Browsing by Subject "Oxidation"
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Item A mathematical simulation for a partial-oxidation-pyrolysis gasifier.(Texas Tech University, 1975-05) Albus, Clarence JohnNot availableItem Amine oxidation in carbon dioxide capture by aqueous scrubbing(2013-05) Voice, Alexander Karl; Rochelle, Gary T.; Sexton, Andrew J; Reible, Danny D; Willson, Carlton G; Anslyn, Eric VAmine degradation in aqueous amine scrubbing systems for capturing CO₂ from coal fired power plants is a major problem. Oxygen in the flue gas is the major cause of solvent deterioration, which increases the cost of CO₂ capture due to reduced capacity, reduced rates, increased corrosion, solvent makeup, foaming, and reclaiming. Degradation also produces environmentally hazardous materials: ammonia, amides, aldehydes, nitramines, and nitrosamines. Thus it is important to understand and mitigate amine oxidation in industrial CO₂ capture systems. A series of lab-scale experiments was conducted to better understand the causes of and solutions to amine oxidation. This work included determination of rates, products, catalysts, and inhibitors for various amines at various conditions. Special attention was paid to understanding monoethanolamine (MEA) oxidation, whereas oxidation of piperazine (PZ) and other amines was less thorough. The most important scientific contribution of this work has been to show that amine oxidation in real CO₂ capture systems is much more complex than previously believed, and cannot be explained by mass transfer or reaction kinetics in the absorber by itself, or by dissolved oxygen kinetics in the cross exchanger. An accurate representation of MEA oxidation in real systems must take into account catalysts present (especially Mn and Fe), enhanced oxygen mass transfer in the absorber as a function of various process conditions, and possibly oxygen carriers other than dissolved oxygen in the cross exchanger and stripper. Strategies for mitigating oxidative degradation at low temperature, proposed in this and previous work are less effective or ineffective with high temperature cycling, which is more representative of real systems. In order of effectiveness, these strategies are: selecting an amine resistant to oxidation, reduction of dissolved metals in the system, reduction of the stripper temperature, reduction of the absorber temperature, and addition of a chemical inhibitor to the system. Intercooling in the absorber can reduce amine oxidation and improve energy efficiency, whereas amine oxidation should be considered in choosing the optimal stripper temperature. In real systems, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) is expected to be the most resistant to oxidation, followed by PZ and PZ derivatives, then methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), and then MEA. MEA oxidation with high temperature cycling is increased 70% by raising the cycling temperature from 100 to 120 °C, the proposed operational temperature range of the stripper. PZ oxidation is increased 100% by cycling to 150 °C as opposed to 120 °C. Metals are expected to increase oxidation in MEA and PZ with high temperature cycling by 40 - 80%. Inhibitor A is not expected to be effective in real systems with MEA or with PZ. MDEA is also not effective as an inhibitor in MEA, and chelating agents diethylenetriamine penta (acetic acid) (DTPA) and 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMcT) are only mildly effective in MEA. Although MEA oxidation in real systems cannot be significantly reduced by any known additives, it can be accurately monitored on a continuous basis by measuring ammonia production from the absorber. Ammonia production was shown to account for two-thirds of nitrogen in degraded MEA at low temperature and with high temperature cycling, suggesting that it is a reliable indicator of MEA oxidation under a variety of process conditions. A proposed system, which minimizes amine oxidation while maintaining excellent rate and thermodynamic properties for CO₂ capture would involve use of 4 m AMP + 2 m PZ as a capture solvent with the stripper at 135 °C, intercooling in the absorber, and use of a corrosion inhibitor or continuous metals removal system. Reducing (anaerobic) conditions should be avoided to prevent excessive corrosion from occurring and minimize the amount of dissolved metals. This system is expected to reduce amine oxidation by 90-95% compared with the base case 7 m MEA with the stripper at 120 °C.Item Analysis of transgenic tobacco that express maize catalase3(Texas Tech University, 1999-05) Schake, Sheryl A.Catalases (H2O2: H2O2 oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.6; CAT) are hemecontaining tetramers that are important in destroying H2O2 found in different cellular compartments. Maize Cats has been shown to be capable of dismutating H2O2 via either a catalatic or peroxidatic reaction. In addition, increased maize CAT3 transcripts were detected during periods of chilling acclimation. In this study, a maize CatS cDNA was isolated using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. To better understand the role of maize CAT3 in oxidative stress, we have introduced the transgene that expresses this enzyme into wild type Xanthi NN tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Total catalase activities were only slightly higher in transgenic plants as compared to Xanthi NN. While total peroxidatic activity of these transgenic plants was found to be 12-fold higher than in the wild-type tobacco. Thetransgenic Cat3 plants were exposed to various abiotic stresses such as, low temperatures, high temperatures, salinity, chemical treatments, and photooxidation. Increased seedling growth was evident in transgenic seedlings during treatments at low temperatures, high temperatures, and salinity which could implicate increased protection from oxidative damage. No significant protection was evident when transgenic seedlings were treated with methyl viologen or photooxidatlve stress. In addition, lower lipid peroxidation levels in transgenic plants correlated with increased peroxidatic activity in these plants. These data suggests that in wild-type tobacco that express maize CAT3 have increased protection against various forms of oxidative stress.Item Aqueous phase oxidation with activated oxygen species for wastewater treatment(Texas Tech University, 1979-08) Lin, Richard Chia-HuiNot availableItem Assessment of Oxidation in Carbon Foam(2010-07-14) Lee, Seung MinCarbon foams exhibit numerous unique properties which are attractive for light weight applications such as aircraft and spacecraft as a tailorable material. Carbon foams, when exposed to air, oxidize at temperatures as low as 500-600 degrees Celsius. The research objectives of this study are to assess the degree of oxidation of carbon foam by experimental and computational methods and evaluate the degradation in stiffness of the bulk foam as a function of oxygen concentration profile, time and temperature. In parallel to simulation, oxidation tests are conducted to observe changes in morphology and to calculate the apparent activation energy. Degradation patterns in the carbon foam microstructure are categorized through optical microscopy (OM) images post oxidation. The influence of microstructure and temperature on the oxygen concentration profile is investigated in parametric models with varying porosity. The degradation in bulk foam stiffness is found to be strongly dependent on the temperature and non-uniform oxygen concentration profile. The overall results enhance the design of experiments for high temperature and oxidative environments, illustrating the relationship between foam microstructure and oxygen concentration in porous media.Item Desymmetrization by changing hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity(2011-08) Mei, Zhong; Niwayama, SatomiDesymmetrization of symmetric compounds is a powerful strategy with regards to both asymmetric and nonasymmetric synthesis. When this strategy is applied to hydrolysis of symmetric diesters, the process is called monohydrolysis and half-esters can be produced. Since they are versatile building blocks in organic synthesis, various half-esters are synthesized by monohydrolysis of corresponding diesters in mainly aqueous media. However, the reason why the monohydrolysis we studied has a high selectivity is unknown. In this thesis, dynamic light scattering is employed to analyze possible intermediates of monohydrolysis. The results indicate that a “micelle-like” intermediate is likely to exist in the mainly aqueous media. Based on this mechanism, additional kinds of water-mediated desymmetric reactions are performed by changing hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity to produce “micelle-like” compounds, including mono-oxidation and mono-reduction. As water possesses many ideal characteristics as a reaction medium such as accessibility, environmental safety, and low cost, the development of organic reactions in aqueous media has been of central importance in recent organic chemistry. Since the current reaction of monohydrolysis of symmetric diesters produce racemic mixtures, attempts for enantioselective monohydrolysis is made catalyzed by chiral proline derivatives, chiral ionic liquids and cinchona alkaloids, for