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        <title>Frontiers in Chemical Engineering | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemical-engineering</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Chemical Engineering | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-05-08T15:48:17.736+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1792994</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1792994</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Magnesium and bio-slurry enhance the properties of bio-tiles produced using an automated microbial calcium carbonate precipitation process]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Emma Jane Horn</author><author>Denislav Marinov</author><author>Dyllon Garth Randall</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study presents a novel, modular 3D printing system for the scalable production of microbially induced calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation (MICP) produced bio-materials. Through modular design principles and operation automation, the technique offers a biochemical route to cementitious materials with the potential for lower energy and carbon footprints compared to traditional kiln-fired ceramics. The bio-tiles produced using this technique exceed international standards of breaking strength and modulus of rupture. By leveraging freeze-dried urease-active bio-slurry powder, the process ensures uniform bacterial distribution within the sand matrix, enhancing reproducibility and scalability. To establish a technical baseline for this automated platform, the effect of CaCO3 seed supplementation, magnesium-enriched cementation solution, and manual daily nutrient broth treatments was evaluated as a function of ureolytic activity and mineralization performance. Results revealed that magnesium addition paired with nutrient broth supplementation was a notable factor associated with the observed strength enhancement, achieving an average of 622 ± 84 N. While individual seed loadings showed variability consistent with gravity-driven infiltration, the aggregate performance of magnesium-supplemented tiles established a clear general technical trend, achieving strengths 3.3 times higher than bio-tiles treated without magnesium and only nutrient broth. However, nutrient broth treatments were found to be redundant as ureolytic requirements were likely satisfied by the bio-slurry itself. Additional CaCO3 seeds minimally influenced strength but improved edge solidification. Despite challenges in achieving uniform solidification without specific additives, the automated system successfully integrated submersion and pumping methodologies. The bio-tiles exceeded strength standards for tiles with a water absorption of greater than 10%, underscoring their potential for sustainable construction applications. This proof-of-concept highlights the mechanical automation as a key enabler for scalable MICP-based manufacturing, reducing labour intensity and optimising bio-cementation for sustainable, high-performance materials. Future research should focus on enhancing solidification consistency and advancing MICP-based bio-materials for structural applications. The integration of automation, modularity, and optimised MICP conditions marks a significant advancement toward the commercial-scale production of materials with improved environmental profiles.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1818820</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1818820</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A process involving highly sensitive activated carbon-based adsorbers as “police filters” to maintain BPA concentration in water below 2.5 ppb]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Melanie Elisabeth Schulz</author><author>Daniel Eßer</author><author>Lea Hartmann</author><author>Marcus Schief</author><author>Aron Kneer</author><author>Evangelos P. Favvas</author><author>Thomas Millenautzki</author><author>Stéphan Barbe</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Inadequate treatment processes in conventional wastewater treatment plants led to an accumulation of endocrine disruptors (EDs), including bisphenol A (BPA) in the environment, which can cause harmful health effects even at trace concentrations. In response to this, regulatory measures have been implemented, culminating in a comprehensive ban. However, environmental contamination and associated health risks persist due to the compound’s stability and widespread use. To address these challenges, activated carbon-based adsorber materials were developed as “police filters” and tested in a fluidized bed reactor system (FBR). In contrast to other studies, the presented materials demonstrated considerable BPA adsorption efficiency at environmentally relevant trace concentrations to maintain exit concentration below 2.5 ppb (EFSA limit for BPA in water). They could be regenerated with acceptable performance losses, enabling repeated use and reducing material consumption. The integrated approach, combining adsorbent regeneration with precise quantification, represents a sustainable, cost-effective, and scalable solution for the removal of BPA from water. In addition, several strategies for the recovery and regeneration of BPA contaminated dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were explored, with the goal of establishing a circular system in which key intermediate and end products can be reintroduced into industrial and economic value chains.