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: An indirect evaporative cooling system for cooling a space adjacent to or containing an ablution bay is described. The indirect evaporative cooling system includes a greywater source from the ablution bay and evaporative cooler apparatus located above the space to be cooled in a dome shaped housing. The evaporative cooler apparatus includes a wet channel, at least one spray nozzle, and a dry channel. The at least one spray nozzle is located at the top of the evaporative cooler apparatus and is fluidly connected to the greywater source and the wet channel. The wet channel is located directly above the dry channel. A first side of the dry channel is connected to a first opening with a fan and outside air.

Abstract: A system includes a network of multiple network domains, each network domain includes a software defined network (SDN) controller. Each SDN controller includes a network interface circuitry, a processor and a memory. The network interface circuitry provides a communicative coupling with at least one domain of the multiple network domains. The memory includes instructions that when executed by the processor, performs a network update comprising adding links, subtracting links or reporting a status of links in at least one network domain upon receiving a network update request, and performs sending and receiving the network update request to a second SDN controller, where the network update request is part of real-time publish/subscribe protocol, the sending network update request includes a publish message having a specified topic and a set of QoS attributes, and the receiving a network update request includes subscribing to the specified topic and the set of QoS attributes.

Abstract: A multi-layer membrane which has a mixed polyamide selective layer supported on a porous polysulfone layer. The mixed polyamide selective layer includes reacted units of a polyfunctional acyl halide (e.g. trimesoyl chloride) and a diamine mixture containing 4,7,10-trioxa-1,13-tridecanediamine and a cyclic diamine (e.g. piperazine). Methods of fabricating the multi-layer membrane via techniques such as phase inversion and interfacial polymerization are described. The inventive membrane is evaluated on its water flux and salt rejection (e.g. sulfate and chloride salts) capabilities. A water desalination system containing the multi-layer membrane(s) is also provided.

Abstract: New carbon nanomaterials, preferably titanium carbide-derived carbon (CDC) nanoparticles, were embedded into a polyamide film to give CDC/polyamide mixed matrix membranes by the interfacial polymerization reaction of an aliphatic diamine, e.g., piperazine, and an activated aromatic dicarboxylate, e.g., isophthaloyl chloride, supported on a sulfone-containing polymer, e.g., polysulfone (PSF), layer, which is preferably previously prepared by dry/wet phase inversion. The inventive membranes can separate CO2 (or other gases) from mixtures of CO2 and further gases, esp. CH4, based upon the generally selective nanocomposite layer(s) of CDC/polyamide.

Abstract: A method of making an ethylene-propylene (EP) copolymer includes immobilizing a metallocene catalyst on a layered double hydroxide (LDH) to form a supported metallocene catalyst complex. The method also includes mixing the supported metallocene catalyst complex in a nonpolar solvent to form a first mixture. The method further includes degassing the first mixture and saturating with a gaseous mixture of ethylene and propylene to form a second mixture. The method further includes mixing an aluminoxane catalyst with the second mixture to initiate a polymerization reaction of the ethylene and propylene to form a reaction mixture comprising the EP copolymer and separating the EP copolymer from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A diverter agent includes a morpholinium based zwitterionic surfactant having a sulfonate terminal moiety; and an ammonium based zwitterionic surfactant.

Abstract: A method for coating a substrate with a Co-Pi modified BiVO4/WO3 heterostructure film includes direct current reactive sputtering tungsten (W) onto a substrate in a gaseous mixture containing oxygen to form a tungsten trioxide (WO3) film, direct current reactive sputtering bismuth (Bi) onto the tungsten trioxide (WO3) film in a gaseous mixture containing oxygen to form a dibismuth trioxide (Bi2O3) film, drop-casting a vanadyl acetylacetonate solution onto the Bi2O3 film and heating at a temperature of at least 450° C. in ambient air to convert the Bi2O3 film to a BiVO4 film, and photoelectrochemically coating the BiVO4 film with a cobalt-phosphate (Co-Pi) to form a modified film on the surface of the substrate. A photoanode containing the Co-Pi modified BiVO4/WO3 heterostructure film prepared by the method, and its application in water splitting.

Abstract: A method of controlling a permeability zone in a reservoir includes introducing a diverter agent comprising a morpholinium based zwitterionic surfactant including a sulfonate terminal moiety, an ammonium-based zwitterionic surfactant, and an activator in a wellbore. Once introduced, the diverter agent contacts a high permeability zone in the reservoir.

Abstract: The perovskite solar cell (PSC) includes a first layer containing a conducting material coated glass plate as a substrate, a second layer containing copper doped nickel oxide, a third layer containing a perovskite, a fourth layer containing nitrogen (N)-doped graphene quantum dots, a fifth layer containing phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester and a top layer including conductive layer. A method for producing the perovskite solar cell is also discussed.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method of relaying a transmission between a source device and a destination device in a wireless communication network where one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a plurality of UAVs have been activated to relay the transmission between the source device and the destination device. The method includes calculating a sum of SNRs associated with the one or more UAVs and determining whether the sum of the SNRs is less than a predetermined threshold. The method further includes, when the sum of the SNRs is less than the predetermined threshold, determining whether there is at least one UAV in the plurality of UAVs that has not been activated to relay the transmission. Also, the method includes, when there is at least one UAV that has not been activated to relay the transmission, activating one of the at least one UAV to relay the transmission.

