A new procedure for quantitative characterization of different types of solid materials is proposed. The technique is based on the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis results of porous materials and their processing by the software ^ImageJ. Several types of porous adsorbents AX21, AC35, GAC250, ACENO and IRH3 activated carbons were investigated. Based on SEM analysis, different characteristics of the samples such as porosity, pore size distribution, bed particles porosity can be obtained. In this study, the particle size, the average macropore size and pore size distributions (PSD) of samples were determined with a new procedure for SEM analysis treatment using ^ImageJ software. Three distribution functions (Gamma, Weibull and Lognormal) were selected to describe the experimental results. The Lognormal distribution fitted more accurately the experimental data.

The production of clove essential oil by hydro distillation and steam distillation has been experimentally investigated. The density of the oil was determined to be ρ ≈ 1.0648 g cm-3. By means of hydro-distillation, a higher yield of 9.714 mass % was obtained compared to the steam distillation - 4.986 mass %. This is due to the formation of a hard-to-break emulsion in the distillate when using the steam distillation technique. Liquid-liquid extraction and gravity sedimentation were independently applied for the aim of separating the essential oil from the obtained distillate. The obtained yield of clove oil per distillate unit using liquid-liquid extraction was 9.714 mass % and its higher than that found by gravity sedimentation - 4.95 mass % using the same production method. However, considering the final cost per unit of produced oil and its intended use in foods, cosmetics and medicines, separation of the oil by gravity settling is more suitable.

Biomass as a whole offers a more diverse potential for valorisation than any other renewable energy source. As one of the stages in the separation of bio-oil involves a liquid mixture of acetol and acetic acid, and as both components are particularly well suited for valorisation, a hybrid method was developed for their separation with a high purity level through an approach combining liquid–liquid extraction and distillation. In order to design and simulate the flowsheet, the ChemCAD 7.0 simulation software was used. Sensitivity analyses were carried out to investigate the influence of the different parameters in the distillation columns, such as the reflux ratio, the feed stage location, and the vapour/bottom molar flow ratio. The effect of different extractants and of their excess on the separation process, as well as the possibility of regenerating the extractant, was also studied. Tri-n-octylamine was accordingly selected as a separating agent that was fully recycled. The end result for separating an initial 48/52 wt% acetol/acetic acid liquid mixture was acetol with a purity of 99.4 wt% and acetic acid with a purity of 100 wt%.

Biomass as a whole offers a more diverse potential for valorisation than any other renew-able energy source. As one of the stages in the separation of bio-oil involves the liquid mixture of acetol and acetic acid, and as both components are particularly well suited for valorisation, a hybrid method has been developed for their separation with a high purity level through an approach combining liquid-liquid extraction and rectification. In order to design and simulate the flowsheet, the ChemCAD 7.0 simulation software has been used. Sensitive analyses have been carried out to investigate the influence of the different pa-rameters in the rectification columns such as the reflux ratio, the feed stage location, and the vapour/bottom molar flow ratio. The effect of different extractants and of their excess on the separation process as well as the possibility of regenerating the extractant has also been studied. Tri-n-octylamine has accordingly been selected as a separating agent which has been fully recycled. The end result for separating an initial 48/52 wt% ace-tol/acetic-acid liquid mixture has been acetol with a purity of 99.4 wt% and acetic acid with a purity of 100 wt%.

This study provides a comprehensive overview of research and advancements on carbon materials with regard to practical targets for hydrogen storage in terms of gravimetric and volumetric capacities. For the sake of clarity, only the most relevant references on hydrogen storage by adsorption are presented, although the study was conducted in the same exhaustive manner as the one initially carried out by Anne C. Dillon and Michael J. Heben in 2001 with a particular emphasis on emerging technologies and potential applications in various sectors. This study also focuses on the importance of carbon-based materials with high specific surface areas and porous structures optimised to maximise adsorption—including at high pressure—while primarily limiting references herein to experimentally validated results. It therefore offers insights into the porous materials, as well as the methodologies—including a fully comprehensive and so-far proven highly transferable intermolecular hydrogen model combining van der Waals’s and Coulomb’s forces—used to improve hydrogen solid storage efficiency.