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1676997</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1676997</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Application of pragmatic modelling to metallurgical processes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Kurian J. Vachaparambil</author><author>Stein Tore Johansen</author><author>Bjørn Tore Løvfall</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Understanding metallurgical processes has historically relied on measured data (which are often very limited), laboratory experiments, simplified unitary operation models, and more recently, computational models (like Computational Fluid Dynamics). Detailed measurements, especially during industrial operations, are often difficult due to the corrosive environment and high temperature of the process. In some cases there is currently no possibility for direct measurements, or if a possible sensor exists the sensor cost is not acceptable. Computational approaches have severe limitations due to the large computational overhead of running these models for large systems with long-term transient variations. In addition we have complex chemistry and multi-physics with strongly coupled phenomena. In such a context, pragmatic models are extremely useful to gain insight into the operations and optimize the process. The pragmatic models are designed to run real-time, or even faster. In this paper, we will provide an overview of applications of the pragmatic modelling techniques to three metallurgical applications: alumina transport in aluminium reduction cells, ladle erosion, and Søderberg electrodes. The pragmatic modelling approach used to develop the simulation framework for these processes and the predictive ability of the models are summarized. Finally, applicability of these pragmatic modelling as well as data-driven approaches (like machine learning) in building digital twins for metallurgical processes are discussed.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1796275</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1796275</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Technical and environmental assessment of renewable dimethyl ether production from CO2 in different european contexts]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Mohamad Kanso</author><author>Jurriaan Boon</author><author>Alma Capa</author><author>Ligia Tiruta-Barna</author><author>Carlos Eduardo Robles-Rodriguez</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This work highlights the differences between two dimethyl ether (DME) production pathways from CO2: (S1) intensified direct conversion of CO2 and H2 via sorption-enhanced DME synthesis (SEDMES) in a single reactor, (S2) indirect conversion in two steps via methanol as an intermediate product followed by dehydration to DME; For this purpose, flue gas from a cement production plant was considered as the CO2 source and membrane separation (MS) was used for carbon capture, while hydrogen was generated via water electrolysis. ProSimPlus® software, was used for process simulation. Starting from 5,864 kg CO2, scenario S2 produces 2,433 kg/h of DME, which is lower than 2,929.5 kg/h in S1. In addition, S1 shows significantly lower electrical and heating energy consumption per kgDME produced: 17.80 kWh and 3.07 MJ, respectively, compared to 22.59 kWh and 10.14 MJ in S2. The environmental analysis was carried out using a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, with the production of 1 kg of high-purity DME defined as the functional unit and compared with the traditional production of DME (S3) from fossil methanol (MeOH). The results show that the electricity source plays an important role in determining the environmental impact in the context of North-West Europe with a focus on the Netherlands. If the SSP2-NDC trajectory is considered, for the Dutch electricity mix, the GWP100 impacts of both scenarios decrease significantly over year (2020–2050). For instance, in S2, GWP100 could decrease from 3.46 kg CO2-eq/kgDME in 2020 to −1.41 kg CO2-eq/kgDME by 2050 due to planned electricity defossilization in the Netherlands. Same for S1, GWP100 value dropped from 2.08 to −1.63 kg CO2-eq/kgDME, indicating climate positive outcomes. However, S3 maintains a stable GWP100 impact of around 1.2 kg CO2-eq/kg DME over years, due to its fossil fuel-based nature. This study demonstrated that S1 and S2 offer promising alternatives to the conventional fossil DME production pathway highlighting the importance of electricity sources.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1779902</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1779902</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Investigation on partial acidulation of rock phosphate using acetic acid and acidic calcium phosphate solutions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Youness Sedki Alaoui</author><author>Yuriy Sakhno</author><author>Pavlo Ivanchenko</author><author>Mohamed Hafidi</author><author>Martin Jemo</author><author>Deb P. Jaisi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study explores an innovative method for the partial conversion of sparingly soluble rock phosphate (RP) into a biphasic, highly soluble calcium phosphate mixed with crystalline apatite. The RP was reacted with acetic acid and monocalcium phosphate (MCP) (a commercial triple super phosphate) solutions. The formation of low-order crystalline phosphate phases and associated chemical environments were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The Rietveld refinement of XRD data obtained from progressive acidulation of RP at different time intervals showed the formation of anhydrous forms of calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA), dicalcium phosphate (DCPA), monocalcium phosphate (MCPA), and octacalcium phosphate (OCP), with these more soluble mineral phases constituting up to 27%. FTIR analysis