the purpose of producing enantiomerically enriched half-esters.Item Development of green and of polymer-supported oxidizing agents for oxidation of alcohols(2006-05) Ali, Syed J.; Birney, David M.; Niwayama, SatomiThe selective oxidation of primary alcohols and secondary alcohols into their corresponding aldehydes (or carboxylic acids) and ketones is one of the most important transformations in modern organic synthesis. Although a myriad of oxidizing agents have been developed to affect this transformation, there is still a growing demand for mild, selective and environmentally-friendly oxidizing agents. This work explores two oxidation systems, viz TEMPO-TCCA and PEG-supported TEMPO. The latter is a polymer based oxidizing agent. A major advantage is that it can be recovered at the end of the reaction and subsequently reused. A wide variety of alcohols has been oxidized, and the IR carbonyl shift has been discussed as a function of the structure of the product.Item Development of green and of polymer-supported oxidizing agents for oxidation of alcohols(2006-05) Ali, Syed J.; Birney, David M.; Niwayama, SatomiThe selective oxidation of primary alcohols and secondary alcohols into their corresponding aldehydes (or carboxylic acids) and ketones is one of the most important transformations in modern organic synthesis. Although a myriad of oxidizing agents have been developed to affect this transformation, there is still a growing demand for mild, selective and environmentally-friendly oxidizing agents. This work explores two oxidation systems, viz TEMPO-TCCA and PEG-supported TEMPO. The latter is a polymer based oxidizing agent. A major advantage is that it can be recovered at the end of the reaction and subsequently reused. A wide variety of alcohols has been oxidized, and the IR carbonyl shift has been discussed as a function of the structure of the product.Item Effect of oxide shell growth on nano-aluminum thermite propagation rates(2012-05) Gesner, Jeffrey; Pantoya, Michelle; Parameswaran, Siva; Christopher, GordonNanocomposite energetic materials show increased flame propagation rates over their micron scale counterparts. These energetic formulations consist of fuel and oxidizer powder mixtures, commonly referred to as thermites. A theory explaining the faster flame propagation speeds associated with nano-particles is called the melt dispersion mechanism and based on the mechanochemistry of the fuel particle’s core-shell structure. The theory supposes that if the ratio (M) of particle radius to shell thickness exceeds a critical threshold, the melt dispersion mechanism is activated, oxidation is accelerated and flame propagation will increase. This study expands on this theory by growing the oxide shell around aluminum fuel particles in a hot, oxygenated environment to achieve varying M ratios. Flame propagation was examined for untreated and treated aluminum particles in an Al-MoO3 thermite. Experimental setup consisted of a closed end tube shot and high speed photography. In all cases, alumina shell grew and was damaged due to treatment, and flames rates were reduced. Flame speed of several hundred meters per second, reduction in flame rate with damage to oxide shell, and weak dependence of the flame speed on the ratio M of particle radius to shell thickness in the range 6.1Item Ensemble and single molecules fluorescence studies of polymers(2007-12) Kim, Yeon Ho, 1973-; Vanden Bout, David A.The effects of chain conformation on the photo-oxidation and green emission of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO) are investigated at both single molecule and ensemble levels. Single molecule studies reveal the conformation of PFO chains to be more globular when cast from THF than from toluene. Intensity transients of single molecules show that the elongated molecules cast from toluene have more fluctuations due to a fewer number of emitting centers on the polymer. Photochemical degradation leads to intensity fluctuations for the elongated molecules, while the globular chains show monotonic decays. Emission spectra of the single molecules show that photochemical oxidation leads to reduction in the emission of the molecule with no change in the emission spectra. No green emission is detected for single molecules indicating that formation of emissive ketone defects occurs rarely. Ensemble studies show that molecule cast from THF develop some green emission upon photodegredation while those cast from toluene don't. The increase in green in the globular molecules suggests that interchain contacts are necessary for the photochemical formation of emissive ketone defects in the PFO. All emission spectra of the