If you're looking for the newest posts from our blog, we've moved the blog and all of the archives over to our main site at: http://www.sterlitech.com/blog
You can still browse through our past posts for now, but please note the change of address for the future. We look forward to continuing the discussion on the new site!
Your source for new information on filtration equipment, applications and processes.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Silver Membrane Filters Play a Part in Antimatter Trapping
If you fastidiously watch “Through the Wormhole” like I do, chances are you’ll find this application for silver membrane filters fascinating – they’re being used to assist in the collection of antimatter! Now if your main reference for antimatter is a certain Dan Brown novel, you should know that separating and collecting antimatter is a much, much more difficult process than the entertainment industry would have you believe. In fact, “If you take all the antimatter produced in the history of the world and annihilated it all at once, you wouldn't have enough energy to boil a pot of tea,” according to Harvard physicist Gerald Gabrielse. Professor Gabrielse is a leader in antimatter trapping methodology and a co-author of the paper Pumped Helium System for Cooling Positron and Electron Traps to 1.2 K, which details how our filters are used to trap antimatter.
Antimatter is composed of the exact opposite particles (particles of the same mass but opposite electrical charges) as its traditional counterpart. So whereas a hydrogen atom is made of one electron and one proton, an antihydrogen atom (called H-Bar) is comprised of a positron and an antiproton. When antimatter comes into contact with matter, even air, both particles annihilate and release energy in the form of photons (light particles) and/or radiation. Because of the extreme instability of antimatter, one of the major challenges with studying it is gathering enough of the material in a lab. To store any amount of antimatter requires an extremely powerful vacuum to prevent it from coming into any contact with matter. To this end, scientists are experimenting with all manner of “traps” in order to separate and analyze the antimatter.
It is one of these traps that pure silver membranes have found a role in the antimatter collection process. The paper referenced above explains how in order to collect antihydrogen the scientists must cool the trap apparatus to temperatures close to absolute zero. To cool the apparatus to such an extreme degree the scientists here use liquid helium (which is about -269°C), this is also where the silver filters come into play. In order to remove any impurities that could cause clogging in the apparatus, the liquid helium is twice filtered through silver filters, first through a 5 micron filter and then a 3 micron filter before continuing through the pumping system.
A popular misconception about antimatter is that it has potential as an alternative energy source. On his website Professor Gabrielse points out that “No antimatter energy source will ever be possible since it takes much more energy to make antimatter than can ever be recovered from antimatter annihilation…Our motivation for trapping antimatter is to study is basic properties and to compare them with the properties of ordinary hydrogen atoms.” So while this research isn’t going to solve our energy problems, it could help physicists answer some of the biggest mysteries regarding the makeup of the universe.
That last part would sound better coming from Morgan Freeman…
Antimatter is composed of the exact opposite particles (particles of the same mass but opposite electrical charges) as its traditional counterpart. So whereas a hydrogen atom is made of one electron and one proton, an antihydrogen atom (called H-Bar) is comprised of a positron and an antiproton. When antimatter comes into contact with matter, even air, both particles annihilate and release energy in the form of photons (light particles) and/or radiation. Because of the extreme instability of antimatter, one of the major challenges with studying it is gathering enough of the material in a lab. To store any amount of antimatter requires an extremely powerful vacuum to prevent it from coming into any contact with matter. To this end, scientists are experimenting with all manner of “traps” in order to separate and analyze the antimatter.
It is one of these traps that pure silver membranes have found a role in the antimatter collection process. The paper referenced above explains how in order to collect antihydrogen the scientists must cool the trap apparatus to temperatures close to absolute zero. To cool the apparatus to such an extreme degree the scientists here use liquid helium (which is about -269°C), this is also where the silver filters come into play. In order to remove any impurities that could cause clogging in the apparatus, the liquid helium is twice filtered through silver filters, first through a 5 micron filter and then a 3 micron filter before continuing through the pumping system.