confirmed the formation of protonated phosphate (HPO42-) enriched calcium phosphate, the presence of which was indirectly corroborated by the increase in solution pH and the formation of β-tricalcium phosphate upon calcination. SEM images showed that both acetic acid and MCP treatments led to comparable morphological changes, including irregular surface features, fuzzy boundaries, and localized agglomeration likely from new, more soluble mineral phases. Collectively, our results suggest the formation of protonated calcium phosphate and more soluble minerals during acidification. These phases exhibit high solubility, thereby effectively transforming the original RP into biphasic form containing highly soluble and sparingly soluble original minerals. These findings highlight the potential to optimize acidulation of RP to achieve the desired solubility for target applications.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1800980</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1800980</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Two-step TSAR process for biogas upgrading: computational study of CO2 capture and catalytic methanation via reactive regeneration in a dual-function adsorber/reactor with conductive structured internals]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Luca Patron</author><author>Abdelrahman Mostafa</author><author>Gianpiero Groppi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This work presents a novel two-step Temperature Swing Adsorption/Reaction (TSAR) process for biogas upgrading and CO2 valorization through reactive regeneration. The proposed cycle uses a mechanical mixture of CO2 sorbent and methanation catalyst, enabling CO2 adsorption during biogas upgrading and catalytic methanation during regeneration. In the adsorption phase, CO2 is selectively removed from the biogas stream to produce high purity biomethane. For sorbent regeneration, the reactor bed is fed with hydrogen while being heated to a higher temperature, thereby facilitating in-situ methanation of the desorbed CO2. This reaction not only converts CO2 into synthetic methane but also enhances desorption by lowering the CO2 partial pressure, thus intensifying the overall regeneration step. To improve thermal management and reduce cycle time, the sorbent and catalyst pellets are packed inside a conductive Periodic Open Cellular Structure, which enhances heat transfer accelerating temperature transients and limiting the formation of hot spots in the reactor. A non-isothermal non-adiabatic, 1-D dynamic model is developed to simulate the TSAR cycle. The model is used to evaluate the influence of process conditions and operating parameters on the proposed cycle performance. Simulation results indicate that, by adopting a recycle strategy of the outlet stream from regeneration 99% of overall CO2 conversion is achieved with a process outlet stream containing 83% methane, 15% hydrogen and only 0.2% CO2, demonstrating the potential of the proposed process for sustainable biogas upgrading.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1791044</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1791044</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Optimization of alkali-ethanol fractionation of Miscanthus using response surface methodology]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Halim Choo</author><author>Niclas Conen</author><author>Moritz Doeker</author><author>Ralf Pude</author><author>Holger Klose</author><author>Andreas Jupke</author>
        <description><![CDATA[To address the demand for sustainable, sulfur-free fractionation, this study investigated the alkali-ethanol fractionation of Miscanthus × giganteus using sequential Response Surface Methodology (RSM) strategy to systematically quantify parameter interactions and optimize process performance. An initial Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was employed at low severity to screen four independent variables (temperature, time, alkali concentration and ethanol concentration), regarding their impact on pulp yield, pulp chemical composition, and xylan solubilization. Subsequently, a Central Composite Design (CCD) was used to optimize the principal process drivers (temperature and alkali concentration) at high severity. In both designs, distinct optima were identified for two specific objectives: maximizing polysaccharide yield and maximizing delignification. In the low severity regime, the predicted optimum for maximizing polysaccharide retention yielded a 73.3% pulp yield (96.9% cellulose and 92.2% xylan retention), while the delignification focused optimum achieved 83.1% lignin removal. In the high severity regime, maximizing polysaccharide yield resulted in 88.2% cellulose and 67.6% xylan retention, whereas delignification objective achieved 91.3% lignin removal. Chemical and morphological analyses confirmed that varying severity regimes and objectives produce pulps with distinct structural chemotypes. This study establishes a robust sequential RSM model that serves as a powerful tool for precisely tailoring non-wood feedstock fractionation, enabling biorefineries to switch between high yield intermediate pulps and high-purity cellulose streams based on specific market requirements.