ORCID Profile
0000-0001-9398-6355
Current Organisations
Chonbuk National University
,
University of Technology Sydney
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Environmental Engineering | Environmental Technologies | Fertilisers and Agrochemicals (Application etc.)
Organic Fertilisers | Physical and Chemical Conditions of Water in Fresh, Ground and Surface Water Environments (excl. Urban and Industrial Use) | Expanding Knowledge in Technology |
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 02-2018
Abstract: In this study, composite membranes were fabricated via layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of negatively charged silica aerogel (SiA) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (FTCS) on a polyvinylidene fluoride phase inversion membrane and interconnecting them with positively charged poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) via electrostatic interaction. The results showed that the PDDA-SiA-FTCS coated membrane had significantly enhanced the membrane structure and properties. New trifluoromethyl and tetrafluoroethylene bonds appeared at the surface of the coated membrane, which led to lower surface free energy of the composite membrane. Additionally, the LBL membrane showed increased surface roughness. The improved structure and property gave the LBL membrane an omniphobic property, as indicated by its good wetting resistance. The membrane performed a stable air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) flux of 11.22 L/m
Publisher: Korean Society of Environmental Engineering
Date: 20-01-2020
DOI: 10.4491/EER.2019.523
Abstract: The production of the existing nitrogen fertilizer is costly and less environmental-friendly. Various green technologies are currently emerging toward providing alternative options. In this study, a liquid/liquid hydrophobic hollow-fiber membrane contactor was employed at ambient temperature and natural urine pH ~ 9.7 to recover ammonium fertilizers from human urine. Results showed that permeate side chemistry was one of the major factors affecting the ammonia mass transfer. The study on the ammonia capturing performance of diluted sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and DI water confirmed that acid type, acid concentration, and permeate side operating pH were the most important parameters affecting the ammonia capturing tendency. Sulfuric acid was slightly better in capturing more ammonia than other acid types. The study also identified increasing acid concentration didn’t necessarily increase ammonia mining tendency because there was always one optimum concentration value at which maximum ammonia extraction was possible. The best permeate side operating pH to extract ammonia for fertilizer purposes was selected based on the dissociation equilibrium of different types of acids. Accordingly, the analysis showed that the membrane process has to be operated at pH 3 for sulfuric acid, between 3.5 to 11.5 for phosphoric acid, and above 0.5 for nitric acid so as to produce their respective high-quality liquid ammonium sulfate, ammonium monophosphate/diphosphate, and ammonium nitrate fertilizer. Therefore, permeate side acid concentration, pH, and acid type has to always be critically optimized before starting the ammonia mining experiment.
Publisher: Desalination Publications
Date: 2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2012
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.05.393
Abstract: Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), with its high reactivity towards a broad range of contaminants, has been a promising material for groundwater remediation. Membrane-supported nZVI can both avoid nZVI agglomeration for better reactivity and recycle nZVI to lower the risk of secondary pollution. In this study, we successfully fabricated a PVDF-GO membrane via electrospinning technology and employed the functionalized nanofiber membrane to immobilize nZVI particles. The addition of GO into PVDF nanofibers can both increase the hydrophilicity to improve membrane flux and offer -COOH as a binder to immobilize nZVI particles. PVDF-GO-nZVI membranes with different GO loadings (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 3% of PVDF) were tested with two typical nZVI-targeted contaminants (Cd(II) and trichloroethylene (TCE)) via gravity-driven membrane filtration. The results show that membrane with 1% GO had the best nZVI distribution against the aggregation and a better performance in both Cd removal (100%) and TCE removal (82%). The nZVI membrane had a high flux in gravity-driven filtration at 255 LMH for Cd(II) and 265 LMH for TCE respectively. Generally, the developed PVDF-GO-nZVI electrospun nanofiber membrane had an excellent performance in the gravity-driven membrane filtration system for groundwater remediation.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2013
Publisher: American Scientific Publishers
Date: 02-2011
Abstract: This paper presents an investigation on the deposition behavior of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and bacteria on titanium and gold surfaces using an electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance (EQCN). The tests included alkanethiol and alkanesilane and three bacteria, namely: E. coli, P. fluorescens and K. aerogenes. The mass change with respect to immersion time was measured by EQCN. The results showed SAM formation on both titanium and gold surfaces, but SAM formation on gold was generally higher by 26-74% as compared to that of titanium. On the other hand, bacteria also adhered well on the two metal surfaces. E. coli and P. fluorescens had high affinity on gold and titanium surfaces, respectively, while K. aerogenes was more adherent to titanium. The results showed that titanium and gold are good metals for biomaterials yet at the same time, their bioinert property provide excellent condition for bacterial adhesion. Therefore, there is a need for proper surface preparation to optimize the use of titanium and gold as biomaterials.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2013
