utilisation processes. A real challenge in this research has been quantifying the changes seen and attributing these effects to specific minerals. Thus far it has been deemed impossible to predict product yields based on the mineral composition of the parent coal. Limited research regarding these aspects has been done on South African coal and the characterisation of pyrolysis products in previous studies was usually limited to one product phase. A novel approach was followed in this study and the challenges stated were effectively addressed. A vitrinite-rich South African coal from the Highveld coal field, was prepared to an undersize of 75 μm and divided into two fractions. HCl/HF acid washing reduced the ash yield from 14.0 wt% d.b. to 2.0 wt% d.b. (proximate analysis). Pyrolysis was carried out with the North-West University (NWU) Fischer Assay setup at 520, 750 and 900°C under N2 atmosphere and atmospheric pressure. The effect of acid washing and the addition of minerals on the derived pyrolysis products were evaluated. Acid washing led to lower water and tar yields, whilst the gas yields increased, and the char yields were unaffected. The higher gas yield can be related to increased porosity after mineral removal as revealed by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) CO2 adsorption surface area analysis of the derived chars. Gas chromatography (GC) analyses of the derived pyrolysis gases indicated that the acid washed coal fraction (AW TWD) derived gas contained higher yields of H2, CH4, CO2, C2H4, C2H6, C3H4, C3H6 and C4s when compared to the gas derived from the raw coal fraction (TWD). The CO yield from the TWD coal was higher at all final pyrolysis temperatures. Differences in gas yields were related to increased tar cracking as well as lower hydrogen transfer and de-hydrogenation of the acid washed chars. Analyses of the tar fraction by means of simulated distillation (Simdis), gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) –flame ionization detection (–FID) and size exclusion chromatography with ultraviolet (SEC-UV) analyses, indicated that the AW TWD derived tars were more aromatic in nature, containing more heavier boiling point components, which increased with increasing final pyrolysis temperature. The chars were characterised by proximate, ultimate, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform (DRIFT) and BET CO2 analyses. Addition of either 5 wt% calcite, dolomite, kaolinite, pyrite or quartz to the acid washed fraction (AW TWD) was done in order to determine the effect of these minerals on the pyrolysis products. These minerals were identified as the most prominent mineral phases in the Highveld coal used in this study, by XRD and quantitative evaluation of minerals by scanning electron microscopy (QEMSCAN) analyses. It was found that mineral activity decreased in the order calcite/dolomite>pyrite>kaolinite>>>quartz. Calcite and dolomite addition led to a decrease in tar yield, whilst the gas yields were increased. Markedly, increased water yields were also observed with the addition of calcite, dolomite and pyrite. Kaolinite addition led to increased tar, char and gas yields at 520°C, whilst the tar yield decreased at 750°C. Pyrite addition led to decreased tar and gas yields. Quartz addition had no noteworthy effect on pyrolysis yields and composition, except for a decrease in char yield at all final pyrolysis temperatures and an increased gas yield at 520°C. Regarding the composition of the pyrolysis products, the various minerals had adverse effects. Calcite and dolomite affected the composition of the gas, tar and char phases most significantly, showing definite catalytic activity. Tar producers should take note as presence of these minerals in the coal feedstock could have a significant effect on the tar yield and composition. Kaolinite and pyrite showed some catalytic activity under specific conditions. Model coal-mineral mixtures confirmed synergism between coal-mineral and mineral-mineral interactions. Although some correlation between the pyrolysis products derived from the model coal-mineral mixtures and that of TWD coal was observed, it was not possible to entirely mimic the behaviour of the coal prior to acid washing. Linear regression models were developed to predict the gas, tar and char yields (d.m.m.f.) with mineral composition and pyrolysis temperature as variables, resulting in R2 coefficients of 0.837, 0.785 and 0.846, respectively. Models for the prediction of H2, CO, CO2 and CH4 yields with mineral composition and pyrolysis temperature as variables resulting in R2 coefficients of 0.917, 0.702, 0.869 and 0.978, respectively. These models will serve as foundation for future work, and prove that it is feasible to develop models to predict pyrolysis yields based on mineral composition. Extending the study to coals of different rank can make the models universally applicable and deliver a valuable contribution in industry.