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1792131</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1792131</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Quaternized modified waste wood-derived porous carbon electrode for highly selective capacitive deionization denitrification]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Sumei Zheng</author><author>Qin Liu</author><author>Xiaomei Huang</author><author>Maochun Wei</author><author>Furong Tu</author><author>Haomei Liu</author><author>Meina Xie</author><author>Xiaoqing Zhang</author><author>Huiju Zhang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[For tackling the critical challenge of poor selectivity in nitrate pollution control within industrialized recirculating aquaculture systems, this study develops a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-modified self-supporting wood-derived porous carbon composite (CTA-3DPC) as a highly selective capacitive deionization electrode material. The CTA-3DPC features a vertically aligned hierarchical porous structure, which facilitates solution mass transfer during the electrosorption process. When employed as the anode in electrosorption, CTA-3DPC demonstrates strong selectivity for NO3− over competing anions such as Cl−, SO42‒, and H2PO4−. The adsorption capacity of CTA-3DPC for NO3− reaches 40.67 mg g-1, significantly surpassing those for Cl− (8.56 mg g-1), H2PO4− (18.1 mg g-1), and SO42‒ (23.07 mg g-1). Notably, CTA-3DPC achieves a NO3−/Cl− selectivity coefficient of 13.23, substantially exceeding previously reported values. This high selectivity is attributed to the electrostatic loading of CTAB onto the negatively charged wood-derived activated carbon surface, where the hydrophilic quaternary ammonium cations orient outward, forming a dense and stable positively charged layer at the carbon/electrolyte interface. This layer reduces the potential of zero charge on the material surface and favors the selective adsorption of NO3− due to its planar structure and weak solvation effects. This work provides a novel strategy for fabricating biomass-based electrodes with high nitrate selectivity.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1732573</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1732573</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Sustainable additive manufacturing of polymers and composites: optimization of nozzle design, printing parameters, and post processing for waste to value transformation]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Pradeep Raja C</author><author>G. Sridevi</author><author>Suman Pandipati</author><author>M. Satthiyaraju</author><author>B. K. Parrthipan</author><author>Vigneshwaran Shanmugam</author><author>Ronald Aseer</author><author>S. Babu</author><author>Rhoda Afriyie Mensah</author><author>Karthik Babu N B</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Additive manufacturing using fused deposition modelling (FDM) has emerged as a versatile and resource-efficient route for producing complex polymer and composite structures. However, the quality and sustainability of FDM-printed components are strongly governed by process parameters, nozzle design, and post-processing methods. This review provides a systematic analysis of these factors and their combined influence on mechanical integrity, surface finish, and dimensional accuracy. The study highlights how optimized layer thickness, build orientation, and extrusion temperature enhance interlayer adhesion and structural performance, while advanced nozzle geometries improve melt flow and minimize material waste. Post-processing techniques such as annealing, chemical smoothing, and surface finishing are evaluated for their roles in extending product life cycles and enabling recycled or bio-based polymer feedstocks. By linking process optimization to energy efficiency and material utilization, this review positions FDM as a pathway for sustainable, waste-to-value additive manufacturing. The insights presented support the development of eco-efficient design frameworks for next-generation polymer and composite processing within circular engineering systems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1727026</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1727026</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The influence of nano-biochar on the mechanical and flame resistance of recycled PLA composites]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>G. Anbuchezhiyan</author><author>A. Vivek Anand</author><author>S. Senthil Babu</author><author>S. Madhubalan</author><author>Vigneshwaran Shanmugam</author><author>Rhoda Afriyie Mensah</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The growing accumulation of plastic and agricultural waste highlights the urgent need for sustainable material alternatives. This study investigates the incorporation of nano-biochar derived from cashew nut shell biomass to enhance the mechanical and thermal performance of recycled polylactic acid (rPLA). Nano-biochar produced via controlled pyrolysis and high-energy ball milling was incorporated into rPLA at 0–2 wt% loadings through melt compounding and injection moulding. The resulting composites were evaluated for tensile, flexural, impact, and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), alongside UL-94 flammability testing. A one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD post-hoc analysis confirmed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) across all mechanical properties. The tensile strength of virgin PLA (32.23 MPa) decreased to 25.92 MPa in recycled PLA due to polymer chain scission; however, the addition of 1.5 wt% nano-biochar increased tensile strength to 49.54 MPa and ILSS from 21.37 MPa to 36.31 MPa. Flexural and impact strengths also rose by 34.19% and 45.85%, respectively, compared to unfilled rPLA. In UL-94 testing, the rPLA1.5 composite achieved a V-0 rating with no dripping, indicating excellent flame retardancy. Overall, nano-biochar reinforcement not only restored but substantially enhanced the mechanical integrity and fire resistance of rPLA, with ANOVA validating the statistical robustness of these improvements. This work demonstrates a viable circular-economy pathway for converting biomass waste into functional nano-reinforcements for sustainable polymer composites. These composites are particularly suitable for automotive interiors, building materials, and consumer goods where improved flame resistance and mechanical durability are required.