There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality.

Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

I and i

THE DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF EXPERIMENTS. By Oscar Kempthorne. New York, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1952. 631 pp. $8.50. This book by a teacher of statistics (as well as a consultant for \"experimenters\") is a comprehensive study of the philosophical background for the statistical design of experiment. It is necessary to have some facility with algebraic notation and manipulation to be able to use the volume intelligently. The problems are presented from the theoretical point of view, without such practical examples as would be helpful for those not acquainted with mathematics. The mathematical justification for the techniques is given. As a somewhat advanced treatment of the design and analysis of experiments, this volume will be interesting and helpful for many who approach statistics theoretically as well as practically. With emphasis on the \"why,\" and with description given broadly, the author relates the subject matter to the general theory of statistics and to the general problem of experimental inference. MARGARET J. ROBERTSON

The Design and Analysis of Experiments

In this review, we highlight the use of organic photoredox catalysts in a myriad of synthetic transformations with a range of applications. This overview is arranged by catalyst class where the photophysics and electrochemical characteristics of each is discussed to underscore the differences and advantages to each type of single electron redox agent. We highlight both net reductive and oxidative as well as redox neutral transformations that can be accomplished using purely organic photoredox-active catalysts. An overview of the basic photophysics and electron transfer theory is presented in order to provide a comprehensive guide for employing this class of catalysts in photoredox manifolds.

Organic Photoredox Catalysis

介绍了Kirk—Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology（化工技术百科全书）（第五版）电子图书网络版数据库，并对该数据库使用方法和检索途径作出了说明，且结合实例简单地介绍了该数据库的检索方法。

Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology数据库介绍及实例

A flow-focusing geometry is integrated into a microfluidic device and used to study drop formation in liquid–liquid systems. A phase diagram illustrating the drop size as a function of flow rates and flow rate ratios of the two liquids includes one regime where drop size is comparable to orifice width and a second regime where drop size is dictated by the diameter of a thin “focused” thread, so drops much smaller than the orifice are formed. Both monodisperse and polydisperse emulsions can be produced.

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Formation of dispersions using “flow focusing” in microchannels

Optimization of heating efficiency under monomode microwave heating for organic synthesis in microchannel reactors

Ready for the future? The research train to the next decade leaves soon

title PROCESS INTENSIFICATION FOR THE DIRECT SYNTHESIS OF ADIPIC ACID IN A MICRO PACKED BED REACTOR Author Shang , Minjing, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands (Presenting author) Co-author(s) Wang, Qi, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands Noël, Timothy, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands Hessel, Volker, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands View abstract data Background: Most industrial processes to produce adipic acid include two steps, i.e., an aerobic oxidation of cyclohexane to form K/A oil and followed by a nitric oxidation to obtain adipic acid. During this process, a large amount of N2O is produced as a by-product. H2O2 is a “green” oxidant since water is the sole byproduct and has a high oxygen content. So many researchers have started to use H2O2 to oxidize cyclohexene directly to produce adipic acid[3]. To the best of our knowledge, however, all reports concerning the adipic acid synthesis from cyclohexene and H2O2 were carried out in a laboratory batch reactor, which need long reaction times and is not easy to scale up. Aim: The focus of this project is on the transformation of the reaction from batch reactor to micro flow reactor, which should reduce the reaction time by at least an order of magnitude and overcome scale-up limitations. Method: The synthesis of adipic acid starting from cyclohexene and H2O2 was carried out in a micro packed bed reactor. The reaction uses Na2WO4•2H2O as a catalyst and [CH3(n-C8H17)3N]HSO4 as a phase transfer catalyst[4] without additional solvent. A parametric process optimization was done and the multi-injection of H2O2 was explored. Results: It is found that 50% wt H2O2 is much more productive than 30% wt H2O2 under the same condition. We found that the acid plays an important role in the direct synthesis of adipic acid. Under given conditions, an sulfuric acid concentration 0.63 mol/l is found to give the highest isolated yield of adipic acid. Based on the concept of Novel Process Windows, the influence of elevated temperatures is investigated and 100°C is shown to be the optimum temperature for the reaction, which results in almost 50% isolated yield of adipic acid when the residence time is 20 min (50% H2O2: cyclohexene: Na2WO4•2H2O: [CH3(n-C8H17)3N]HSO4 molar ratio is 440: 100: 6: 6). The decomposition of H2O2 was also studied and the result shows that the concentration of H2O2 decreased a lot even without reaction under 100°C. Conclusion: Compared to soybean oil epoxidation, which we investigate as well [6], generic learning was made – such as the even higher exothermicity and masstransfer limitations (need for phase-transfer catalyst) given for the direct synthesis of adipic acid; common to both and to overcome is the deleterious H2O2 decomposition (needing H2O2 excess or lowering yield). [1] Davis D.D. In Ullman’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 5th ed.; Gerhartz W., Ed., John Wiley and Sons: New York, 1985, Vol. A1, pp 270. Page 1 of 2 10/30/2013 http://www.eventure-online.com/eventure/publicAbstractView.do?id=207057&congressId=6293 Images [2] Catalytic Oxidations with Hydrogen Peroxide as Oxidant, Ed. G. Strukul, Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, 1992. [3] (a) Sato K., Aoki M. and Noyori R., Science 281 (1998) 1646; (b) Lapisardi G., et al., Catal. Commun. 5 (2004) 277. [4] Sato K., Noyori R., et al. J. Org. Chem. 61 (1996) 8310. [5] Hessel V., Chem. Eng. Technol. 32 (2009) 1655. [6] Cortese B., Croon M.H.J.M. de and Hessel V., Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 51 (2012) 1680.

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Process intensification for the direct synthesis of adipic acid in a micro packed bed reactor

Reaction-oriented research in flow chemistry and microreactor has been extensively focused upon in special journal issues and books. On a process level, this resembled the “drop-in” (retrofit) concept with the microreactor replacing a conventional (batch) reactor. Meanwhile, with the introduction of the mobile, compact, modular container technology, the focus is more on the process side, including also providing an end-to-end vision of intensified process design. Exactly this is the focus of the current special issue “Design and Engineering of Microreactor and Smart-Scaled Flow Processes” of the journal “Processes”. This special issue comprises three review papers, five research articles and two communications. [...]

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Volker Hessel

Papers

Optimization of heating efficiency under monomode microwave heating for organic synthesis in microchannel reactors

Ready for the future? The research train to the next decade leaves soon

Process intensification for the direct synthesis of adipic acid in a micro packed bed reactor

Special Issue: Design and Engineering of Microreactor and Smart-Scaled Flow Processes

Mikroverfahrenstechnik – Eine Schlüsseltechnologie für die Zukunft