aggregated and nonaggregated PFO during photooxidation are also analyzed by using a modified FranckCondon progression model with an additional independent Gaussian component and fitting results from single PFO spectrum. While emission spectrum of single PFO molecule shows a good fitting result to the model, the other two bulk PFO films display needs to introduce an additional term for better fit. This additional independent Gaussian component implies that green emission comes from non-Franck-Condon process. Rotational dynamics of poly(methyl acrylate) is investigated by single molecule spectroscopy. Polarized fluorescence transients from single rhodamine 6G dye embedded in polymer matrix above glass transition are analyzed and the correlation function of reduced linear dichroism is fit by a stretched exponential function. The fitting results suggest that non-exponential decay of correlation function. However, more rigorous study is needed because of the intrinsic statistical error of limited experimental data and the effect of high numerical objective.Item Experiments to examine transplant procedures on the seagrass Halodule beaudettei(Texas A&M University, 2007-09-17) Land, Frederick JosephDuring the growing seasons of 1999 and 2000 five experiments were performed to test growth of the seagrass Halodule beaudettei (shoal-grass) in nursery pond conditions. Sediment oxidation state, sediment source, container type, flow regime, and light transmittance were tested to improve nursery pond cultivation techniques and to test assumptions about the decline of seagrasses in Galveston Bay, Texas. Oxidized and reduced sediments exhibited no statistical difference as mean percent change in the number of stems of shoal-grass, after 47 days. Sediment from three source locations, West Bay, East Beach Lagoons, and the experimental pond bottoms, showed no significant difference in the mean percent change in the number of stems of shoal-grass at 48 and 95 days. A statistical difference was seen in the container type experiment, trays versus pots, at 48 days where shoal-grass had double the number of stems produced in trays; however no significant difference was found at 93 days. A significant difference was found in the flow regime experiment, no-flow versus flow, at 47 days in the mean percent change of shoal-grass with double the number of stems produced in the flow regime. Significant differences were observed between the low light and high light treatments with shoal-grass, widgeongrass (Ruppia maritima), star grass (Halophila engelmannii), and turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum), with survival and growth occurring in the high light treatment and decline and death occurring in the low light treatment. The importance of reduced sediment may have been overstated in the past as sediment reduction occurs rapidly with submersion. It appears that while West Bay sediment did not have a deleterious effect on shoal-grass, West Bay simulated light conditions did. Container type seems to be important at first but not so much in the long term. Some flow, water movement, or current appears to be important.Item Fast reaction of nano-aluminum: A study on fluorination versus oxidation(2007-08) Watson, Kyle W.; Pantoya, Michelle; Berg, Jordan M.; Levitas, ValeryThe use of fluorine as an oxidizing agent in thermite reactions yields higher heats of combustion and an increase in gas production. Thus fluorination reactions have the potential to excel in situations that require high pressures, temperatures, and flame speeds. This study compares the propagation behaviors of Al/Teflon, Al/MoO3/Teflon, and Al/ MoO3 in an effort to determine the effects that the replacement of oxygen with fluorine (Teflon is 75% by weight fluorine) has upon the reaction characteristics in both open and confined configurations. Data was collected from pressure sensors and high speed recording of the reactions. The mass percent of Al was varied from 10% – 90% for each composite to study the effects of composition. The composites were then further tested at the optimum stoichiometry using either 50 nanometer or 1-3 micrometer Al as the fuel to examine the affect of Al particle size on the reactions. It was found that the addition of Teflon in an open burn configuration hinders the reaction due to a loss of liberated fluorine gas to the surroundings resulting in less energy to propagate the reaction and a higher rate of incomplete combustion. Nanoscale Al produced faster flame speeds as a result of the increased sensitivity and homogeneity associated with the smaller particles. The most significant flame speeds were found in the Al/MoO3 composites