MIng (Chemical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Bone in relation to dentistry is the topic of this chapter. This chapter describes the mineral, cells, vascular and matrix components of bone. Throughout the chapter, the clinical relevance of these features and how they interact in health and disease are emphasized. The later parts of the chapter describe bone healing, bone grafts, healing of the extraction socket, orthodontic tooth movement, periodontal bone loss in chronic periodontitis, and the effect of bisphosphonates. A final section summarizes age changes in bone and bone cells.

Bones are multifunctional passive organs of movement that supports soft tissue and directly attached muscles. They also protect internal organs and are a reserve of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Each bone is covered with periosteum, and the adjacent bone surfaces are covered by articular cartilage. Histologically, the bone is an organ composed of many different tissues. The main component is bone tissue (cortical and spongy) composed of a set of bone cells and intercellular substance (mineral and organic), it also contains fat, hematopoietic (bone marrow) and cartilaginous tissue. Bones are a tissue that even in adult life retains the ability to change shape and structure depending on changes in their mechanical and hormonal environment, as well as self-renewal and repair capabilities. This process is called bone turnover. The basic processes of bone turnover are: • bone modeling (incessantly changes in bone shape during individual growth) following resorption and tissue formation at various locations (e.g. bone marrow formation) to increase mass and skeletal morphology. This process occurs in the bones of growing individuals and stops after reaching puberty • bone remodeling (processes involve in maintaining bone tissue by resorbing and replacing old bone tissue with new tissue in the same place, e.g. repairing micro fractures). It is a process involving the removal and internal remodeling of existing bone and is responsible for maintaining tissue mass and architecture of mature bones. Bone turnover is regulated by two types of transformation: • osteoclastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone resorption • osteoblastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone formation (bone matrix synthesis and mineralization) Bone maturity can be defined as the completion of basic structural development and mineralization leading to maximum mass and optimal mechanical strength. The highest rate of increase in pig bone mass is observed in the first twelve weeks after birth. This period of growth is considered crucial for optimizing the growth of the skeleton of pigs, because the degree of bone mineralization in later life stages (adulthood) depends largely on the amount of bone minerals accumulated in the early stages of their growth. The development of the technique allows to determine the condition of the skeletal system (or individual bones) in living animals by methods used in human medicine, or after their slaughter. For in vivo determination of bone properties, Abstract 10 double energy X-ray absorptiometry or computed tomography scanning techniques are used. Both methods allow the quantification of mineral content and bone mineral density. The most important property from a practical point of view is the bone’s bending strength, which is directly determined by the maximum bending force. The most important factors affecting bone strength are: • age (growth period), • gender and the associated hormonal balance, • genotype and modification of genes responsible for bone growth • chemical composition of the body (protein and fat content, and the proportion between these components), • physical activity and related bone load, • nutritional factors: – protein intake influencing synthesis of organic matrix of bone, – content of minerals in the feed (CA, P, Zn, Ca/P, Mg, Mn, Na, Cl, K, Cu ratio) influencing synthesis of the inorganic matrix of bone, – mineral/protein ratio in the diet (Ca/protein, P/protein, Zn/protein) – feed energy concentration, – energy source (content of saturated fatty acids - SFA, content of polyun saturated fatty acids - PUFA, in particular ALA, EPA, DPA, DHA), – feed additives, in particular: enzymes (e.g. phytase releasing of minerals bounded in phytin complexes), probiotics and prebiotics (e.g. inulin improving the function of the digestive tract by increasing absorption of nutrients), – vitamin content that regulate metabolism and biochemical changes occurring in bone tissue (e.g. vitamin D3, B6, C and K). This study was based on the results of research experiments from available literature, and studies on growing pigs carried out at the Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences. The tests were performed in total on 300 pigs of Duroc, Pietrain, Puławska breeds, line 990 and hybrids (Great White × Duroc, Great White × Landrace), PIC pigs, slaughtered at different body weight during the growth period from 15 to 130 kg. Bones for biomechanical tests were collected after slaughter from each pig. Their length, mass and volume were determined. Based on these measurements, the