Belal Abu Tarboush

Sultan Qaboos University | SQU ·  Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering

SAPO-34 and 1 mol% MeSAPO-34 (metal-modified catalysts, Me = Ni, Fe) were synthesized and tested for the catalytic pyrolysis of olive cake at 500 °C under inert conditions. The characterization of the catalysts was performed using XRD, BET, SEM, EDX, FT-IR, and TGA. MeSAPO catalysts demonstrated a chabazite cubic structure identical to the parent c...

In this work, the effective adsorption and the subsequent photodegradation activity, of TiO 2 brookite nanoparticles, for the removal of anionic dyes, namely, Alizarin Red S (ARS) and Bromocresol Green (BCG) were studied. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of both dyes' concentration, contact time, and temperature...

Despite the fact that numerous viable CNT techniques have been established over the last few decades, the metal-free synthesis strategy has not been substantially examined. The current work addresses the utilization of activated carbon (AC) as a supporting substrate combined with NaCl as a green catalyst for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs)...

Local date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) waste stems were used to prepare activated carbon (AC) using KOH, NaCl and ZnCl 2 as activation agents. Carbonization was conducted at 600 °C for 2hr under nitrogen flow, followed by activation at 750 °C for 2 hr under carbon dioxide flow. AC was characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), Attenua...

Among the critical issues dictating bio-composite performance is the interfacial bonding between the natural fibers and polymer matrix. In this regard, this article presents new synthesis routes comprising the treatment and functionalization of both date palm powder (DPP) filler and a polypropylene (PP) matrix to enhance filler–polymer adhesion in...

In this work, powder activated carbon (PAC) treated with KOH was used to synthesize multiwall carbon nanotubes using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) where a mixture of CO2 and acetylene gas was used to conduct the reaction. Different mass ratios of PAC: KOH in the range of 1:0.25–1:3 were studied. The synthesized CNT were characterized using scanni...

This work targets the development of a pioneering synthetic strategy to modify the surface of lignocellulosic/natural filler material abundant in date palm pedicels by incorporating azide and alkyne moieties with the aid of microwave as a heating source. The novelty of this work is originated from the fact that functionalization was achieved, in bo...

Textile wastewaters are one of the most polluted wastewaters due to their characteristics, such as high chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration, strong color, high pH and temperature, and low biodegradability. These effluents can exhibit serious environmental problems and public health concerns if improperly disposed. Several conventional method...

In this project, an unsupported electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐co‐hexafluoropropylene (PVDF‐HFP) membrane was used for water desalination using direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). The membrane was electrospun using a laboratory‐scale machine with multiple nozzles that was developed in‐house. Critical process parameters, including th...

Aim Bioceramic-containing root canal sealers are the most recently introduced sealers in endodontics. The present work reported experiments on a bioceramic-based root canal sealer with the objective of improving its physiochemical properties via reinforcement with each one of the three different nanomaterials: multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTS)...

In this study, a new ceramic membrane type was used for the filtration of colored water. The membrane was prepared from local Algerian kaolin KT2 of Milia-type. The choice of this raw material was dictated by its natural abundance, to form the macroporous support prepared by the slip casting technique. A functional thin film layer (with a pore size...

In this work, we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the viability of using the UiO-66 MOF for the removal of lead ions, Pb²⁺, from water. We study the concentration of Pb(II) in water in the presence of this MOF under varying conditions of number density of particles in the system (500, 300, 74 and 20 particles), metal cation concent...

This study reports the first investigation of the systematic introduction of defects in functionalized UiO-66 structures and its effect on their catalytic activities. Indeed, fifteen UiO-66-based MOFs were synthesized and used as catalysts in the esterification reaction of butyric acid in presence of butanol to produce the novel green biofuel addit...

Three isostructural zirconium-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs), UiO-66, UiO-66(COOH)2 and UiO-66(NH2) were synthesized, fully characterized and efficiently used as active and recyclable catalysts for the esterification reaction of butyric acid to produce a green fuel additive, butyl butyrate. The catalytic activities of the used structures wer...

The exhaustion of fossil fuel resources has instigated a necessity to find new alternatives like biofuels, for heat and power generation. Biofuels are usually generated from the thermal conversion of densified biomass material. Densification systems convert biomass into pellets, and consist of three phases: pre-pelletization, pelletization, and pos...

Continuous research and development of Reverse Osmosis (RO) technologies has led to the production of membranes that are very effective with high salt rejection abilities. Since temperature is one of the factors that affect salt rejection capabilities in membranes, this paper investigates the effect of temperature, on the thickness of the concentra...

This study investigates and compares arsenic, As(V), removal from aqueous media using the water-stable zinc metal–organic frameworks (Zn-MOF-74) prepared via room-temperature precipitation (RT-Zn-MOF-74) and a solvothermal procedure (HT-Zn-MOF-74). The Zn-MOF-74 crystals possess average particle sizes of 66 nm and 144 μm for RT-Zn-MOF-74 and HT-Zn-...

Reverse osmosis (RO) by polymeric membranes is known to be among the successful technologies for brackish and seawater desalination. For the development of these polymeric RO membranes, two different techniques have been used – the phase inversion method for asymmetric membranes, such as cellulose acetate membrane and the interfacial polymerization...

The removal of tartrazine from aqueous solutions using masau stone (MS) as a novel low-cost biosorbent was investigated. The impact of several influential parameters such as; initial pH, contact time, initial concentration and temperature on the biosorption process of tartrazine was studied and optimized. The mechanisms of tartrazine removal by the...

A sol–gel/emulsion technique was used to prepare dispersed Fe2O3 nanoparticles in heavy oil and their affinity toward asphaltenes adsorption was assessed. The nanoparticles were identified using XRD and EDX and their mean diameter, 35 ± 5 nm, was based on TEM estimates. Kinetic experiments showed that for the in situ prepared and commercial Fe2O3 n...

Simultaneous analysis of differential thermogravimetry (DTG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DCS) data is the key for identifying probable reactions and extracting their kinetic parameters under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. However, an assumption of kinetically controlled thermal behavior needs to be adequately examined. Mass tr...

Differential thermogravimetry (DTG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) plots help identifying reaction zones and enable activation energy calculations. Recently, Nassar et al. 0005 and 0010 reported major shifts in the DTG combustion peaks and reaction zones between virgin and adsorbed asphaltenes onto commercial metal oxide nanoparticles....

Removal of asphaltenes from heavy oil improves the quality of oil and makes it easier to process. To this end, Nassar et al. [1] recently showed that NiO nanoparticles have high affinity toward asphaltene adsorption. This investigation, however, involved toluene model solutions and commercially available nanoparticles. In the current work, we show...

Reverse osmosis (RO) by polymeric membranes is known to be among the successful technologies for brackish and seawater desalination. For the development of these polymeric RO membranes, two different techniques have been used-the phase inversion method for asymmetric membranes, such as cellulose acetate membrane and the interfacial polymerization f...

A new concept for the preparation of thin-film-composite (TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membrane by interfacial polymerization on porous polysulfone (PS) support using novel additives is reported. Hydrophilic surface modifying macromolecules (LSMM) were synthesized both ex situ by conventional method (cLSMM), and in situ within the organic solvent of t...