A popular misconception about antimatter is that it has potential as an alternative energy source. On his website Professor Gabrielse points out that “No antimatter energy source will ever be possible since it takes much more energy to make antimatter than can ever be recovered from antimatter annihilation…Our motivation for trapping antimatter is to study is basic properties and to compare them with the properties of ordinary hydrogen atoms.” So while this research isn’t going to solve our energy problems, it could help physicists answer some of the biggest mysteries regarding the makeup of the universe.
That last part would sound better coming from Morgan Freeman…
Visit here to find the full paper.
To learn more about antimatter trapping, including separating the myths from the facts, see Gabriel Gabrielse’s website.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
What the Crap?
Biogas, a form of renewable energy this is produced through, among other things, animal and human waste (hey, it’s not like you were using it) is one of several developing energy sources whose proponents are exploring membrane separation techniques to improve their purification process. A recent study published in the “Applied Chemistry – A Journal of the Society of German Chemists” experimented with a new method of membrane separation called the “condensing-liquid membrane” (or CLM) in an effort to enrich raw biogas, which typically contains between 50-80% methane, to natural gas quality (at least 95% methane content), with favorable results.
Common membrane materials like Cellulose Acetate and Polyimide have been tried for this application with some success, but the problem is that they can be ruined by the aggressive gases that are present in raw biogas, such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The CLM is a liquid (water in this case) layer that condenses on a porous hydrophilic membrane which then gets regenerated to allow for continuous operation. This support, made from Teflon, gathers water vapor from the biogas on the feed side of the membrane and is partially removed from the permeate side by nitrogen gas, thus allowing for separation to occur in one step as the water is constantly refreshed. One of the more brilliant aspects of the CLM method is that the presence of water in biogas, usually regarded as a disadvantage, suddenly becomes a key component in the process.
Since the membranes are being preserved and not destroyed, the potential exists for this process to be a cost-efficient method of purifying biogas in the future. Researchers will continue to investigate the CLM method in order to find the optimal conditions that will make it even more efficient.
Visit here to read the full report “Effective Purification of Biogas by a Condensing-Liquid Membrane.”
To learn more about biogas, try this site from Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center and the U.S. Dept. of Energy.
How does a biogas plant work? Watch this animated video to get an idea.
Common membrane materials like Cellulose Acetate and Polyimide have been tried for this application with some success, but the problem is that they can be ruined by the aggressive gases that are present in raw biogas, such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The CLM is a liquid (water in this case) layer that condenses on a porous hydrophilic membrane which then gets regenerated to allow for continuous operation. This support, made from Teflon, gathers water vapor from the biogas on the feed side of the membrane and is partially removed from the permeate side by nitrogen gas, thus allowing for separation to occur in one step as the water is constantly refreshed. One of the more brilliant aspects of the CLM method is that the presence of water in biogas, usually regarded as a disadvantage, suddenly becomes a key component in the process.
Since the membranes are being preserved and not destroyed, the potential exists for this process to be a cost-efficient method of purifying biogas in the future. Researchers will continue to investigate the CLM method in order to find the optimal conditions that will make it even more efficient.
Visit here to read the full report “Effective Purification of Biogas by a Condensing-Liquid Membrane.”
To learn more about biogas, try this site from Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center and the U.S. Dept. of Energy.
How does a biogas plant work? Watch this animated video to get an idea.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Deadliest Catch: Man-Made Pollution
Cruising around the Scandinavian coastline in November might not sound like the most ideal place to conduct an environmental impact study, but for Norway’s Institute of Marine Research it was necessary in order to investigate the levels of anthropogenic particles in the Skagerrak strait. As you can imagine, this setting presented some unique challenges for the research team. In order to gather and analyze microscopic samples from this body of water, which is located between Norway, Denmark and Sweden, researchers had to come up with some new sampling methods and fashion their own equipment to solve problems that had plagued previous studies.