specific weight (density, g/cm3) was calculated. Then each bone was cut in the middle of the shaft and the outer and inner diameters were measured both horizontally and vertically. Based on these measurements, the following indicators were calculated: • cortical thickness, • cortical surface, • cortical index. Abstract 11 Bone strength was tested by a three-point bending test. The obtained data enabled the determination of: • bending force (the magnitude of the maximum force at which disintegration and disruption of bone structure occurs), • strength (the amount of maximum force needed to break/crack of bone), • stiffness (quotient of the force acting on the bone and the amount of displacement occurring under the influence of this force). Investigation of changes in physical and biomechanical features of bones during growth was performed on pigs of the synthetic 990 line growing from 15 to 130 kg body weight. The animals were slaughtered successively at a body weight of 15, 30, 40, 50, 70, 90, 110 and 130 kg. After slaughter, the following bones were separated from the right half-carcass: humerus, 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone, femur, tibia and fibula as well as 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone. The features of bones were determined using methods described in the methodology. Describing bone growth with the Gompertz equation, it was found that the earliest slowdown of bone growth curve was observed for metacarpal and metatarsal bones. This means that these bones matured the most quickly. The established data also indicate that the rib is the slowest maturing bone. The femur, humerus, tibia and fibula were between the values of these features for the metatarsal, metacarpal and rib bones. The rate of increase in bone mass and length differed significantly between the examined bones, but in all cases it was lower (coefficient b <1) than the growth rate of the whole body of the animal. The fastest growth rate was estimated for the rib mass (coefficient b = 0.93). Among the long bones, the humerus (coefficient b = 0.81) was characterized by the fastest rate of weight gain, however femur the smallest (coefficient b = 0.71). The lowest rate of bone mass increase was observed in the foot bones, with the metacarpal bones having a slightly higher value of coefficient b than the metatarsal bones (0.67 vs 0.62). The third bone had a lower growth rate than the fourth bone, regardless of whether they were metatarsal or metacarpal. The value of the bending force increased as the animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. The rate of change in the value of this indicator increased at a similar rate as the body weight changes of the animals in the case of the fibula and the fourth metacarpal bone (b value = 0.98), and more slowly in the case of the metatarsal bone, the third metacarpal bone, and the tibia bone (values of the b ratio 0.81–0.85), and the slowest femur, humerus and rib (value of b = 0.60–0.66). Bone stiffness increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. Abstract 12 The rate of change in the value of this indicator changed at a faster rate than the increase in weight of pigs in the case of metacarpal and metatarsal bones (coefficient b = 1.01–1.22), slightly slower in the case of fibula (coefficient b = 0.92), definitely slower in the case of the tibia (b = 0.73), ribs (b = 0.66), femur (b = 0.59) and humerus (b = 0.50). Bone strength increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, bone strength was as follows femur > tibia > humerus > 4 metacarpal> 3 metacarpal> 3 metatarsal > 4 metatarsal > rib> fibula. The rate of increase in strength of all examined bones was greater than the rate of weight gain of pigs (value of the coefficient b = 2.04–3.26). As the animals grew, the bone density increased. However, the growth rate of this indicator for the majority of bones was slower than the rate of weight gain (the value of the coefficient b ranged from 0.37 – humerus to 0.84 – fibula). The exception was the rib, whose density increased at a similar pace increasing the body weight of animals (value of the coefficient b = 0.97). The study on the influence of the breed and the feeding intensity on bone characteristics (physical and biomechanical) was performed on pigs of the breeds Duroc, Pietrain, and synthetic 990 during a growth period of 15 to 70 kg body weight. Animals were fed ad libitum or dosed system. After slaughter at a body weight of 70 kg, three bones were taken from the right half-carcass: femur, three metatarsal, and three metacarpal and subjected to the determinations described in the methodology. The weight of bones of animals fed aa libitum was significantly lower than in pigs fed restrictively All bones of Duroc breed were significantly heavier and longer than Pietrain and 990 pig bones. The average values of bending force for the examined bones took the following order: III metatarsal bone (63.5 kg) <III metacarpal bone (77.9 kg) <femur (271.5 kg). The feeding system and breed of pigs had no significant effect on the value of this indicator. The average values of the bones strength took the following order: III metatarsal bone (92.6 kg) <III