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1788765</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1788765</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Hydrothermal liquefaction: aqueous phase treatment, product recovery, and downstream implications]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Xavier Fonoll Almansa</author><author>Belinda Sturm</author><author>Daniele Castello</author><author>Michael R. Thorson</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1721648</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1721648</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A comprehensive review of risks and mitigation strategies for safe hydrogen infrastructure deployment]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Rhoda Afriyie Mensah</author><author>Andrea Correa</author><author>Solomon Asante-Okyere</author><author>Cecilia Wallmark</author><author>Michael Försth</author>
        <description><![CDATA[As hydrogen gains momentum as a clean and versatile energy carrier for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, ensuring the safety of hydrogen infrastructure becomes critical for its widespread adoption. This review draws on peer-reviewed literature, industrial reports, and international standards for hydrogen technologies. It systematically examines safety risks across the hydrogen value chain, from production to end-of-life and assesses the effectiveness of existing mitigation strategies as well as identifying key research gaps. Common risks such as hydrogen leaks, over-pressurization, and material degradation are present at nearly every stage. Less frequent but potentially severe hazards include the risk of ice formation or equipment damage from cryogenic hydrogen leaks, and toxic exposures from chemical carriers like ammonia or hydrides used for hydrogen storage and transport. The mitigation technologies evaluated include leak detection systems, quick-release valves, emergency ventilation, and both material-based and physical barrier systems. While these safety solutions provide considerable protective potential, their long-term effectiveness depends on real-time responsiveness, and regulatory enforcement. The review also highlights critical gaps in predictive modeling, material durability under extreme conditions exacerbated by climate change, and human error analysis. Emerging technologies, such as AI-enabled safety systems and digital twins, remain underexplored, and current hydrogen safety frameworks have a limited understanding of hydrogen combustion behavior and effective fire suppression strategies. To support the safe and scalable deployment of hydrogen infrastructure, the study calls for targeted research, stakeholder education, and harmonized safety standards. This review provides a timely synthesis of risks and controls to guide future development, policy, and innovation in hydrogen safety. This review will support industry stakeholders, and researchers in developing safer, more reliable, and standardized hydrogen infrastructure.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1736520</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1736520</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A physically based rheological model for predicting the flow behavior of non-newtonian crude oil mixtures under cold climate conditions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Alexander Nikolaev</author><author>Andrey Goluntsov</author><author>Kristina Plotnikova</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Accurate prediction of the rheological behavior of heavy crude oil mixtures is essential for pipeline transport under cold climate conditions. This study presents a physically based non-Newtonian rheological model that incorporates the coupled effects of temperature and mixture composition through temperature- and concentration-dependent expressions for the consistency coefficient and flow behavior index. The model was calibrated and validated using 88 experimental rheological measurements on binary mixtures of heavy Severo-Komsomolskoye and light Vankor crudes over a temperature range of 5C–60 °C, heavy-oil concentrations of 0%–100%, and shear rates of 1–300 s-1. The proposed model predicts shear stress with a mean relative deviation of 8.7% and a root mean square error below 0.95 Pa, outperforming conventional Arrhenius, Refutas, and classical power-law correlations by a factor of 2–3. The model accurately captures the transition from non-Newtonian to near-Newtonian behavior with increasing temperature and dilution, providing a practical tool for hydraulic calculations and flow assurance design in cold-region pipeline systems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1748096</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1748096</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Valorising mesquite biochar as a sustainable adsorbent for wastewater treatment: a critical review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Amal Al Saadi</author><author>Ismail Al-Yahmadi</author><author>Nabila Al-Rashdi</author><author>Izzeldin I. Mohamed</author><author>Intisar K. Al-Busaidi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The increasing demand for sustainable wastewater treatment methods has driven interest in biochar as an economical and eco-friendly adsorbent. Among various biomass sources, mesquite, an