PREPARATION OF POLYELECTROLYTE MEMBRANES EMBEDDED WITH ZEOLITE NANOPARTICLES FOR ENHANCED PERFORMANCE IN FORWARD OSMOSIS

Water scarcity is a global issue that has already affected every continent. Membrane technology is considered as one of the most promising candidates for resolving this worsening issue. Among all the membrane processes, the emerging forward osmosis (FO) membrane process is osmotically-driven and has unique advantages compared with other traditional pressure-driven membrane processes. One of the major challenges to advancing the FO membrane process is the lack of a suitable membrane. Polyelectrolyte thin film prepared via layer-by-layer (LbL) technique has demonstrated its excellent performance in many applications including electronics, optics, sensors, etc. Recent studies have revealed the potential of polyelectrolyte thin films in acting as the active separation layer of FO membranes, but significant efforts are still needed to improve the membrane performance and understand the transport mechanisms. This dissertation introduces a novel approach to prepare a zeolite-embedded polyelectrolyte composite membrane for enhanced FO performance. This membrane takes advantages of the versatile LbL process to unprecedentedly incorporate high loading of zeolite nanoparticles, which are anticipated to facilitate water transport due to the uniquely interconnected structure of zeolites. Major topics discussed in this dissertation include: (1) the synthesis and evaluation of the polyelectrolyte-zeolite composite FO membrane, (2) the examination of the fouling resistance to identify its technical limitations, (3) the demonstration of the membrane regenerability as an effective strategy for membrane fouling control, and (4) the investigation of crosslinking effects on the membrane performance to elucidate the transport mechanisms involved in the zeolite-embedded polyelectrolyte membranes. Comparative studies have been made between polyelectrolyte membranes with and without zeolite incorporation. The findings suggest that the zeolite-embedded membrane, although slightly more susceptible to silica scaling, has demonstrated enhanced water flux and separation capability, good resistance to organic fouling, and complete regenerability for fouling control. Additionally, the embedded zeolite nanoparticles are proved to be able to create fast pathways for water transport. Overall, this work provides a novel strategy to create zeolite-polymer composite membranes with enhanced separation performance and unique fouling mitigation properties.

Preparation of graphene oxide/epoxy nanocomposites with significantly improved mechanical properties

The effect of graphene oxide (GO) on the mechanical properties and the curing reaction of Diglycidyl Ether of Bisphenol A/F and Triethylenetetramine epoxy system was investigated. GO was prepared by oxidation of graphite flakes and characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Epoxy nanocomposites were fabricated with different GO loading by solution mixing technique. It was found that incorporation of small amount of GO into the epoxy matrix significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of the epoxy. In particular, model I fracture toughness was increased by nearly 50% with the addition of 0.1 wt. % GO to epoxy. The toughening mechanism was understood by fractography analysis of the tested samples. The more irregular, coarse, and multi-plane fracture surfaces of the epoxy/GO nanocomposites were observed. This implies that the two-dimensional GO sheets effectively disturbed and deflected the crack propagation. At 0.5 wt. % GO, elastic modulus was ~35% greater than neat epoxy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed that GO addition moderately affect the glass transition temperature (Tg) of epoxy. The maximum decrease of Tg by ~7 oC was shown for the nanocomposite with 0.5 wt. % GO. DSC results further revealed that GO significantly hindered the cure reaction in the epoxy system.

Strength properties of composite clay balls containing additives from industry wastes as new filter media in water treatment

