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The Carboniferous-Permian coal measure strata in the Qinshui Basin exhibit highly lithium (Li) enrichment, with substantial exploitation potential. To further explore the enrichment mechanism of lithium in coal measure strata, the No. 15 coal of the Taiyuan Formation from the Gaoping mine is taken as the research object, and its mineralogical and geochemistry characteristics are evaluated using optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence, and infrared spectral. The results show that the No. 15 coal is semi-anthracite coal with low moisture, low ash, low volatility, and high sulfur. Organic macerals are primarily vitrinite, followed by inertinite, and liptinite is rare; the inorganic macerals (ash) are dominated by clay minerals (predominantly kaolinite, cookeite, illite, and NH4-illite), calcite, pyrite, quartz, siderite, gypsum, and zircon. The average Li content in the coal is 66.59 μg/g, with higher content in the coal parting (566.00 μg/g) and floor (396.00 μg/g). Lithium in coal occurs primarily in kaolinite, illite, cookeite, and is closely related to titanium-bearing minerals. In addition, Li in organic maceral may occur in liptinite. The No. 15 coal was formed in the coastal depositional system, and the deposition palaeoenvironment is primarily a wet–shallow water covered environment in open swamp facies; the plant tissue preservation index is poor, and aquatic or herbaceous plants dominate the plant type. The reducing environment with more terrestrial detritus, an arid climate, and strong hydrodynamic effects is favorable for Li enrichment in coal. The results have important theoretical significance for exploring the enrichment and metallogenic mechanisms of Li in coal.

Nano-emulsion is one of the most effective and size-controlled mediums for effective drug delivery systems, the formation of cosmetics products, food preservatives, and insecticidal and antimicrobial products. Therefore, a durable and sophisticated approach is primely important in preparing effective nano-emulsions. Some of the established fabrication approaches towards nano-emulsion are the high and low-energy methods. Depending upon the required results of formulations, these two methods are further divided into sub-categories such as ultra-sonicators, micro-fluidizers, high-pressure homogenizers, phase inversion temperature, phase inversion composition, etc. This review highlights all the available methods to form nano-emulsion by adopting high-energy and low-energy techniques. In addition, this review also elaborates on the importance of nano-emulsions in various end products, as nano-carriers and patents have also been awarded in this field. Besides, the required improvements in this field have been discussed briefly to establish the most authentic approach toward nano-emulsion formation.

The study presents complementary experiments and quantum chemical DFT computations to reveal the molecular-level interactions of an advanced nanomaterial, porphyrin aluminum metal–organic framework (compound 2), with the volatile organic sulfur compound diethyl sulfide (DES). First, the intermolecular host–guest interactions during the sorption of DES were explored under dynamic conditions, using the vapor of DES in flowing air. The in situ time-dependent ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in a controlled atmosphere was significantly improved though the use of a new facilely built spectroscopic mini-chamber. The binding site of DES in compound 2 involves the μ(O–H) and COO- groups of the linker of the sorbent. Further, the chemical kinetics of the sorption of DES was investigated, and it follows the Langmuir adsorption kinetic model. That is, depending on the time interval, the process obeys either the pseudo-first- or pseudo-second-order rate law. For the Langmuir adsorption of the pseudo-first order, the rate constant is robs = 0.165 ± 0.017 min−1. Next, the interaction of compound 2 with the saturated vapor of DES yields the adsorption complex compound 3 [Al-MOF-TCPPH2]2(DES)7. The adsorbed amount of DES is very large at 36.5 wt.% or 365 mg/g sorbent, one of the highest values reported on any sorbent. The molecular modes of bonding of DES in the complex were investigated through quantum chemical DFT computations. The adsorption complex was facilely regenerated by gentle heating. The advanced functional material in this work has significant potential in the environmental remediation of diethyl sulfide and related volatile organic sulfur compounds in air, and it is an interesting target of mechanistic studies of sorption.

The Conference on Sustainability in Civil Engineering (CSCE), 2023, was organized by the Department of Civil Engineering of the Capital University of Science and Technology (CUST), Islamabad, Pakistan [...]

In submitting the proceedings of the 5th Conference on Sustainability in Civil Engineering (CSCE) to Engineering Proceedings, the volume editors of the proceedings certify to the publisher that all papers published in this volume have been subjected to peer review administered by the volume editors [...]