Nanoparticles have gained considerable interest in recent times for oil recovery purposes owing to significant capabilities in wettability alteration of reservoir rocks. Wettability is a key factor controlling displacement efficiency and ultimate recovery of oil. The present study investigates the influence of zirconium (IV) oxide (ZrO2) and nickel (II) oxide (NiO) nanoparticles on the wetting preference of fractured (oil-wet) limestone formations. Wettability was assessed through SEM, AFM and contact angle. The potentials of the nanoparticles to alter oil-wet calcite substrates water wet, was experimentally tested at low nanoparticle concentrations (0.004–0.05 wt%). Quite similar behaviour was observed for both nanoparticles at the same particle concentration; while ZrO2 demonstrated a better efficiency by altering strongly oil-wet (water contact angle θ=152°) calcite substrates into a strongly water-wet (θ=44°) state, NiO changed wettability to an intermediate-wet condition (θ=86°) at 0.05 wt% nanoparticle concentration. We conclude that ZrO2 is very efficient in terms of inducing strong water-wettability; and ZrO2 based nanofluids have a high potential as EOR agents.
Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the major globally distributed pathogens, which causes chronic and recalcitrant infections due to their capacity to produce biofilms in large part. Biofilm production represents a survival strategy in these species, allowing them to endure environmental stress by altering their gene expression to match their own survival needs. In this study, we co-cultured different clinical isolates of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa as mono- and mixed-species biofilms in a full-strength Brain Heart Infusion Broth (BHI) and in a 1000-fold diluted Brain Heart Infusion Broth (BHI/1000) using Microtiter plate assay and determination of colony-forming units. Furthermore, the effect of starvation stress on the e
... Show MoreCitrate-gel auto combustion technique was used to synthesize nickel-copper mixed ferrite nanoparticles NixCu1-xFe2O4 (x= 0.0, 0.4, 1.0) with different calcinating temperatures (200, 450, 650 and 850 °C). Structural, morphological, magnetic, and electrical properties were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and LCR meter in order to determine significant influences of Cu2+ cations content in nickel ferrite. The XRD patterns showed that all compositions had cubic spinels, except CuFe2O4
... Show MoreRecently the use of nanofluids represents very important materials. They are used in different branches like medicine, engineering, power, heat transfer, etc. The stability of nanofluids is an important factor to improve the performance of nanofluids with good results. In this research two types of nanoparticles, TiO2 (titanium oxide) and γ-Al2O3 (gamma aluminum oxide) were used with base fluid water. Two-step method were used to prepare the nanofluids. One concentration 0.003 vol. %, the nanoparticles were examined. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to accomplish these tests. The stability of the two types of nanofluids is measured by
... Show MoreBackground: The PMMA polymer denture base materials are low mechanical properties, adaptation of the denture base to underlying tissue is important for retention and stability of denture. The aim of the study was toevaluate the effect of mixtureZrO2-Al2O3 nanoparticles on impact strength, transverse strength, hardness, roughness, denture base adaptation of heat cured acrylic resin denture base material. Materials and methods: One hundred (100) specimens were prepared, the specimens were divided into five groups (20 specimens to each) according to the test type, each group was subdivided in to two subgroups (control and experimental) each subgroup consist of 10 specimens, the experimental group included mixture of 2% (ZrO2-Al2O3ratio2:1) b
... Show MoreThis study aimed to determine histological and functional effects of Galangin (Gal) conjugated with Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the Kidneys male albino mice treated with CCL4. Gold nanoparticles were prepared chemically by Turkevich Method. Characterizing of the prepared AuNPs and AuNPs+Gal was carried out using UV Spectrophotometry, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and particle size,. For the in vivo study, 42 adult male albino mice were used and randomly distributed into seven groups and experiment extended for 14 days, first group (G1) was control group without any treatment, (G2) group injected intra-peritoneal (i.p) with CCl4 once a week to the end of experiments, (G3) injected with AuNPs, (G4 and
... Show MoreThirty one samples of gum swabs were collected from patients with tooth caries (5-30 years old) from the College of Science (Biology department )- University of Baghdad- Iraq for the period from October 2018 to December 2018. , The samples were transported, after inoculation in a transport media (nutrient broth), to the laboratory of the College of Science and then cultured on mannitol salt agar and blood agar). The isolates belonging to Staphylococcus spp. were identified by biochemical tests and Vitek 2 compact system, while the more antibiotic resistant isolates were identified by using Polymerase Chain Reaction(ï´¾PCR) and sequencing of 16SrRNA . The results showed sharp UV absorption peaks at 330
... Show MoreThirty one samples of gum swabs were collected from patients with tooth caries (5-30 years old) from the College of Science (Biology department )- University of Baghdad- Iraq for the period from October 2018 to December 2018. , The samples were transported, after inoculation in a transport media (nutrient broth), to the laboratory of the College of Science and then cultured on mannitol salt agar and blood agar). The isolates belonging to Staphylococcus spp. were identified by biochemical tests and Vitek 2 compact system, while the more antibiotic resistant isolates were identified by using Polymerase Chain Reaction(ï´¾PCR) and sequencing of 16SrRNA . The results showed sharp UV absorption peaks at 330 - 340nm and AFM at 5
... Show MoreNickel nanoparticles (Ni-nanoparticles) were incorporated as an antecedent utilizing nickel acetate and as a reducing agent, extraction plantApiumgraveolens. The reason fo choosing this plant over many other is because it is easily accessible, carries many antioxidants, non-toxic, and there are no dangerous residues and stabilizing agent at 60℃ under stirrer. The progress of the reaction was monitored by observing a change in color of the obtained solution. The UV–Vis utilized to screen the development of Ni-nanoparticles inside a surface plasmon band (SPB) at 275 nm gives a phantom mark appropriate to the arrangement of nanoparticles. Examining th
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