Pebble matrix filtration (PMF) is a water treatment technology that can remove suspended solids in highly turbid surface water during heavy storms. PMF typically uses sand and natural pebbles as filter media. Hand-made clay pebbles (balls) can be used as alternatives to natural pebbles in PMF treatment plants, where natural pebbles are not readily available. Since the high turbidity is a seasonal problem that occurs during heavy rains, the use of newly developed composite clay balls instead of pure clay balls have the advantage of removing other pollutants such as natural organic matter (NOM) during other times. Only the strength properties of composite clay balls are described here as the pollutant removal is beyond the scope of this paper. These new composite clay balls must be able to withstand dead and live loads under dry and saturated conditions in a filter assembly. Absence of a standard ball preparation process and expected strength properties of composite clay balls were the main reasons behind the present study. Five different raw materials from industry wastes: Red Mud (RM), Water Treatment Alum Sludge (S), Shredded Paper (SP), Saw Dust (SD), and Sugar Mulch (SM) were added to common clay brick mix (BM) in different proportions. In an effort to minimize costs, in this study clay balls were fired to 1100 0C at a local brick factory together with their bricks. A comprehensive experimental program was performed to evaluate crushing strength of composite hand-made clay balls, using uniaxial compression test to establish the best material combination on the basis of strength properties for designing sustainable filter media for water treatment plants. Performance at both construction and operating stages were considered by analyzing both strength properties under fully dry conditions and strength degradation after saturation in a water bath. The BM-75% as the main component produced optimum combination in terms of workability and strength. With the material combination of BM-75% and additives-25%, the use of Red Mud and water treatment sludge as additives produced the highest and lowest strength of composite clay balls, with a failure load of 5.4 kN and 1.4 kN respectively. However, this lower value of 1.4 kN is much higher than the effective load on each clay ball of 0.04 kN in a typical filter assembly (safety factor of 35), therefore, can still be used as a suitable filter material for enhanced pollutant removal.

Preparation of cast aluminium alloy-mica particle composites

The optimum conditions for producing cast aluminium alloy-mica particle composites, by stirring mica particles (40 to 120 mgrm) in molten aluminium alloys (above their liquidus temperatures), followed by casting in permanent moulds, are described. Addition of magnesium either as pieces along with mica particles on the surface of the melts or as a previously added alloying element was found to be necessary to disperse appreciable quantities (1.5 to 2 wt.%) of mica particles in the melts and retain them as uniform dispersions in castings under the conditions of present investigation. These castings can be remelted and degassed with nitrogen at least once with the retention of about 80% mica particles in the castings. Electron probe micro-analysis of these cast composites showed that magnesium added to the surface of the melt along with mica has a tendency to segregate around the mica particles, apparently improving the dispersability for mica particles in liquid aluminium alloys. The mechanical properties of the aluminium alloy-mica particle composite decrease with an increase in mica content, however, even at 2.2% the composite has a tensile strength of 14.22 kg mm–2 with 1.1% elongation, a compression strength of 42.61 kg mm–2, and an impact strength of 0.30 kgm cm–2. The properties are adequate for certain bearing applications, and the aluminium-mica composite bearings were found to run under boundary lubrication, semi-dry and dry friction conditions whereas the matrix alloy (without mica) bearings seized or showed stick slip under the same conditions.

Preparation of a soluble 58kDa-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase from liver microsomes and its inhibition by ethoxysilatrane, a hypocholesterolemic compound

On repeated thawing at room temperature of frozen preparations of heavy microsomes from rat livers, HMGCoA reductase activity was solubilized due to limited proteolysis. This soluble enzyme was partially purified by fractionation with ammonium sulfate and filtration on Sephacryl S-200 column. The active enzyme was coeluted with a major 92 kDa-protein and was identified as a 58kDa-protein after separation by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Ethoxysilatrane, a hypocholesterolemic compound, which decreased the liver-microsomal activity of HMGCoA reductase on intra-peritonial treatment of animals, showed little effect on the enzyme activity with isolated microsomes or the 50kDa-soluble enzyme when added in the assay. But it was able to inhibit the activity of the soluble 58kDa-enzyme in a concentration-dependent, reversible manner. Cholesterol and an oxycholesterol were without effect whereas chlorophenoxyisobutyrate and ubiquinone showed small inhibition under these conditions. The extra region that links the active site domain (50kDa protein) to the membrane, present in the 58kDa-protein appears to be involved in mediating the inhibition by silatrane.

