Abstract: A method of treating an oil spill including first making a formulation. The formulation includes mixing an acid and a solvent to form a first solution, mixing a zinc (II) salt and water to form a second solution, and adding the second solution to the first solution to form the formulation. The acid includes a carboxylic acid group and at least 10 carbon atoms. The first solution includes 1 weight percentage (wt. %) to 10 wt. % of the acid relative to a total weight of the first solution, and the second solution includes 1 to 10 moles of the zinc (II) salt per liter of the water. The method further includes contacting the formulation with the oil spill. The oil spill includes an aqueous medium and an oily layer on the aqueous medium and the contacting coalesces the oily layer.

Abstract: A multi-stage direct contact membrane distillation (MS-DCMD) system and a process for using the MS-DCMD are provide. The MS-DCMD includes a plurality of modules, wherein each module includes a feed chamber fluidically coupled to a feed line and a carrier gas line, wherein the feed line introduces a liquid feed into the feed chamber from a liquid feed tank, and wherein the carrier gas line introduces a carrier gas into the feed chamber. Each module includes a cold chamber fluidically coupled to a cold-water feed line and a cold-water return line, wherein cold water is circulated through the cold chamber. Each module further includes a membrane separating the feed chamber from the cold chamber, wherein the membrane allows transportation of vapor from the feed chamber to the cold chamber while blocking liquid from moving from the feed chamber to the cold chamber.

Abstract: A composition includes a continuous phase, a silica nanoparticle, methyl groups, and a quantum dot. The continuous phase includes ethanol or water. The silica nanoparticle has a diameter of less than 100 nanometers. The methyl groups are disposed on a surface of the silica nanoparticle. The quantum dot includes zinc oxide. The quantum dot is embedded in the silica nanoparticle.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing melamine polymer modified zinc oxide nanoparticles is provided. In the method, polymer grafted zinc oxide nanoparticles are provided, and melamine is grafted onto the polymer grafted zinc oxide nanoparticles by adding melamine in the presence of a carboxy group activating reagent to the polymer grafted zinc oxide nanoparticles to form the melamine polymer modified zinc oxide nanoparticles. A method of corrosion inhibition in a wellbore by applying the melamine polymer modified zinc oxide nanoparticles is also provided.

Abstract: A system for co-generating ammonia and power is described. The system includes oxygen transport reactors having an ion transport membrane (ITM) that separates a feed side and a permeate side. The feed side includes a feed inlet and a feed outlet, and the permeate side includes a permeate inlet and a permeate outlet. A first feed inlet receives water vapor to be converted into hydrogen and first oxygen, and a second feed inlet receives air to be split into nitrogen and second oxygen. The ITM selectively allows permeation of the first oxygen and the second oxygen to respective permeate side to support oxy-combustion process. A first feed outlet discharges hydrogen and a second feed outlet discharges nitrogen, where the hydrogen and the nitrogen are combined in a catalytic converter to form ammonia. Combustion gases from the oxygen transport reactors are used to run a gas turbine to extract power.

Abstract: A data-driven linear filtering method to recover microseismic signals from noisy data/observations based on statistics of background noise and observation, which are directly extracted from recorded data without prior statistical knowledge of the microseismic source signal. The method does not depend on any specific underlying noise statistics and works for any type of noise, e.g., uncorrelated (random/white Gaussian), temporally correlated and spatially correlated noises. The method is suitable for microquake data sets that are recorded in contrastive noise environments. The method is demonstrated with both field and synthetic data sets and shows a robust performance.

Abstract: A process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed comprises contacting the hydrocarbon feed with steam in the presence of a cracking catalyst composition at reaction conditions sufficient to cause at least a portion of hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon feed to undergo one or more cracking reactions to produce a steam catalytic cracking effluent comprising light olefins, light aromatic compounds, or both, where the cracking catalyst composition comprises a cracking additive comprising metal species impregnated on a ZSM-5 zeolite, where the metal species comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of chromium, vanadium, iron, platinum, molybdenum, cerium, and nickel.

Abstract: This disclosure represents an improved computer system and process to avoid the consequences of improper conversion of numbers and of rounding errors. This process makes the distinction between exact and inexact decimal floating-point numbers. If the result of a sequence of operation is exact, the user can trust that every decimal digit in the computed result is correct. On the other hand, if the input operands are inexact or the result cannot be computed exactly, a loss of significant digits occurs, and the user is warned of the loss. A novel representation is used for the inexact computed values. An estimate of the absolute error is also part of the representation.