One key obstacle that these scientists needed to overcome was how to distinguish between anthropogenic particles, which are man-made bits of matter that impact the environment (i.e. oil-spill droplets, asphalt, rubber tire wear, fly ash), from those particles with similar characteristics which appear naturally (volcanic ash, peat). To make this distinction, the samples were subjected to morphology analysis of their color and texture to first determine their origin before being counted.
The second major challenge was how to prevent contamination, which is easier said than done considering the harsh and unpredictable nature of the sea. One of the steps the researchers took to solve this was to develop control samples, free of any contaminants, which they could actually bring on board the ship with them. To further reduce the potential of contaminating samples, they also created new methodology and constructed their own customized sampling apparatus.
You can see a schematic of the sampling equipment the Institute researchers built in their published study. Their setup involved a submersible water pump that was positioned inside a waterproof case connected to the sampling filter (10 μm hydrophobic polycarbonate membrane filters, along with a 30 μm square mesh nylon filter as a support) which was placed directly in the sea. To protect the filter from wave turbulence they modified one of our filter holders (this one) with a new outlet fitting and a larger, semi-enclosed inlet with a smooth surface. The filters were also placed in protective holders before and after filtration for protection and to reduce the risk of contamination. As an added protective measure, the filter apparatus was ultrasonically cleaned prior to use. The entire sampling apparatus was held 2 meters outside the boat (to further prevent contamination) and the sampling depth was limited to between 0.1 and 1.5 meters to protect it from large waves.
While it will take many more studies before conclusions can be drawn about the state of this particular body of water, the scientists were encouraged by the results of the new methodology they created. They note in the conclusion how these improvements have standardized the sampling and reduced the risk of contamination. The scientists also suggest that this sampling equipment could be adapted for larger particles.
To read the full study, visit here.
^Image from Survey of microscopic anthropogenic particles in Skagerrak. Lysekil and Flødevigen 2010-11-20, Institute of Marine Research.
 |
| Norwegian Researchers Hard at Work^ |
One key obstacle that these scientists needed to overcome was how to distinguish between anthropogenic particles, which are man-made bits of matter that impact the environment (i.e. oil-spill droplets, asphalt, rubber tire wear, fly ash), from those particles with similar characteristics which appear naturally (volcanic ash, peat). To make this distinction, the samples were subjected to morphology analysis of their color and texture to first determine their origin before being counted.
The second major challenge was how to prevent contamination, which is easier said than done considering the harsh and unpredictable nature of the sea. One of the steps the researchers took to solve this was to develop control samples, free of any contaminants, which they could actually bring on board the ship with them. To further reduce the potential of contaminating samples, they also created new methodology and constructed their own customized sampling apparatus.
You can see a schematic of the sampling equipment the Institute researchers built in their published study. Their setup involved a submersible water pump that was positioned inside a waterproof case connected to the sampling filter (10 μm hydrophobic polycarbonate membrane filters, along with a 30 μm square mesh nylon filter as a support) which was placed directly in the sea. To protect the filter from wave turbulence they modified one of our filter holders (this one) with a new outlet fitting and a larger, semi-enclosed inlet with a smooth surface. The filters were also placed in protective holders before and after filtration for protection and to reduce the risk of contamination. As an added protective measure, the filter apparatus was ultrasonically cleaned prior to use. The entire sampling apparatus was held 2 meters outside the boat (to further prevent contamination) and the sampling depth was limited to between 0.1 and 1.5 meters to protect it from large waves.
While it will take many more studies before conclusions can be drawn about the state of this particular body of water, the scientists were encouraged by the results of the new methodology they created. They note in the conclusion how these improvements have standardized the sampling and reduced the risk of contamination. The scientists also suggest that this sampling equipment could be adapted for larger particles.
To read the full study, visit here.
^Image from Survey of microscopic anthropogenic particles in Skagerrak. Lysekil and Flødevigen 2010-11-20, Institute of Marine Research.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Silver, Silver Everywhere!