metacarpal (107.2 kg) <femur (353.1 kg). Feeding intensity and breed of animals had no significant effect on the value of this feature of the bones tested. The average bone density took the following order: femur (1.23 g/cm3) <III metatarsal bone (1.26 g/cm3) <III metacarpal bone (1.34 g / cm3). The density of bones of animals fed aa libitum was higher (P<0.01) than in animals fed with a dosing system. The density of examined bones within the breeds took the following order: Pietrain race> line 990> Duroc race. The differences between the “extreme” breeds were: 7.2% (III metatarsal bone), 8.3% (III metacarpal bone), 8.4% (femur). Abstract 13 The average bone stiffness took the following order: III metatarsal bone (35.1 kg/mm) <III metacarpus (41.5 kg/mm) <femur (60.5 kg/mm). This indicator did not differ between the groups of pigs fed at different intensity, except for the metacarpal bone, which was more stiffer in pigs fed aa libitum (P<0.05). The femur of animals fed ad libitum showed a tendency (P<0.09) to be more stiffer and a force of 4.5 kg required for its displacement by 1 mm. Breed differences in stiffness were found for the femur (P <0.05) and III metacarpal bone (P <0.05). For femur, the highest value of this indicator was found in Pietrain pigs (64.5 kg/mm), lower in pigs of 990 line (61.6 kg/mm) and the lowest in Duroc pigs (55.3 kg/mm). In turn, the 3rd metacarpal bone of Duroc and Pietrain pigs had similar stiffness (39.0 and 40.0 kg/mm respectively) and was smaller than that of line 990 pigs (45.4 kg/mm). The thickness of the cortical bone layer took the following order: III metatarsal bone (2.25 mm) <III metacarpal bone (2.41 mm) <femur (5.12 mm). The feeding system did not affect this indicator. Breed differences (P <0.05) for this trait were found only for the femur bone: Duroc (5.42 mm)> line 990 (5.13 mm)> Pietrain (4.81 mm). The cross sectional area of the examined bones was arranged in the following order: III metatarsal bone (84 mm2) <III metacarpal bone (90 mm2) <femur (286 mm2). The feeding system had no effect on the value of this bone trait, with the exception of the femur, which in animals fed the dosing system was 4.7% higher (P<0.05) than in pigs fed ad libitum. Breed differences (P<0.01) in the coross sectional area were found only in femur and III metatarsal bone. The value of this indicator was the highest in Duroc pigs, lower in 990 animals and the lowest in Pietrain pigs. The cortical index of individual bones was in the following order: III metatarsal bone (31.86) <III metacarpal bone (33.86) <femur (44.75). However, its value did not significantly depend on the intensity of feeding or the breed of pigs.

Osteoporosis (OSP) decreases bone mass and affects millions of people; the diagnosis is often late. Considering the side effects of conventional treatments, search for natural therapies should be a constant. Among natural treatments, herbal medicines stand out with very promising results. One of the plants that has drawn a lot of attention to prevent OSP is Plinia cauliflora (PC) Kausel. The objective was to evaluate the effect of PC extract in the OSP prevention in ovariectomized rats. In total, 60 female Wistar rats were divided into six experimental groups: positive control, negative control, sham, and three groups to test different doses (37.5, 75, and 150 mg) of PC bark extract. Bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), hormone dosage, and osteocalcin were evaluated. One of the regions evaluated was the legs, where prolonged treatment with extract of PC in 75 mg, had a gain of 1.4 times of BMC. The levels of osteocalcin were found to be high at the lowest dose (37.5 mg), increasing the BMC by 70%, and moderately increasing the levels of dehydroepiandrosterone, proving that the pathway that increases BMC is through osteocalcin. PC resulted in increased BMC related mainly to increased osteocalcin, at the lowest dose preserving the bone matrix.

This paper aims to investigate the effect of the addition of mineral oil and pyrolytic carbon black on crosslinking the natural rubber and the mechanical properties of the crosslinked products. A rheometer determined curing characteristics at a temperature of 150 °C. The mechanical properties of prepared vulcanized composites were determined. By adding mineral oil to rubber compounds, the vulcanization reaction starts later, and it takes slightly more time to achieve the optimal vulcanization time. The addition of mineral oil to the rubber mixture achieves better dispersion of pyrolytic carbon blacks in the matrix and thus increases the physical interaction between the filler and rubber. Pyrolytic carbon black (pCB) is obtained by recycling waste products and contains a higher proportion of impurities. Due to impurities, PCB has a smaller surface area for the physical adsorption of rubber molecules than standard carbon black, and it can be assumed that this has led to a decrease in the crosslinking density. The addition of mineral oil to rubber compounds results in a slight reduction in mechanical properties. The type of carbon black has a much more significant influence on the mechanical properties of vulcanized composites based on natural rubber.

