High performance catalyst supports and packing materials are playing an increasing role in many reactions and separations. The dispersion in packed bed reactors and separation columns can be reduced by the development of new packing structures having open and connected pore geometries. The application of new materials in High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with sub 5 micron particle sizes are growing. These small particles offer better performance and improved bed and column efficiencies. Recently developed, twinned Alumina Nanosheets (TAN) are 2D/3D nanomaterials that offer promising open geometries for use as column packings and catalysts supports. They have a small particle size (4 um in length, 1 um in width and 0.1 um in thickness) and excellent flow-through capabilities. TANs have recently been used to successfully produce high throughput dynamic membranes.
However, their resistance to compaction is unknown and thought to be limited. A technique was developed to reinforce the TAN nanomaterial. Two binder materials were tested as reinforcing agents; SiO2 and AlH6O12P3. The binder-reinforced TANs were then packed into columns. Eleven columns having a 4 cm initial packing length were assembled. Tracer injection studies were performed to investigate the flow behavior and dispersion in these columns. SEM images were also taken to characterize the particles before and after compaction. The best results were obtained using a binding solution containing 7.5 (wt%) SiO2. The binder SiO2 offered a better resistance to compaction than the AlH6O12P3. The Peclet (Pe) number for the columns ranged from 22 to 648. When the content of SiO2 increased from 0 to 7.5 (wt%), the columns showed an increase in the Pe number. When SiO2 increased from 7.5 to 20 (wt%), the columns showed a decrease in the Pe number. However, AlH6O12P3 did not present any relation between the binder content and the Pe number.
The results of this work demonstrate that reinforced TANs, are a new type of material that offers a packing with an open pore structure and improved channel connectivity. The new reinforced material offers considerable potential in many applications such as catalysis and separations over conventional materials. If they are used as packing materials in HPLC columns or packed bed reactors, they can contribute to a higher separation efficiency or an enhanced conversion rate or productivity, bringing more advantages and benefits than ordinary packing materials.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/38445 |
| Date | 19 November 2018 |
| Creators | Meng, Xuewei |
| Contributors | Tremblay, André-Yves |
| Publisher | Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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