Abstract: New carbon nanomaterials, preferably titanium carbide-derived carbon (CDC) nanoparticles, were embedded into a polyamide film to give CDC/polyamide mixed matrix membranes by the interfacial polymerization reaction of an aliphatic diamine, e.g., piperazine, and an activated aromatic dicarboxylate, e.g., isophthaloyl chloride, supported on a sulfone-containing polymer, e.g., polysulfone (PSF), layer, which is preferably previously prepared by dry/wet phase inversion. The inventive membranes can separate CO2 (or other gases) from mixtures of CO2 and further gases, esp. CH4, based upon the generally selective nanocomposite layer(s) of CDC/polyamide.

Abstract: A method of removing a sulfate scale from a surface is provided. The method includes contacting the sulfate-comprising scale with a conversion solution including 1 to 10 wt. % of an alkali metal carbonate, 0.5 to 10 wt. % of a borate salt or hydrate thereof, and 0.5 to 2.5 wt. % of a base to produce a carbonate-comprising scale. The method further includes exposing the carbonate-comprising scale with an acid solution including 2.5 to 25 wt. % of an acid.

Abstract: A method includes preparing an alkyl-modified graphene oxide, injecting the modified graphene oxide into a well, and inhibiting acid-induced corrosion of a steel surface in the well with the modified graphene oxide. A composition includes an alkyl-modified graphene oxide having one or more alkyl functional group covalently bonded to a graphene core through an oxygen-containing linking group. A method of preparing modified graphene oxide includes mixing graphite powder with an oxidant to provide a mixture, adding the mixture to an acid solution including H2SO4, H3PO4, or a combination thereof to provide graphene oxide, and reacting the graphene oxide with an alkyl halide by nucleophilic substitution to provide the alkyl-modified graphene oxide.

Abstract: A rapid method of synthesizing nanoflowers made of nanoflakes of nickel molybdate (NiMoO4) directly on nickel foam (NF) through an aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) process is disclosed. The nickel molybdate nanoflowers were grown on NF by varying the deposition time for 60 and 120 min at a fixed temperature of 480° C. and their efficiency was investigated as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in 1 M KOH electrolyte. The NiMoO4 nanoflowers of NF obtained after 60 minutes of AACVD process showed OER performance with lowest overpotential of 320 mV to reach standard current density of 10 mA cm?2. The catalyst continuously performed the OER for 15 h, signifying its prominent stability under electrochemical conditions.

Abstract: A process for simultaneous removal of hydrogen sulfide (H2S ) and heavy metals from mixture includes charging a contaminated aqueous composition containing heavy metal ions to a reactor. The process also includes passing a H2S -containing gas composition via a plurality of gas spargers through the contaminated aqueous composition present in the reactor to form a H2S-containing contaminated aqueous composition and a purified gas composition. The process further includes reacting the H2S from the H2S -containing contaminated aqueous composition with the heavy metal ions in the H2S -containing contaminated aqueous composition to form a metal sulfide precipitate in a metal-sulfide-containing contaminated aqueous composition.

Abstract: A solar photovoltaic powered phase change material thermal energy storage system includes a refrigerator unit having a phase change material (PCM) tank and a photovoltaic (PV) panel to provide electrical energy to the PCM tank to melt a PCM stored therein. The PCM tank includes a refrigeration coil immersed in the PCM and configured to circulate refrigerant to between the PCM tank and a condenser. Energy released and absorbed during solidification and melting of the PCM is used to support an air-conditioning (AC) unit and substitute power used by a compressor of the AC unit, to handle demand during peak hours, thereby reducing overall power requirement of a facility. The melting of the PCM is also controlled, so that the AC unit may operate with the aid of the PCM for longer duration during the day.

Abstract: A diverter agent includes a morpholinium based zwitterionic surfactant having a sulfonate terminal moiety; and an ammonium based zwitterionic surfactant.

Abstract: A composition for inhibiting corrosion in gas wells includes a pyrazolopyridine derivative. The pyrazolopyridine derivative includes a pyridyl moiety, a first pyrazole moiety, a second pyrazole moiety, and a phenyl moiety. The first pyrazole moiety is bound to the pyridyl moiety. The second pyrazole moiety is bound to the pyridyl moiety. The phenyl moiety is bound to the pyridyl moiety. The composition can be flowed into a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation, thereby inhibiting corrosion in the wellbore.

Abstract: An internet of things (IoT) based hydroponic farm system is described. The hydroponic farm system includes a cloud server, a plurality of hydroponic farms, and a plurality of user computing stations. The cloud server includes a data distribution service domain that includes data distribution service middleware configured to use a real-time publish-subscribe protocol to wirelessly communicate hydroponic farm information. Each of the hydroponic farms is divided into a plurality of hydroponic plant growing zones that are configured to grow at least one species of plant. Each hydroponic plant growing zone includes a zone controller. A farm controller is assigned to each of the hydroponic farms.