Abstract Objectives/Scope: The late Callovian to early Kimmeridigian deposited Tuwaiq Mountain, Hanifa and Jubaila Formations are among the most prolific source rocks in the middle east. These sediments have recently been considered as potential unconventional gas reservoir in UAE. This study integrates sedimentological, structural, geochemical and pore-scale datasets to provide a better understanding of the depositional framework and its effects on the reservoir properties. Methods, Procedures, Process: Dunham Classification (1962) which was later modified by Embry & Klovan (1971) is the basis of the descriptive lithofacies scheme used to characterize the organic-rich carbonate sediments. The association of these classified lithofacies based on their genetic relationship reflects their corresponding depositional environments. Petrographical and geochemical assessment including Rock-Eval pyrolysis were performed on selected samples. Mineralogical assessment was performed via whole-rock and clay-fraction XRD analysis, whereas pore-scale fabric/textural investigations were performed via conventional transmitted light microscopy and SEM using backscattered electron mode BS-SEM. Results, Observations, Conclusions: Sedimentological characterization of mud-dominated carbonate sediments indicates that they accumulated in a clastic starved, intrashelf basinal setting. The lack of textural variation is observed, highlighted by the dominance of mudstones noted across the Tuwaiq Mountain Fm., Hanifa and Jubaila Formations. Wackestones are the second most abundant texture observed. Wacke-packstones and packstones are rare but are present in the Tuwaiq Mountain Formation. also dominated by mudstone textures show presence of wackestones in form of thin beds. The occurrences of planktonic foraminifera along with thin shelled bivalves further emphasizes the low-energy, distal depositional setting. A quantitative description of the nature, density, and trends of the fracture network highlights the tectonic and structural history of the sediments. A certain degree of brittleness is associated with the organic-rich sediments, which is evident from the mineralogical analysis showing the abundance of calcite (&gt;82%). Rock-Eval data revealed high TOC content of the sediments. An evaluation of the HI and Tmax indicates that the sediments are dominantly gas prone (HI&lt;150mg HC/g TOC). Based on the calculated reflectance data (Ro: 0.06-3.30), the sediments display varied levels of thermal maturity, from immature to over mature. The vitrinite reflectance equivalent (%VRE) values assessed from microscopic investigations a range between 1.24-1.64, with the lower values suggesting late maturity with wet (condensate) gas generation and the higher values suggesting post maturity with dry gas generation. The TOC and TRA data highlight that the organic-rich, laminated mudstones associated with the Hanifa and Tuwaiq Mountain Formations have the highest TOC values (up to 4.25wt%) and the highest bulk volume (up to 3.39 %BV). It is also noted that the petroleum storage potential in these sediments largely resides with the mineral matrix pores along with the porosity hosted by the organic matter, which has been assessed by BS-SEM analysis. Novel/Additive Information: This integrated approach sheds light on the development of unconventional gas reservoirs. In addition, this study shows how the changes in depositional environment may have controlled the organic matter preservation. For a plausible way forward, this current understanding may be extrapolated to uncored intervals for representativeness.

Biomass and sewage sludge are attracting increasing interest in power plant technology as a source of carbon dioxide-neutral fuels. A new way to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels could be the co-combustion or co-gasification of coal and biomass or coal and sewage sludge. In both cases, pyrolysis is the first step in the technical process. In order to obtain detailed information about the pyrolysis of coal/biomass and coal/sewage sludge mixtures as well as unblended fuels, the ‘Institut für Verfahrenstechnik und Dampfkesselwesen (IVD)’ at the University of Stuttgart has carried out investigations using an electrically heated entrained flow reactor. One application of substitution of fossil fuels could be the utilization of pyrolysis gas or gas generated in a gasification process as a reburn fuel in conventional boilers fired with fossil fuels. Investigation showed that generated gas from coal, biomass and sewage sludge pyrolysis and gasification have high NOx reduction efficiencies compared to methane or low calorific gases using it as a reburn fuel in coal fired boilers. In order to take advantage of this pretreatment process the release of organic as well as of mineral compounds during the pyrolysis or gasification has to be investigated. For coal pyrolysis and gasification the reactions are known since there was a lot of research all over the world. Biomass or sewage sludge have other structures compared to fossil fuels and contain alkali, chlorine and other problematic compounds, like heavy metals. The release of those elements and of the organic matter has to be investigated to characterize the gas and the residual char. The optimum process parameters regarding the composition of the generated gas and the residual char have to be found out. The IVD has studied the co-pyrolysis