Abstract: Copper-boron-ferrite (Cu—B—Fe) composites may be prepared and immobilized on graphite electrodes in a silica-based sol-gel, e.g., from rice husks. Different bimetallic loading ratios can produce fast in-situ electrogeneration of reactive oxygen species, H2O2 and ·OH, e.g., via droplet flow-assisted heterogeneous electro-Fenton reactor system. Loading ratios of, e.g., 10 to 30 wt. % Fe3+ and 5 to 15% wt. Cu2+, can improve the catalytic activities towards pharmaceutical beta blockers (atenolol and propranolol) degradation in water. Degradation efficiencies of at least 99.9% for both propranolol and atenolol in hospital wastewater were demonstrated. Radicals of ·OH in degradation indicate a surface mechanism at inventive cathodes with correlated contributions of iron and copper. Copper and iron can be embedded in porous graphite electrode surface and catalyze the conversion of H2O2 to ·OH to enhance the degradation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining the speed of light by utilizing optical feedback from a laser diode include a laser diode mounted at a distance from a linear stage, with a beamsplitter positioned at an initial location along the stage. The laser diode generates a variably pulsed laser beam that is split by the beamsplitter into two portions. The first portion is reflected back to the laser diode, inducing stimulated amplification, while the second portion is detected by a photodetector. The photodetector measures the optical intensity and generates an amplified electrical signal. A data acquisition system records the frequency at which the laser power peaks, indicating resonance conditions. The beamsplitter is subsequently moved to a second position, and a new peak frequency is detected. Based on the measured frequencies and positions, the speed of light is calculated with high precision.

Abstract: A method, system, and drilling fluid for treating a wellbore for filter cake removal, including providing the drilling fluid having thermochemical reagents that are encapsulated and acid-generating material that is encapsulated into a wellbore in a subterranean formation to attack filter cake in the wellbore, and attacking the filter cake via the drilling fluid.

Abstract: Carbon nanofiber doped alumina (Al—CNF) supported MoCo catalysts in hydrodesulfurization (HDS), and/or boron doping, e.g., up to 5 wt % of total catalyst weight, can improve catalytic efficiency. Al—CNF-supported MoCo catalysts, (Al—CNF—MoCo), can reduce the sulfur concentration in fuel, esp. liquid fuel, to below the required limit in a 6 h reaction time. Thus, Al—CNF—MoCo has a higher catalytic activity than Al—MoCo, which may be explained by higher mesoporous surface area and better dispersion of MoCo metals on the AlCNF support relative to alumina support. The BET surface area of Al—MoCo may be 75% less than Al—CNF—MoCo, e.g., 166 vs. 200 m2/g. SEM images indicate that the catalyst nanoparticles can be evenly distributed on the surface of the CNF. The surface area of the AlMoCoB 5% may be 206 m2/g, which is higher than AlMoCoB 0% and AlMoCoB 2%, and AlMoCoB 5% has the highest HDS activity, removing more than 98% sulfur and below allowed levels.

Abstract: A dendrimeric carbon dot-polyamide membrane, a method for making the dendrimeric carbon dot-polyamide membrane, and a method for producing purified water are provided. An exemplary carbon dot-polyamide membrane includes polyamidoamine dendrimeric carbon dots and a polyamide membrane. The polyamidoamine dendrimeric dots are dispersed throughout the polyamide membrane.

Abstract: Carbon nanofiber doped alumina (Al—CNF) supported MoCo catalysts in hydrodesulfurization (HDS), and/or boron doping, e.g., up to 5 wt % of total catalyst weight, can improve catalytic efficiency. Al—CNF-supported MoCo catalysts, (Al—CNF—MoCo), can reduce the sulfur concentration in fuel, esp. liquid fuel, to below the required limit in a 6 h reaction time. Thus, Al—CNF—MoCo has a higher catalytic activity than Al—MoCo, which may be explained by higher mesoporous surface area and better dispersion of MoCo metals on the AlCNF support relative to alumina support. The BET surface area of Al—MoCo may be 75% less than Al—CNF—MoCo, e.g., 166 vs. 200 m2/g. SEM images indicate that the catalyst nanoparticles can be evenly distributed on the surface of the CNF. The surface area of the AlMoCoB5% may be 206 m2/g, which is higher than AlMoCoB0% and AlMoCoB2%, and AlMoCoB5% has the highest HDS activity, removing more than 98% sulfur and below allowed levels.