in which less energy is lost in the form of escaping gas. Confining the reactions and the intermediate and product gases promotes enhanced convection yielding increased flame speeds. The reactions containing Teflon exhibit much higher pressures which have a dual effect. Initially the increasing pressures result in increasing flame speeds. However, there exists a threshold beyond which an increase in pressure suppresses the reaction and reduces the flame speed.Item Improvements to a Transport Model of Asphalt Binder Oxidation in Pavements: Pavement Temperature Modeling, Oxygen Diffusivity in Asphalt Binders and Mastics, and Pavement Air Void Characterization(2012-07-16) Han, RongbinAlthough evidence is mounting that asphalt binder oxidizes in pavements, and that oxidation and subsequent hardening of asphalt binder has a profound effect on pavement durability, important implementation issues remain to be better understood. Quantitative assessment of asphalt binder oxidation for a given pavement is a very important, but complex issue. In this dissertation, a fundamentals-based oxygen transport and reaction model was developed to assess quantitative asphalt binder oxidation in pavements. In this model, oxygen transport and reaction were described mathematically as two interlinked steps: 1) diffusion and/or flow of oxygen from the atmosphere above the pavement into the interconnected air voids in the pavement; and 2) diffusion of oxygen from those air voids into the adjoining asphalt-aggregate matrix where it reacts with the asphalt binder. Because such a model calculation depends extensively on accurately representing pavement temperature, understanding oxygen diffusivity in asphalt binders and mastics, and characterizing air voids in pavements, these key model elements were studied in turn. Hourly pavement temperatures were calculated with an improved one-dimensional heat transfer model, coupled with methods to obtain model-required climate data from available databases and optimization of site-specific pavement parameters nationwide; oxygen diffusivity in binders was determined based on laboratory oxidation experiments in binder films of known reaction kinetics by comparing the oxidation rates at the binder surface and at a solid-binder interface at the film depth. The effect of aggregate filler on oxygen diffusivity also was quantified, and air voids in pavements were characterized using X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) and image processing techniques. From these imaging techniques, three pavement air void properties, radius of each air void (r), number of air voids (N), and average shell distance between two air voids (rNFB) were obtained to use as model inputs in the asphalt binder oxidation model. Then, by incorporating these model element improvements into the oxygen transport and reaction model, asphalt binder oxidation rates for a number of Texas and Minnesota pavements were calculated. In parallel, field oxidation rates were measured for these corresponding pavement sites and compared to the model calculations. In general, there was a close match between the model calculations and field measurements, suggesting that the model captures the most critical elements that affect asphalt binder oxidation in pavements. This model will be used to estimate the rate of asphalt binder oxidation in pavements as a first step to predicting pavement performance, and ultimately, to improve pavement design protocols and pavement maintenance scheduling.Item Kinetics of low temperature oxidation of ammonia trace quantities(Texas Tech University, 1973-08) Bentsen, Peter CraigThe purpose of this study is actually threefold. The first is to provide the experimental data for the oxidation of ammonia over a platinum catalyst in the ppm range which is so obviously missing from the literature. The second is to use these data to obtain a quantitative mathematical description or model of the rate of ammonia oxidation with emphasis on the utilization of this model for design purposes. The third is to study catalyst stability and be able to quantify the deactivation.Item Methanol production by direct oxidation of methane in a plasma reactor(Texas Tech University, 1998-08) Mooday, RickMethanol is one of the most widely-produced chemicals in the world. It is a key raw material in the production of many chemicals in the petrochemical industry. Methanol also has vast potential for expanded applications as a fuel. It is currently produced by an energy intensive and expensive two step process. An economically feasible one step process could significantly reduce methanol production cost, saving millions of dollars. A methane-to-methanol process, built at remotely located methane reserves, would convert methane into a different energy form that is much easier to transport. This would make methane a much more attractive and valuable energy source. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the feasibility of producing methanol by direct oxidation of methane using a plasma reactor. The chemistry of methane oxidation is well understood and free radicals play a central role in methane oxidation reactions. Low pressure experiments by other researchers indicated that methanol can be produced by direct oxidation of methane in plasma reactors. However, the viability of a plasma-based methanol production process depends on its ability to convert large quantities of methane. This work was directed at plasma reactor operation near atmospheric pressure to increase the amount of material processed. The focus of this mvestigation was the design and construction of an experimental apparatus which could achieve methanol synthesis in a plasma reactor by direct oxidation of methane at atmospheric pressure. A microwave source provided the energy to generate the plasma. The system was designed to study the effects of reactant concentration and flow configurations on methanol production. Since high levels of methanol selectivity are the primary consideration in direct synthesis of methanol from methane, improvements in methanol selectivity were desired. The objective of the four experimental phases was to investigate reactor operating conditions and improve methanol production and selectivity. Methanol production at atmospheric pressure was demonstrated in this plasma system and steady improvements in methanol selectivity were achieved as the investigation proceeded. Experiments showed that high concentrations of water and low concentrations of oxygen improved methanol selectivity. In the last experimental phase, oxygen was divided into both reactant streams, but this approach did not improve methanol production. It was observed that higher methanol selectivities were obtained only at low methane conversions. As in other plasma studies, methanol production did not approach what would be required for commercial feasibility.Item Model catalyst studies of the CO oxidation reaction on Titania supported gold nanoclusters(2004) Stiehl, James Daniel; Mullins, C. B.The chemical nature of gold has been determined to be much richer than previously thought. Recent discoveries that properly prepared gold catalysts (i.e. gold particle diameters in 2 – 5 nm size range) can catalyze the CO oxidation reaction at low temperature have spurned a renewed interest in the chemistry of gold. Despite the extensive research that has been performed regarding CO oxidation on Au based catalysts, many issues still remain unresolved. The origin of the particle size dependence of the reaction is not well understood. Also, details concerning the reaction mechanism, specifically identification of the active oxygen species, remain unresolved. In the following studies, ultra high vacuum, molecular beam, surface science techniques are used to study the CO oxidation reaction on titania supported gold nanoclusters (Au/TiO2). Using a radio frequency generated plasma-jet, it is possible to simultaneously populate the Au/TiO2 samples with atomically adsorbed and molecularly chemisorbed oxygen species, allowing for the opportunity to investigate the reactivity of each respective species. The reaction of CO with atomically adsorbed oxygen has been studied over a range of temperatures from 65 – 250 K as a function of gold coverage and oxygen coverage. The reaction is observed to be a strong function of both of the sample temperature and the oxygen coverage. The reaction is also relatively independent of the gold coverage on the sample, in contrast to findings for the reaction employing gas-phase reactants under moderate pressures. The formation and reactivity of molecularly chemisorbed oxygen on the samples following exposure to the plasma-jet was also investigated. Evidence is presented showing that some molecularly chemisorbed oxygen is formed as a result of recombination of impinging atoms on the model catalyst surface. Evidence is also presented showing that adsorption of an oxygen atom on the sample influences the chemisorption of molecular species from the gas phase. Finally, evidence is presented showing that the molecularly chemisorbed oxygen species can participate in the CO oxidation reaction at 77 K. This finding reveals a reaction channel for CO oxidation on Au/TiO2 model catalysts that does not require the dissociation of oxygen.Item Molecular beam studies of low