of biomass and sewage sludge together with a high volatile hard coal. The main parameters to be investigated were the temperature of the pyrolysis reactor (400°C–1200°C) and the coal/biomass and coal/sewage sludge blends. Besides co-pyrolysis experiments test runs with unmixed main fuels were carried out with the hard coal, straw as biomass, and a sewage sludge. It was expected that the high reactivity of biomass and sewage sludge would have an effect on the product composition during co-pyrolysis. The test runs provided information about fuel conversion efficiency, pyrolysis gas and tar yield, and composition of pyrolysis gas and tar. Besides gas and tar analysis investigations regarding the path of trace elements, like heavy metals, alkali, chlorine and nitrogen components, during the pyrolysis process varying different parameters have been carried out. The fuel nitrogen distribution between pyrolysis gas, tar and char has been analyzed as well as the ash composition and thus the release of mineral components during pyrolysis. Increasing reaction temperatures result in a higher devolatilization for all fuels. Biomass shows a devolatilization of up to 80% at high temperatures. Hard coal shows a weight toss of approx. 50% at same temperatures. Sewage sludge devolatilizes also up to 50%, which is nearly a total release of organic matter, because of the high ash content of about 50% in sewage sludge. Gaseous hydrocarbons have a production maximum at about 800°C reaction temperature for all feedstocks. Carbon monoxide and hydrogen are increasingly formed at high pyrolysis temperatures due to gasification reactions. Mineral elements are released during straw pyrolysis, but within the hot gas filtration unit further recombination reactions and condensation of elements on panicles take place. There is no release of mineral elements during sewage sludge pyrolysis and only a slight release of heavy metals at high pyrolysis temperatures. The effect of co-pyrolysis depends on the feedstocks used in association with the panicle size. The co-pyrolysis test runs showed that a synergetic effect exists when using sewage sludge and hard coal. There is a higher char production related to the unmixed fuels; gas and tar formation are lowered. Co-pyrolysis test runs with biomass and coal did not show this effect on the pyrolysis products. Reasons for this behaviour could be a difference in particle size and material structure which influences the devolatilization velocity of the fuels used or the relatively short residence time in the entrained flow reactor. It seems possible that coal pyrolysis is influenced by the reaction atmosphere, generated in co-pyrolysis. In the co-pyrolysis of coal and sewage sludge, the sludge degases much faster than coal because of the structure of sewage sludge and its small panicle. The coal pyrolysis taking place afterwards in the reaction tube occurs in a different atmosphere, compared to the mono-pyrolysis experiments. The devolatilization of coal in the co-pyrolysis experiments together with straw was not disturbed by the gaseous products of straw pyrolysis, because the large straw particles showed a delayed degasing compared to the coal particles.

Coals contain considerable amounts of oxygen in their structures ranging from 30% in brown coal to about 1.5% in anthracites. The distribution of coal oxygen in various functionalities changes drastically with increasing rank. The hetero-atom functionalities in coal and coal products are of importance in the processing of coal. The process of coal conversion relevant to the steam and gas turbine applications are pyrolysis, oxidation and combustion processes. Initial stages of pyrolysis and oxidation (combustion) are the thermal decomposition of the solid coal matrix to free radicals. Oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen and mineral containing free radicals play an important role during combustion thermodynamically. The differences between the coal functionalities in the solid coal matrix contribute to oxidation reactions of first and second order. The first and second order reactions affect the corrosion and deposition rates of the machine components differently. In this paper functionality differences of various coals with respect to their oxidation characteristics will be discussed.

Abstract In this paper we discuss the effect of volumetric ablation on the overall elastic properties of the carbon fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite. An Arrhenius type equation describing polymer decomposition was used to determine volume fractions of evolving polymer matrix phases (i.e. polymer, growing pores filled with pyrolysis gases, and char). The effect of the pressure exerted by pyrolysis gases trapped inside the pores was analyzed. Microstructures consisting of carbon fibers (circular inclusions) in the matrix and pores (elliptic inclusions) in the polymer were generated. Temperature dependency was addressed by generating microstructures with different volume fraction of pores, which were calculated from the mass loss model. Two-step numerical homogenization of representative volume elements (RVEs) was performed using finite element analysis (FEA). The developed procedures were applied to calculate temperature dependent (up to 700 K) effective elastic properties of the AS4/3501-6 composite. The results are compared to the existing experimental data and show good agreement.