Abstract: This disclosure represents an improved computer system and process to avoid the consequences of improper conversion of numbers and of rounding errors. This process makes the distinction between exact and inexact decimal floating-point numbers. If the result of a sequence of operation is exact, the user can trust that every decimal digit in the computed result is correct. On the other hand, if the input operands are inexact or the result cannot be computed exactly, a loss of significant digits occurs, and the user is warned of the loss. A novel representation is used for the inexact computed values. An estimate of the absolute error is also part of the representation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composition for a Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM) including cementitious materials, water, and fine aggregate. The cementitious materials include powdered basaltic lava and Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). In the composition, the basaltic lava replaces some of the ordinary Portland cement in the CLSM as compared to a conventional CLSM. The basaltic lava replaces 25% to 90% of the OPC in a conventional CLSM. The CLSM can be used as a compacted fill for structural and non-structural construction applications.

Abstract: Carbon nanofiber doped alumina (Al-CNF) supported MoCo catalysts in hydrodesulfurization (HDS), and/or boron doping, e.g., up to 5 wt % of total catalyst weight, can improve catalytic efficiency. Al-CNF-supported MoCo catalysts, (Al-CNF-MoCo), can reduce the sulfur concentration in fuel, esp. liquid fuel, to below the required limit in a 6 h reaction time. Thus, Al-CNF-MoCo has a higher catalytic activity than Al—MoCo, which may be explained by higher mesoporous surface area and better dispersion of MoCo metals on the AlCNF support relative to alumina support. The BET surface area of Al—MoCo may be 75% less than Al-CNF-MoCo, e.g., 166 vs. 200 m2/g. SEM images indicate that the catalyst nanoparticles can be evenly distributed on the surface of the CNF. The surface area of the AlMoCoB5% may be 206 m2/g, which is higher than AlMoCoB0% and AlMoCoB2%, and AlMoCoB5% has the highest HDS activity, removing more than 98% sulfur and below allowed levels.

Abstract: A controlled low strength material has constituents that include a cement, an aggregate, and a water. The aggregate includes concrete demolition waste. The controlled low strength material has a compressive strength that does not exceed 8.3 MPa, measured at 28 days. The controlled low strength material can alternately include a heavy oil fuel ash and the controlled low strength material can have a compressive strength that does not exceed 2.10 MPa, measured at 28 days.

Abstract: A method of making a hydrodesulfurization catalyst having nickel and molybdenum sulfides deposited on a support material containing mesoporous silica that is optionally modified with zirconium. The method of making the hydrodesulfurization catalyst involves a single-step calcination and reduction procedure. The utilization of the hydrodesulfurization catalyst in treating a hydrocarbon feedstock containing sulfur compounds (e.g. dibenzothiophene, 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene) to produce a desulfurized hydrocarbon stream is also provided.

Abstract: Carbon nanofiber doped alumina (Al-CNF) supported MoCo catalysts in hydrodesulfurization (HDS), and/or boron doping, e.g., up to 5 wt % of total catalyst weight, can improve catalytic efficiency. Al-CNF-supported MoCo catalysts, (Al-CNF-MoCo), can reduce the sulfur concentration in fuel, esp. liquid fuel, to below the required limit in a 6 h reaction time. Thus, Al-CNF-MoCo has a higher catalytic activity than Al—MoCo, which may be explained by higher mesoporous surface area and better dispersion of MoCo metals on the AlCNF support relative to alumina support. The BET surface area of Al—MoCo may be 75% less than Al-CNF-MoCo, e.g., 166 vs. 200 m2/g. SEM images indicate that the catalyst nanoparticles can be evenly distributed on the surface of the CNF. The surface area of the AlMoCoB5% may be 206 m2/g, which is higher than AlMoCoB0% and AlMoCoB2%, and AlMoCoB5% has the highest HDS activity, removing more than 98% sulfur and below allowed levels.