Nanofluids, liquid suspensions of nanoparticles (Np), are an effective agent to alter the wettability of oil-wet reservoirs to water-wet thus promoting hydrocarbon recovery. It can also have an application to more efficient carbon storage. We present a series of contact angle (θ) investigations on initially oil-wet calcite surfaces to quantify the performance of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles for wettability alteration. These tests are conducted at typical in-situ high pressure (CO2), temperature and salinity conditions. A high pressure–temperature (P/T) optical cell with a regulated tilted surface was used to measure the advancing and receding contact angles at the desired conditions. The results showed that silica nanofluids can alter the wettability of oil-wet calcite to strongly water-wet at all operational conditions. Although limited desorption of silica nanoparticles occurred after exposure to high pressure (20 MPa), nanoparticle adsorption on the oil-wet calcite surface was mainly irreversible. The nanofluid concentration and immersion time played crucial roles in improving the efficiency of diluted nanofluids while salinity was less significant at high pressure and temperature. The findings provide new insights into the potential for nanofluids being applied for improved enhanced oil recovery and carbon sequestration and storage.
Background: Cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) is a serum/cell surface glycoprotein; and it is a pattern recognition receptor. CD14 expressed on the surface of various cells, or it found soluble in saliva and other body fluids. It has been proposed that soluble CD14 (sCD14) may play a protective role by controlling Gram negative bacterial infections through its capacity to bind lipopolysaccharide. This study was conducted to assess the level of soluble CD14 in saliva of patients with different periodontal diseases and healthy subjects and determine its correlation with clinical periodontal parameters. Materials & Methods: A total of 80 subjects, age ranged (25-50) years old, divided into three main groups, group ? consisted of 45 chronic
... Show MoreThe pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of a newly developed extended-released (ER) tablet containing 400 mg pentoxifylline as a test product was compared with the reference brand product Trental® 400 mg ER tablet produced by Sanofi-Aventis. Two separate studies were conducted simultaneously. The first study was conducted under fasting condition, whereas, the second study was conducted under fed condition; using the same batches of the test and reference products in both studies. In each study, both products were administered to 32 healthy male adult volunteers applying a single-dose, two-treatment, two-period, two-sequence, randomized crossover design with one-week washout period between dosing. Twenty two blood samples we
... Show MoreA filed experiment was conducted to consider the impacts of bio-fertilizers (Azotobacter chroococcum and Glomus mosseae) and two levels of chemical fertilization ( 50% and 100% of recommended dose) on proline content and activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase) in wheat Triticum aestivum L. cultivar IPA 99 under drought conditions (50% and 20% of soil field capacity). Bio-fertilization involved treatment with A. chroococcum (Azoto) and G. mosseae (AMF), singly or in combination. The experiment was conducted by applying a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The results of this stud
... Show MoreWater stress has a negative impact on the yield and growth of crops worldwide and consequently has a global impact on food security. Many biochemical changes occur in plants as a response to water stress, such as activation of antioxidant systems. Molybdenum (Mo) plays an important part in activating the expression of many enzymes, such as CAT, POD, and SOD, as well as increasing the proline content. Mo therefore supports the defence system in plants and plays an important role in the defence system of mung bean plants growing under water stress conditions. Four concentrations of Mo (0, 15, 30, and 45 mg·L−1) were applied to plants, using two approaches: (a) seed soaking and (b) foliar application. Mung bean plants were subject
... Show MoreIn this work, linear and nonlinear optical properties of two types of Iraqi heavy crude oil extracted from fields in southern Iraq were determined. The nonlinear optical properties were measured utilizing Z-scan technology with He-Ne laser at 632.8 nm. It was found that nonlinear refractive index (NLR) values for the Basra and Kut heavy crude oil samples are 6.34381×10-4 and 8.25108×10-4 cm2/mW, respectively, while those for the nonlinear absorption coefficient (NLA) are 2.68942×10-5 and 2.58874×10-5 , respectively. These results showed that the two samples with linear and nonlinear optical properties can be used in optics field applications as
... Show MoreIn this research, the effect of reinforcing epoxy resin composites with a filler derived from chopped agriculture waste from oil palm (OP). Epoxy/OP composites were formed by dispersing (1, 3, 5, and 10 wt%) OP filler using a high-speed mechanical stirrer utilizing a hand lay-up method. The effect of adding zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, with an average size of 10-30 nm, with different wt% (1,2,3, and 5wt%) to the epoxy/oil palm composite, on the behavior of an epoxy/oil palm composite was studied with different ratios (1,2,3, and 5wt%) and an average size of 10-30 nm. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and mechanical properties (tensile, impact, hardness, and wear rate) were used to examine the composites. The FTIR
... Show MoreA new application of a combined solvent extraction and two-phase biodegradation processes using two-liquid phase partitioning bioreactor (TLPPB) technique was proposed and developed to enhance the cleanup of high concentration of crude oil from aqueous phase using acclimated mixed culture in an anaerobic environment. Silicone oil was used as the organic extractive phase for being a water-immiscible, biocompatible and non-biodegradable. Acclimation, cell growth of mixed cultures, and biodegradation of crude oil in aqueous samples were experimentally studied at 30±2ºC. Anaerobic biodegradation of crude oil was examined at four different initial concentrations of crude oil including 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000 mg/L. Complete removal of crud
... Show MoreIn context of this paper we prepare high purity powder ZnO nanostructures by chemical method at low temperature solution and study the effect off annealing at high temperature, ZnO nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by chemical method at 0Cᵒ solution. In this method, suddenly reaction is occurred between zinc acetate solution and sodium hydroxide solution at 0Cᵒ, annealing temperature of powder product surfactant plays an important role in morphological changes. The nanostructures have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and UV-visible .analysis Effect of annealing temperatures on the morphology , structure and optical properties is di
... Show MoreThe aim of this study was to investigate the effect of operating variables on, the percentage of removed sludge (PSR) obtained during re-refining of 15W-40 Al-Durra spent lubricant by solvent extraction-flocculation treatment method. Binary solvents were used such as, Heavy Naphtha (H.N.): MEK (N:MEK), H.N. : n-Butanol (N:n-But), and H.N. : Iso-Butanol (N:Iso:But). The studied variables were mixing speed (300-900, rpm), mixing time (15-60, min), and operating temperature (2540, oC). This study showed that the studied operating variables have effects where, increasing the mixing time up to 45 min for H.N.: MEK, H.N.: n-Butanol and 30 min for H.N.: Iso-Butanol increased the PSR, after that percentage was decreased; increasing t
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