Abstract Surface technologies and mud logging services are evolving tools that contribute today to unlocking complex geological settings, which will successfully define oil and gas potentials in a petroleum province. The paper aims to demonstrate the utilization of advanced cuttings analysis and microscopic observations to characterize chemical compositions of reservoirs, describe source rocks, confirm hydrocarbon potential and outline strategies for optimized well placement. Returned mud brings cuttings to the surface which are usually collected near the well shaker. Acquired rock samples can be studied at the rig site to differentiate stratigraphic units and underline potential reservoirs or source rock levels within a hydrocarbon prone basin. Cuttings analyses are commonly performed with the objective of enhancing the knowledge that is obtainable from sediments. Cuttings data are processed using an on-site laboratory equipment specifically adapted to rock geochemistry. The acquired cuttings are described with high-definition digital microscopes to assess primary geological observations such as mineral content, assemblage, grain size, and homogeneity. These samples will undergo geochemical characterization via a Source Rock Analyzer (SRA). An SRA would assist in evaluating source rock through Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and provides indicators for hydrocarbon volatility using a pyrolysis. The Mineral content and their elemental composition are quantified, respectively, by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). This paper will reveal that there is a difference in the thermal maturity of the organic matter and other pyrolysis parameters, which give indications of the kerogen type, thermal cracking level and define the hydrocarbon potential of the source rocks. The advanced evaluation will show that deeper sediments contain marine source kerogen (type II organic matter) and present high potential productive zones. XRD lithofacies analysis indicates a variation in the mudstone mineral content and gives a better mineral constitution of the carbonate rock matrix. The difference in trace elements measured by XRF is correlated to sedimentological depositional environments. All the mineral alterations validate the level variation of the anoxicity of organic matter during deposition. The results will conclude that the integration of advanced surface data, digital cutting photos, in-depth cutting analysis, and advanced gas will provide a better evaluation of the hydrocarbon reservoir for an optimized well placement strategy. Furthermore, integrated results acquired optimized the identification of higher organic porosity zones in low permeability reservoirs along the well bore prior to downhole logging planning and further operations. The hydrocarbon fluid type from advanced gas analyses describes a high potential source rock reservoir, and the presence of wet gas/condensates confirmed the expected fluid in place from the preliminary results made by pyrolysis.

ABSTRACT CO2 Pre-pad Energized Fracturing has been widely used in China in recent years to effectively develop shale oil. The petrophysical properties of continental shale vary with different sedimentary conditions. However, it is unknown how CO2 pre-injection affects these properties for different continental shale reservoirs. In this study, three sets of continental shale from the Qikou Sag, Jiyang Depression, and Yanchang Formation were selected for the experiment. The effects of SCCO2 on the petrophysical properties of different samples were analyzed by N2GA, XRD, and uniaxial compression tests. According to the results, the SCCO2-water-shale interaction induced the dissolution and precipitation of shale minerals during the immersion test. In addition, the average pore size of QK samples increased due to the dissolution of minerals, while the strong swelling effect and mineral precipitation reduced the average pore size of JY and YC samples. After interacting with SCCO2, the pore structure complexity of the QK and JY samples decreased slightly. Furthermore, the changes in mineral matrix and pore structure led to significant deterioration of the mechanical properties of the three shale groups, especially for the JY sample. These findings provide an experimental basis for applying CO2 Pre-pad Energized Fracturing technology to different continental shale reservoirs. INTRODUCTION In recent years, with the advancement of oil and gas exploration and development technology, China has made major breakthroughs in unconventional oil and gas development, and the proven reserves of unconventional oil and gas account for 41% of the country's oil and gas resources (Yang et al., 2015). As an important unconventional oil and gas resource, shale oil is mainly divided into two types: continental and marine. Continental shale is the main shale oil reservoir in China, and its development and utilization are different from those of marine shale oil in North America in terms of geological environment and development methods (Wenzhi et al., 2020). At present, shale oil enrichment layers have been discovered in numerous basins in China, such as the Junggar Basin, the Ordos Basin, and the Bohai Bay Basin (Feng et al., 2020; Ju et al., 2020). In 2022, Wu Xiaozhi (Xiaozhi et al., 2022) predicted that the national shale oil geological resources would reach 335.3 × 108 t. Therefore, realizing the efficient and economical development of continental shale oil is of great significance for ensuring China's energy security.

