Improved methods for drying for bio-compatible solid phase microextraction (BioSPME) coatings yielding coatings with highly consistent extraction efficiency and biocompatibility. The methods, adapted to flow-through drying systems involve determining relative humidity in and around the drying system, determining a drying temperature range based on the relative humidity, and maintaining the drying temperature within the determined range while drying the coating.

The present invention provides composite material having a porous graphene-based foam matrix and comprising porous inorganic micro-particles and metal oxide nano-particles distributed throughout the foam matrix.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a polymer-functionalized particle for using in isolating and extracting solutes, such as rare earth metals, lithium, and the like. The polymer-functionalized particles exhibit strong resistance to agglomeration and degradation even in high ionic strength and/or temperature environments. A post-particle synthesis method for making the polymer-functionalized particle is disclosed, along with a magnetic separation device and that can be used in system embodiments to facilitate use and regeneration of the polymer-functionalized particles in solute extraction.

A moisture and hydrogen adsorption getter is provided. The moisture and hydrogen adsorption getter includes a silicon substrate including a concave portion and a convex portion, a silicon oxide layer conformally provided along a surface of the concave portion and a surface of the convex portion and configured to adsorb moisture, and a hydrogen adsorption pattern disposed on the silicon oxide layer. A portion of the silicon oxide layer is exposed between portions of the hydrogen adsorption pattern.

A polyelectrolyte coated fly ash is described with a method of making and a method of using for the adsorption of a contaminant from a solution. The polyelectrolyte coated fly ash may be made by treating the oil fly ash with acid, and then contacting the product with a positive polyelectrolyte to create a first polyelectrolyte layer, and then with a negative polyelectrolyte to create a negative polyelectrolyte layer. The resulting polyelectrolyte coated fly ash quickly adsorbs contaminants from solution, and may be cleaned and reused.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for sampling at least one analyte from a sampling fluid. The apparatus includes: a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) sampling instrument. A connector is attached to the SPME sampling instrument and is coupleable to an aerial drone. The apparatus includes a protective cover that is sized and shaped to at least partially surround the SPME sampling instrument. The SPME sampling instrument and the protective cover are movable in relation to each other between a protecting configuration and a sampling configuration. The SPME sampling instrument and the protective cover are (i) biased in the protecting configuration when the density of the fluid surrounding the SPME sampling instrument is less than the density of the sampling fluid; and (ii) biased in the sampling configuration when the density of the fluid surrounding the SPME sampling instrument is equal to or greater than the density of the sampling fluid.

Superficially porous particles are disclosed, each including a solid core and a layered porous shell. The layered porous shell includes a porous inner layer and at least one porous outer layer, a shell skeleton thickness greater than 1 nm, and constitutes from 10 vol % to 90 vol % of the plurality of superficially porous particles. The porous inner layer includes an inner layer thickness of less than 300 nm. The at least one porous outer layer includes a cumulative outer layer thickness ranging from 1 to 100 times the inner layer thickness, a predominately radial pore orientation, and an outer layer pore structure which is more organized than the inner layer pore structure. A layer-by-layer process for forming a plurality of superficially porous particles with layered structure is disclosed. A post-modification process for preparing a plurality of chromatographically enhanced superficially porous properties is also disclosed.

An improved device for solid phase microextraction, the device including a plastic substrate, a pre-coating layer on the plastic substrate, and an SPME coating on the precoating layer. SPME coatings are typically incompatible with plastic substrates due to differences between the surface energies of the substrate and the coating, leading to uneven coating and poor adhesion. The addition of the precoating layer provides increased evenness and stronger adhesion of the SPME coating to the plastic substrate. Also provided are method of coating an SPME coating on a plastic substrate, the method including the step of precoating the plastic substrate to provide a precoated substrate and then coating the precoated substrate with an SPME coating, wherein precoating provides improved coating evenness and adhesion of the SPME coating to the plastic substrate.

A core-shell type amine-based carbon dioxide adsorbent is described, including a chelating agent resistant to oxygen and sulfur dioxide, to inhibit oxidative decomposition of amine. As a core, a porous support is employed on which an amine compound is immobilized, and, as a shell, an amine layer resistant to inactivity by sulfur dioxide is utilized. Such adsorbent exhibits high oxidation resistance because the chelating agent functions to remove a variety of transition metal impurities catalytically acting on amine oxidation. In addition, the sulfur dioxide-resistant amine layer of the shell selectively adsorbs sulfur dioxide to protect the amine compound of the core and, at the same time, the amine compound of the core selectively adsorbs only carbon dioxide. Sulfur dioxide adsorbed on the shell is readily desorbable therefrom at about 110 C. and thus remarkably improved regeneration stability is obtained during temperature-swing adsorption (TSA) processes in which sulfur dioxide is present.

The present invention relates to a method and/or device for improving the separation behaviors and performance of aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) for the isolation and/or concentration of one or more target analytes from a sample. In one embodiment, the present method and device comprise ATPS components within a porous material and one or more phase separation behavior modifying agents that improve the separation behavior and performance characteristics of ATPS, including but not limited to the increasing the stability or reducing fluctuations of ATPS thought the adjustment of total volume of a sample solution that undergoes phase separation, volume ratio of the two phases of the ATPS, fluid flow rates, and concentrations of ATPS components.