invasive species prevalent in arid and semi-arid areas represents a renewable yet underexploited material for biochar synthesis. This review critically examines the use of mesquite-based biochar for wastewater purification. Particular attention is given to how production parameters, including pyrolysis temperature, heating rate, and particle size, influence material properties and treatment performance reported in the literature. Mesquite biochar displays high surface area generally ranging from 50 to >800 m2/g, alkalinity, and porosity, facilitating the effective removal of heavy metals, organic contaminants, and nutrients through mechanisms like electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, and surface complexation. Chemical activation, especially using alkaline agents, further enhances its adsorption efficiency. However, adsorption performance varies considerably between studies, largely due to differences in production conditions and the absence of consistent testing methodologies. In addition to pollutant elimination, mesquite biochar aids in carbon sequestration and soil fertility improvement, contributing to wider ecological benefits. Economic feasibility and sustainability considerations are also discussed, alongside persistent research gaps related to large-scale production, regeneration efficiency, and long-term use. Overall, mesquite biochar shows strong potential as a sustainable and efficient adsorbent for wastewater management, supporting global goals for resource recovery and circular economy. The development of metal-modified biochars with iron functionalization represents a new direction for wastewater treatment because these systems combine adsorption with redox and photocatalytic functions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1734015</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2026.1734015</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Epoxidation of allyl alcohol to glycidol over TPAOH-treated titanium silicalite-1 extrudates]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Gideon Abaidoo Ocran</author><author>Bosong Zhang</author><author>Yi Zuo</author><author>Huali Tan</author><author>Gudan Li</author><author>Hong Yang</author><author>Chunshan Song</author><author>Xinwen Guo</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The epoxidation of allyl alcohol with H2O2 over titanium silicalite-1 (TS-1) is an environmentally friendly route for producing glycidol. However, the catalytic activity and stability of TS-1 is not satisfactory. In this study, strip-shaped TS-1 was hydrothermally treated by TPAOH solution, change theTi coordination states and diffusion property, thereby enhancing its catalytic performance. The influences of TPAOH concentration and treating time on the physical chemical property and catalytic performance were studied systematically. It was found that the SiO2 agglomerant was dissolved and crystallized during the treatment, resulting in an increased Si content on the external surface. The tetrahedrally coordinated Ti was transformed to pentahedrally and octahedrally coordinated Ti, which possess higher catalytic activity for selective oxidation. The treatment also leads to the formation of cavities in the TS-1 crystals, which can shorten the diffusion pathway of substates and improve the diffusion property. Both the chemical property and microstructure enhance the catalytic activity for allyl alcohol epoxidation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1718702</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1718702</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Synthesis of La0.8Sr0.2Co0.9Fe0.1O3-δ perovskite oxide catalyst and the geometric modification of a catalytic converter for hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emission reduction]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Kuldip Patel</author><author>Dattatraya Subhedar</author><author>Femina Patel</author><author>Gaurav Patel</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Increasing environmental concerns caused by vehicular emissions have intensified the search for the design and development of non-noble metal catalysts for catalytic converter devices as potential replacements for conventional Pt-, Pd-, and Rh-based noble metal catalysts. This research highlights the development and evaluation of an alternative to conventional catalysts through the synthesis of non-noble metal perovskite-based catalysts and the design modification of a catalytic converter. A non-noble metal catalyst, La0.8Sr0.2Co0.8Fe0.2O3 (LSCF), was synthesized by co-precipitation, coated onto a ceramic monolith of a catalytic converter, and examined for effectiveness under petrol fuel laboratory test setup. The synthesized catalyst was also analyzed using SEM, XRD, and EDX to study surface morphology and confirm the crystal structure. The catalytic converter housing assembly was modified by integrating design modifications and analyzed through computational simulations to investigate velocity profile, pressure distribution, and reaction behavior. Among the three catalytic converter design configurations with diffuser cone angles of 8°, 10°, and 14°, the first was selected as it showed a favorable gas flow pattern, pressure distribution, and velocity profile. The entire module was then experimentally evaluated on a petrol fuel laboratory test setup to assess emission performance under varying loads and speeds. Experimental emission tests revealed a significant reduction in hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions compared to engines without a catalytic converter. The results demonstrate that the synthesized La0.8Sr0.2Co0.9Fe0.1O3-δ non-noble metal catalyst, combined with the modified catalytic converter design, effectively reduces vehicular emissions and provides an alternative and practical approach to noble metal catalysts. A noticeable reduction in CO and HC exhaust emissions was achieved using the LSCF catalyst for an automotive catalytic converter.