Preparation of a ZrO2–Al2O3 nanocomposite by high-pressure sintering of spray-pyrolyzed powders

ZrO2–Al2O3 powders were synthesized by spray pyrolysis. These powders were sintered at 1 GPa in the temperature range of 700–1100 °C. The microstructural evolution and densification are reported in this paper. The application of 1 Gpa pressure lowers the crystallization temperature from ∼850 to <700 °C. Similarly, the transformation temperature under 1 GPa pressure for γ → α–Al2O3 reduces from ∼1100 to 700–800 °C range, and that for t → m ZrO2 reduces from ∼1050 to 700–800 °C range. It was possible to obtain highly dense nanocrystalline ZrO2–Al2O3 composite at temperatures as low as 700 °C. The effect of high pressure on nucleation and transformation of phases is discussed.

Bio-Composite Membrane Electrolytes for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

A new class of bio-composite polymer electrolyte membranes comprising chitosan (CS) and certain biomolecules in particular, plant hormones such as 3-indole acetic acid (IAA), 4-chlorophenoxy acetic acid (CAA) and 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) are explored to realize proton-conducting bio-composite membranes for application in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The sorption capability, proton conductivity and ion-exchange capacity of the membranes are characterized in conjunction with their thermal and mechanical behaviour. A novel approach to measure the permeability of the membranes to both water and methanol is also reported, employing NMR imaging and volume localized NMR spectroscopy, using a two compartment permeability cell. A DMFC using CS-IAA composite membrane, operating with 2M aqueous methanol and air at 70 degrees C delivers a peak power density of 25 mW/cm(2) at a load current density of 150 mA/cm(2). The study opens up the use of bio-compatible membranes in polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells. (C) 2011 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.030111jes] All rights reserved.

A critical review on in situ reduction of graphene oxide during preparation of conducting polymeric nanocomposites

Graphene oxide (GO), prepared by chemical oxidation of graphite, serves as a building block for developing polymeric nanocomposites. However, their application in electrical conductivity is limited by the fact that the oxygen sites on GO trap electrons and impede charge transport. Conducting nanocomposites can be developed by reducing GO. Various strategies have been adopted to either reduce GO ex situ, before the composite preparation, or in situ during the development of the nanocomposites. The current state of research on in situ reduction of GO during the preparation of conducting polymeric nanocomposites is discussed in this review. The mechanism and the efficiency of reduction is discussed with respect to various strategies employed during the preparation of the nanocomposite, the type of polymer used, and the processing conditions employed, etc. Its overall effect on the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites is also discussed and the future outlook in this area is presented.

Ionic Liquids and Cellulose: Dissolution, Chemical Modification and Preparation of New Cellulosic Materials

Due to its abundance and a wide range of beneficial physical and chemical properties, cellulose has become very popular in order to produce materials for various applications. This review summarizes the recent advances in the development of new cellulose materials and technologies using ionic liquids. Dissolution of cellulose in ionic liquids has been used to develop new processing technologies, cellulose functionalization methods and new cellulose materials including blends, composites, fibers and ion gels.

Preparation of Microporous Membranes by Swift Heavy Ion Irradiation and Impedance Characterization

Polypropylene (PP) microporous membranes were successfully prepared by swift heavy ion irradiation and track-etching. Polypropylene foils were irradiated with Au-197 ions of kinetic energy 11.4 MeV.u(-1) (total energy of 2245.8 MeV) and fluence 1x10(8) ions.cm(-2) at normal incidence. The damaged regions produced by the gold ions along the trajectories were etched in H2SO4 and K2Cr2O7 solutions leading to the formation of cylindrical pores in the membranes. The pore diameters of the PP microporous membranes increased from 380 to 1610 nm as the etching time increased from 5 to 30 min. The surface and cross-section morphologies of the porous membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The micropores in the membranes were found to be cylindrical in shape, homogeneous in distribution, and equal in size. Some mathematical relations of the porosity of the PP microporous membranes were established by analytic derivation. The microporous membranes were used in lithium-ion batteries to measure their properties as separators. The electrical conductivity of the porous membrane immersed in liquid electrolyte was found to be comparable to that of commercial separators by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed that the porosity and electrical conductivity were dependent on the ion fluence and etching time. By adjusting these two factors, microporous membranes with good porosity and electrical conductivity were made that met the requirements for commercial use.