temperature CO oxidation on gold(2005) Kim, Tae Sang; Mullins, C. B.Item One-electron oxidations and reductions of organomercurials and organotins(Texas Tech University, 1995-05) Do, Sang RokSingle ectron-transfer (SET) oxidations of alkylmetals in the lead, mercuiy and tin series have been studied extensively by Kochi and co-workers. Substantial evidence for both iimer and outer electron transfer in oxidations by, for example, hexachlo[oiridate(IV) and tris(l,10-phenanthroline)iron(III) complexes, leading to the fcvmation of alkyl radicals, has been provided. Recently, Shine and co-workers have found evidence for SET in reactions of thianthrene cation radical perchlorate fTh'''*G04~) with aiyllithiums, aryl- and alkyl Grignard reagents,2 dialkylmercurials, and tetraalkyl- and tetraaiyltins.^ In contrast, it was also found from more recent work that reactions of diarylmercurials with Th'*'*Q04~ showed the lack of signs of radical formation through SET. The objective of this study was to characterize the chemistry of electron transfer by the reaction of cation radicals of tris(p-bromophenyl)mine, tris(p-chlorophenyl)amine and tris(p-cart>omethoxyphenyl)amine with symmetrical diaiylmercurials (Ar^Hg), in which Ar = phenyl, o-tolyl, p-tolyl, o-anisyl, p-anisyl and o-allyloxyphenyl. In the reactions of tris(l,10-phenanthroline)iron(III) complex with diarylmercurials such as diphenylmercury, di(o-alIyloxyphenyl)mercuiy and di(2-allyloxy-4,5-dimethylphenyl)mercury, the object was to find if one-electron oxidation by a transition metal complex could generate aryl radicals, and whether the aryl radicals could be trapped or scavenged. The purpose of studying the reactions of tetranitromethane with diaryhnercurials was to probe the validity of the aiyl radical mechanism which had been proposed earlier for the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons in the reactions of tetranitromethane and halogenotrinitromethanes with diphenyl- and dimesitylmercury) and with tetraphenyltin.Item Oxidation and thermal degradation of methyldithanolamine/piperazine in CO₂ capture(2011-12) Closmann, Frederick Bynum; Rochelle, Gary T.; Bedell, Stephen; Lawler, Desmond F.; Ekerdt, John G.; Willson, Carlton G.The solvent 7 molal (m) methyldiethanolamine (MDEA)/2 m piperazine (PZ) presents an attractive option to industry standard solvents including monoethanolamine (MEA) for carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture in coal-fired power plant flue gas scrubbing applications. The solvent was tested under thermal and oxidizing conditions, including temperature cycling in the Integrated Solvent Degradation Apparatus (ISDA), to measure rates of degradation for comparison to other solvents. Unloaded 7 m MDEA/2 m PZ was generally thermally stable up to 150 °C, exhibiting very low loss rates. However, at a loading of 0.25 mol CO2/mol alkalinity, loss rates of 0.17 ± 0.21 and 0.24 ± 0.06 mM/hr, respectively, for MDEA and PZ were measured. No amine loss was observed in the unloaded blend. Thermal degradation was modeled as first-order in [MDEAH⁺], and a universal Ea for amine loss was estimated at 104 kJ/mol. An oxidative degradation model for 7 m MDEA was developed based on the ISDA data. From the model, the rate of amine loss in 7 m MDEA/2 m PZ was estimated at 1.3 X 10⁵ kg/yr, based on a 500 MW power plant and 90% CO₂ capture. In terms of amine loss, the solvent can be ranked with other cycled solvents from greatest to least as follows: 7 m MDEA>7 m MDEA/2 m PZ>8 m PZ. Thermal degradation pathways and mechanisms for 7 m MDEA/2 m PZ include SN2 substitution reactions to form diethanolamine (DEA), methylaminoethanol (MAE), 1-methylpiperazine (1-MPZ), and 1,4-dimethylpiperazine (1,4-DMPZ). The formation of the amino acids bicine and hydroxyethyl sarcosine (HES) has been directly tied to the formation of DEA and MAE, respectively, through oxidation. As a result of the construction and operation of the ISDA for cycling of solvents from an oxidative reactor to a thermal reactor, several practical findings related to solvent degradation were made. The ISDA results demonstrated that increasing dissolved oxygen in solvents leaving the absorber will increase the rate of oxidation. A simple N2 gas stripping method was tested and resulted in a reduction to 1/5th the high temperature oxidation rate associated with dissolved oxygen present in the higher temperature regions of an absorber/stripper system. The ISDA experiments also demonstrated the need to minimize entrained gas bubbles in absorber/stripper systems to control oxidation. When the ISDA was modified to intercept entrained gas bubbles, the oxidation rate was reduced 2 to 3X.