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1687048</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1687048</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Steady-state 1D two-phase flow differentiable modeling: learning from field data and inverse problem applications in oil wells]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Anderson C. Faller</author><author>Saon C. Vieira</author><author>Marcelo S. de Castro</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Accurately modeling steady-state two-phase flow is critical for the design and operation of systems in the oil and gas industry; however, traditional models often struggle to adapt to specific field conditions. This study introduces a novel, end-to-end differentiable framework that integrates physics-informed neural networks with a Neural Ordinary Differential Equation (Neural ODE) formulation to predict pressure and temperature profiles. By leveraging automatic differentiation, the entire simulation functions as a trainable model, allowing for the simultaneous optimization of data-driven components and the automated tuning of physical parameters directly from field data. Our results demonstrate that this approach achieves superior accuracy in pressure prediction compared to tuned industry-standard correlations. We found that a transfer learning strategy, pretraining on a large experimental dataset to establish a robust physical foundation, followed by fine-tuning on sparse field data, significantly outperforms models trained on field data alone. Furthermore, the differentiable nature of the framework enabled seamless application to inverse problems, demonstrated via Randomized Maximum Likelihood (RML) for uncertainty quantification. These findings illustrate the effectiveness of bridging the domain gap between experimental and real-world conditions, presenting a powerful new paradigm for creating self-calibrating, data-driven simulation tools with significant potential for digital twin applications.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1683078</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1683078</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Evaluating the role of black rice husk ash nanoparticles in enhancing foam stability for enhanced oil recovery]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ishaq Ahmad</author><author>Wanchun Zhao</author><author>Tingting Wang</author><author>Javed Akbar Khan</author><author>Sonny Irawan</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionFoams have been considered for their ability to control in solution, gas injection improved oil recovery (IOR) processes, for blocking and diverting using either gelled foams, and for gas and oil ratio control at production wells. In a range of applications, a foam meets a range of oil saturations, which requires the design of a foam with the necessary stability for oil saturation. The stability of foams in oil is extremely important for the oil industry. Core flood experiments by different investigators suggest that oil becomes harmful to foam at oil saturation levels above 5% to 20%. The use of such foams is notably advantageous over the use of simple fluids with similar nominal mobility because of the foam and with a viscosity higher than that of the displaced fluids. This is because surfactant-stabilized foams reduce the mobility of the gas present in the higher permeability portions. This causes a diversion of the displacing gas to the formation parts that were previously unswept. Additional oil can be recovered from underswept areas.MethodsThe black rice husk ash used in this study was sourced from a Japanese rice husk ash company. The anionic foaming surfactant, Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulfonate (SDBS), was obtained from Sigma. The experimental setup included two 1.5-liter cylinders for the mixed solution and one cylinder for CO. A sand pack measuring 30 cm in length and 2.5 cm in radius was used, and the sand and black rice husk ash were sieved using a 0.125 mm sieve. It was then filled with local white sand particles of 0.0125 mm. The high-pressure pump employed for the fluid pressure was a 100DX syringe pump capable of operating at pressures of up to 10,000 psi (690 bar).Results0.5 wt. % concentration of rice husk ash and SDBS surfactant was mixed with 1000 mL of water. The mixture was stirred on a magnetic stir plate for over 20 min. The experimental setup is illustrated The experiment conducted without a sand pack and with a sand pack. Pressure pumps were connected to a CO2 gas cylinder and a mixed solution of rice husk ash and SDBS surfactant via a connector, which also included a flow meter to monitor the flow rate. Foam generators were attached to produce foam for the experiment. Pressure meter was attached via a large connector to monitor the pressure during the experiment. The sand pack experimental design offers valuable insights into the foam lifespan and stability under sand pack conditions relevant to EOR. An oil field firm (Dongying, China) provided the oil. Oil was extracted from the unconsolidated sandstone reservoir of the oilfield. The oil viscosity of the black rice husk ash and SDBS surfactant was 40 mPa. Three core flood and three foam-flooding experiments were conducted to obtain the best results. The first experiment failed because of the leakage of gas at the connecting point, which was difficult to detect. After