Hyperspectral sensors are used to identify materials via spectroscopic analysis. Often, the measured spectra consist of mixed materials and depending on the problem, the mixture ratio and the pure material spectra are wanted. In this paper, linear spectral unmixing is performed using the Nonnegative Matrix Factorization to analyze its correlation to ground truth data. The results are compared to Nonnegative Least Squares unmixing using manually selected endmembers from the image. Additionally, the effect of different endmember extraction algorithms and abundance initialization methods for NMF are investigated. To test the validity of the method, several checkerboard patterns of different ground minerals/rocks with predefined mixtures were prepared. It was shown that good initialization is beneficial in terms of approximation error and correlation to ground truth.

Fiber-reinforced polymer composite piping has traditionally been produced using E-glass fiber materials. E-glass has been the preferred reinforcement phase due to its good corrosion resistance, low cost and wide availability. However, in recent years other materials have emerged on the market, or are becoming competitive in price. Mineral based basalt fibers and high-performance S-glass are examples of such materials. In the present study the performance of basalt and S-glass reinforcements was investigated in comparison to a commonly used advanced E-glass fiber material. Employing the same epoxy matrix phase, specimens from the various fiber materials were produced, and their leakage behavior was assessed using experimental means. It was observed that the type of fiber reinforcement had limited effect on leakage behavior of pressure-retaining pipe structures.

Abstract Thermal treatment of shale gas reservoirs can vaporize water, accelerate gas desorption, and induce micro-fractures in shale matrix, which is a potential method to enhance shale gas productivity. However, few studies are focused on the thermal micro-cracking behavior of shale, especially at the mineral-scale. Furthermore, the effect of mineral composition on micro-fracture generation and shale permeability alternations are not fully understood in the current research results. In this work, a mineral-dependent fracture numerical model of thermally treated shale gas reservoirs is proposed. This model couples thermally induced stress in minerals, permeability enhancement, fluids flow and energy conservations in shale. A novel constitutive model based on volumetric constraint to relate stress and strain of minerals in shale is applied in the numerical simulation process. Comparison to experimental results demonstrates the reliability and robustness of the presented computation model. The proposed simulation method in this work is a powerful tool to link the macro-scale characteristics and thermally induced micro-fracture of shale.

The interior of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) had a dynamic polythermal base. However, the subglacial thermal organization of the LIS and its evolution throughout glaciation are poorly constrained. Specifically, the net effect of ice divide migration on subglacial processes and the resulting landforms and sediments remains poorly understood. The results of a regional-scale till sampling program within the interior of the Quebec-Labrador sector of the LIS were used to explore dispersal patterns across a region known to have experienced ice divide migration. Indicator mineral and clast lithology analysis, coupled with multivariate analysis of the till matrix geochemistry, were used collectively, and evaluated within the context of the relative ice flow chronology and subglacial thermal evolution to augment our understanding of how ice divide migration impacts subglacial erosion and sedimentary processes. Indicator minerals (e.g., goethite and orthopyroxene) and clasts (e.g., iron formation clasts from the Labrador Trough) form glacial dispersal patterns that are consistent with the earliest northeast-trending ice-flow phase identified in the region. This early ice-flow phase produced and transported till across the entire study area (&amp;gt; 175 km). However, till matrix geochemistry shows a strong relationship with the local underlying bedrock, especially the major oxides. This relationship is relatively common in areas of thin till cover and resistant bedrock lithologies. The results also indicate that following the northeast ice-flow phase, erosion and till production became more localized, without considerable transport in a single sustained direction. These results are consistent with a transition to more sporadic warm-based conditions and ice divide migration, as ice sheet reconstructions indicate, and are supported by targeted 10Be data from erratics and bedrock surfaces. There are also spatial relationships between the dispersal of fresh or re-entrained debris and paleo-ice streams identified in the landform record, as evidenced by the dispersal of indicator minerals. The reworking of previously dispersed material during subsequent ice-flow phases resulted in complex dispersal patterns across the study area. These results provide important insights for ice sheet modelling and future mineral exploration programs in inner ice sheet regions of the LIS and demonstrate the importance of a thorough understanding of ice-flow history.