Check out this interesting article from the NIST Tech Beat explaining how nature may be manufacturing silver nanoparticles all by itself. The article also discusses some ideas as to why it is that silver is such a good antibacterial agent.
Read the NIST article here.
Read the NIST article here.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
So Will Chemistry Teachers Have to Order New Posters Now?
Move over Copernicium! A collaboration of scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California (one of our customers - we're so proud!), and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia are being recognized today for officially creating two new elements! Scientists first created these elements in 1999 and 2000, respectively, by slamming lighter atoms together to see if they would stick. After a lengthy experimentation and review process by the International Unions of Pure and Applied Chemistry and Physics they are now certified and ready to take their rightful spots as the heaviest members of the periodic table.
Both of these elements are radioactive and exist for less than a second before decaying into lighter atoms. For now the elements are being referred to by their element numbers, 114 and 116, since the discovers are still in the process of submitting their recommendations.
It's probably a good thing that the naming process is limited only to the researchers that actually discovered the elements. Somehow I think if it was left up to an online poll our kids would be learning the atomic weight of "Bieberum."
Read more about the announcement here or here.
Both of these elements are radioactive and exist for less than a second before decaying into lighter atoms. For now the elements are being referred to by their element numbers, 114 and 116, since the discovers are still in the process of submitting their recommendations.
It's probably a good thing that the naming process is limited only to the researchers that actually discovered the elements. Somehow I think if it was left up to an online poll our kids would be learning the atomic weight of "Bieberum."
Read more about the announcement here or here.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Quenching the Thirst for Potable Water Through Nanotechnology
After our last post discussing how experiments with carbon nanotubes (CNT’s) might greatly improve the effectiveness of reverse osmosis desalination now comes a new report from the Institute of Physics that shows researchers are getting closer to making this a reality. Already over a billion people do not have regular access to clean water and the problem will likely get worse as the demand for drinkable water is expected to grow dramatically in the near future. With natural sources increasingly scarce, this urgent need means there is an intense global interest in any potentially viable forms of water purification.
Right now the main issues preventing RO desalination on a large-scale basis are that the membranes used to perform seawater to freshwater separation do not remove salt ions with enough efficiency and they also require great amounts of energy (and therefore expense) in order to purify the water. Jason Reese, a Professor of Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics at the University of Strathclyde and also the author of this report, states, “The holy grail of reverse-osmosis desalination is combining high water-transport rates with efficient salt-ion rejection.” Incredibly, these little carbon nanotubes may be able to satisfy both of these requirements for widespread adoption.
Early tests and simulations have shown that CNT membranes could have water permeability that is 20 times greater than today’s materials. Additionally, carbon nanotubes can be chemically tailored to better reject salt ions, thus improving upon the desalination process in multiple key areas.
While it is still early, these features are promising enough that scientists such as Professor Reese feel it is a very real possibility that this application of nanotechnology could be used to curtail our growing water demand.
Read more about this report here.
Right now the main issues preventing RO desalination on a large-scale basis are that the membranes used to perform seawater to freshwater separation do not remove salt ions with enough efficiency and they also require great amounts of energy (and therefore expense) in order to purify the water. Jason Reese, a Professor of Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics at the University of Strathclyde and also the author of this report, states, “The holy grail of reverse-osmosis desalination is combining high water-transport rates with efficient salt-ion rejection.” Incredibly, these little carbon nanotubes may be able to satisfy both of these requirements for widespread adoption.
Early tests and simulations have shown that CNT membranes could have water permeability that is 20 times greater than today’s materials. Additionally, carbon nanotubes can be chemically tailored to better reject salt ions, thus improving upon the desalination process in multiple key areas.
While it is still early, these features are promising enough that scientists such as Professor Reese feel it is a very real possibility that this application of nanotechnology could be used to curtail our growing water demand.
Read more about this report here.
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