completing the sand pack experiments, the foaming mechanism was investigated further.DiscussionFoam volume and sand pack influence: without a sand pack, the initial foam volume of black rice husk ash foam is relatively high. However, in the presence of a sand pack, the volume decreases. Adding black rice husk ash liquid at a modest concentration can optimize foam volume across various temperatures. The foam drainage half-life is significantly influenced by incorporating black rice husk ash at different liquid flow rates. Viscosity and bubble stability: The addition of black rice husk ash foaming agents to oil reduces its viscosity. Despite a significant increase in bubble velocity, the stability of the bubbles decreases. However, these tiny foam bubbles exhibit longer stability compared to the initial phase. Foam stability in sand pack conditions: In sand pack conditions, black rice husk ash positively impacts foam stability and strength both before and after flooding. However, the foam lifetime becomes limited after sand pack flooding. Oil recovery enhancement: Injecting black rice husk ash foam into a sand pack increases oil recovery. Microscopic studies and recovery points indicate that the silica nanoparticles in black rice husk ash contribute significantly to foam ability and stability.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1716732</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1716732</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Biodiesel stabilization by dibrominated dimethoxybenzaldehydes: a comprehensive computational perspective]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Igor D. Borges</author><author>Antônio S. N. Aguiar</author><author>Ademir J. Camargo</author><author>Hamilton B. Napolitano</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The oxidative instability of biodiesel remains a critical barrier to its widespread adoption despite its advantages as renewable, biodegradable, and low-emission fuel. Antioxidant additives are an established strategy to suppress free radical chain reactions, yet their efficiency is strongly modulated by molecular structure and solvent environment. This is the first comparative density functional theory study of dibrominated dimethoxybenzaldehydes and standard phenolic antioxidants under biodiesel-relevant solvent conditions using the conductor-like polarizable continuum model. Frontier molecular orbitals, Fukui index, ionization potentials, spin density distributions, and natural bond orbital hyperconjugations were systematically analyzed across polar and nonpolar environments. The computational results suggest that bromination is associated with increased electronic softness and electron transfer potential, while also leading to changes in the stability of radical intermediates, especially in ortho-substituted derivatives. Among the dibrominated compounds, IB1 exhibits the most balanced combination of computed properties, whereas IB3, although highly reactive in silico, is predicted to form comparatively less stable radical species. Compared with commercial benchmarks, these halogenated systems constitute a distinct mechanistic class governed by polarization rather than hydroxyl-centered resonance. These computational findings provide guidance for the rational design of next-generation biodiesel stabilizers, pending future experimental validation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1748891</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2025.1748891</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The crystal facet effect of ZnAl2O4 in the CO2 hydrogenation to methanol]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yigong Hu</author><author>Qiang Liu</author><author>Zhiqun Wang</author><author>Xinle Zhang</author><author>Xiangkun Zhou</author><author>Guanghui Zhang</author><author>Xinwen Guo</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) is one of the most widely used catalysts in the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methanol. During the CO2 hydrogenation reaction, ZnAl2O4 undergoes surface reconstruction to form ZnO, creating a ZnO/ZnAl2O4 active interface that promotes methanol production. However, the active crystal facets on which this surface reconstruction occurs, as well as the intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing the reconstruction process, remain unclear, posing challenges to understanding the structure of the real active sites and the structure-activity relationship. In this work, ZnAl2O4 with three morphologies—granular, rod-like and plate-like—were synthesized, primarily exposing the (222), (311) and (440) crystal facets, respectively. The granular ZnAl2O4 exhibited superior methanol synthesis performance compared to the rod-like and plate-like morphologies. This enhancement is attributed to the reaction-induced formation of highly active ZnO predominantly exposing the (002) facet on the surface of granular ZnAl2O4. Furthermore, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting the surface reconstruction process were investigated. Increasing the reaction temperature, the gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) and the H2/CO2 ratio were found to promote the surface reconstruction rate and enhance the steady-state space-time yield (STY) of oxygenates (Oxy). The granular ZnAl2O4, with its (222) facet featuring a spatial hexagonal arrangement of adjacent Zn atoms, exhibits stronger H2 activation capability, thereby promoting the surface reconstruction of active ZnO. These findings provide important guidance for the design and synthesis of highly efficient zinc-based oxide catalysts.]]></description>
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