Methanol synthesis from CO2 using a silicone rubber/ceramic composite membrane reactor

A one-dimensional isothermal pseudo-homogeneous parallel flow model was developed for the methanol synthesis from CO2 in a silicone rubber/ceramic composite membrane reactor. The fourth-order Runge-Kutta method was adopted to simulate the process behaviors in the membrane reactor. How those parameters affect the reaction behaviors in the membrane reactor, such as Damkohler number Da, pressure ratio p(r), reaction temperature T, membrane separation factor alpha, membrane permeation parameter phi , as well as the non-uniform parameter of membrane permeation L-1, were discussed in detail. Parts of the theoretical results were tested and verified; the experimental results showed that the conversion of the main reaction in the membrane reactor increased by 22% against traditional fixed bed reactor, and the optimal non-uniform parameter of membrane permeation rate, L-1.opt ,does exist. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Preparation of A-type zeolite membranes on nonporous metal supports by using electrophoretic technique

A-type zeolite membranes were prepared on the nonporous metal supports by using electrophoretic technique. The as-synthesized membranes were characterized by XRD and SEM. The effect of the applied potential on the formation of the A-type zeolite membrane was investigated, and the formation mechanism of zeolite membrane in the electric field was discussed. The results showed that the negative charged zeolite particles could migrate to the anode metal surface homogenously and rapidly under the action of the applied electric field, consequently formed uniform and dense membranes in short time. The applied potential had great effect on the membrane formation, and more uniform and denser zeolite membranes were prepared on the nonporous metal supports with 1 V potential.

Preparation of nanoparticles of bipyridineruthenium and silicotungstate and application as electrochemiluminescence sensor

The novel nanoparticles, [Ru(bPY)(3)](2)SiW12O40 center dot 2H(2)O(2) were firstly synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and TEM. The nanoparticles were used to fabricate a chemically modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) by dispersing nanoparticles and graphite powder in silicone grease. Thus-prepared CPE shows bifunctional electrocatalytic activities towards the reduction of nitrite and the oxidation of oxalate, and exhibits sensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL).

Preparation of gold nanoparticles/functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites and its glucose biosensing application

Gold nanoparticles stabilized by amino-terminated ionic liquid (Au-IL) have been in situ noncovalently deposited on poly(sodium 4-styrene-sulfonate) (PSS)-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to form a MWCNTs/PSS/Au-IL nanocomposite. PSS can interact with MWCNTs through hydrophobic interaction. Amino-terminated ionic liquid was applied to reduce aqueous HAuCl4, and the resulting gold nanoparticles were attached to the PSS-functionalized MWCNTs simultaneously. Most gold nanoparticles dispersed well on the functionalized MWCNTs. Transmission electron microscopy, Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to confirm the composition and structure of the nanocomposites. The resulting MWCNTs/PSS/Au-IL composite exhibits good electrocatalysis toward oxygen and hydrogen peroxide reduction.

Preparation of TiO2, CeO2, and ZrO2 hierarchical structures in "one-pot" reactions

In this paper, a novel template of carbon foam is used in building hierarchical structures of TiO2, CeO2, and ZrO2. They had multiscale morphologies, from nanowalls, nanoparticles to layer nanostructures. Oil a hundred-micron scale, the product was a sponge-like material constructed by nanowalls. On a hundred-nanometer scale, the electron microscope images showed that the nanowalls were porous and assembled by polycrystalline nanoparticles. Meanwhile, on one nanometer scale, many nanoparticles exhibited layer nanostructures with about 1.1 run of thickness and spacing. In mechanism section, the process analysis and characterizations suggested that the hierarchical structures were the combined result of two templates in a "one-pot" reaction. The mesoporous nanowalls were derived from carbon foams, while the layer nanostructures were the replicas of graphite sheets. The method has potential utilizations in preparation of various adsorbent and catalyst.