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.2478/S11696-013-0387-8
Abstract: Laboratory corrosion immersion tests were carried out to investigate the effectiveness of a physical water treatment (PWT) using zinc and ceramic tourmaline-based catalytic materials for the control of carbon steel corrosion in acidic still water (i.e., pH 4.5–5). The tests were carried out at different water temperatures over 168 h. Our results showed a maximum of 22 % reduction in the corrosion rate using PWT in comparison with the control case. Furthermore, the corrosion products depicted more agglomerated particles after the PWT treatment. In both cases, differences were observed in the crystal structures, showing in general lower corrosion activity when PWT was used. The present results could find potential applications in water distribution systems and where metallic materials are exposed to stagnant acidic water.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2022
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2012
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 18-10-2012
Abstract: This paper presents the design and development of a robust electrospinning set-up for the processing of polymer composites at the nanoscale. A robotic-controlled movable dual-nozzle (keeping the rotating collector at a fixed position) set-up with two power supplies is presented for nanocomposite electrospinning. We studied the effect of different angles between two nozzles on the physicochemical properties of composite PU/PA6 electrospun mats obtained from this electrospining set-up. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the mats indicated that the diameter of the nanofibers and their evenness was affected by the angle between the nozzles. The effect of angle (between the nozzles) on the mechanical strength of the composite mats was also evaluated. The hybrid mat obtained from the dual- nozzle system was found to be mechanically stronger than the in idual fibrous mat. Furthermore, the mechanical strength of the composite mat could be increased by decreasing the angle between the tips of the nozzles.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2018.11.009
Abstract: The effects of bioreactor temperatures and salinities of an anaerobic membrane distillation bioreactor (anMDBR) on the permeation performance and their potential recovery of bioresources were fully examined in this study. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of a lab-scale anMDBR process utilizing sub-merged hollow fiber membranes. The hybrid system utilizing both membrane distillation (MD) and anaerobic bioreactors achieved 99.99% inorganic salt rejection regardless the operation temperatures and high initial flux from (2-4 L m
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2022.134394
Abstract: Interfacial solar water evaporation has attracted tremendous attention for sunlight harvesting for water purification. However, salt formation and stability of the photothermal materials (PTMs) remain a challenge that need addressing before bringing this technology to real-world applications. In this work, a nanoscale thin film of gold (Au) on a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane has been prepared using a magnetic sputtering technique. The fabricated membrane displays a robust mechanical strength and chemical stability arising from the adhesiveness of the thin film Au nanolayer on the PTFE membrane as well as the chemical inertness of the noble metal PTM. The Au nanolayer/PTFE membrane with cellulose sponge substrate resulted in an evaporation rate of 0.88 kg m
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 03-02-2023
DOI: 10.3390/MEMBRANES13020191
Abstract: In this work, inkjet printing technology was used to print a thin layer of a hydrophilic solution containing polydopamine as a binder and polyethyleneimine as a strong hydrophilic agent on a commercial hydrophobic membrane to produce a Janus membrane for membrane distillation. The pristine and modified membranes were tested in a direct-contact membrane distillation system with mineral oil-containing feedwater. The results revealed that an integrated and homogenous hydrophilic layer was printed on the membrane with small intrusions in the pores. The membrane, which contained three layers of inkjet-printed hydrophilic layers, showed a high underwater oil contact angle and a low in-air water contact angle. One-layer inkjet printing was not robust enough, but the triple-layer coated modified membrane maintained its anti-oil fouling performance even for a feed solution containing 70 g/L NaCl and 0.01 v/v% mineral oil concentration with a flux of around 20 L/m2h. This study implies the high potential of the inkjet printing technique as a facile surface modification strategy to improve membrane performance.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2013
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 14-11-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2007
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2015
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2017
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 19-03-2008
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2014
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 02-02-2021
Abstract: In this study, anatase titania was utilized to prepare a durable photocatalytic paint with substantially enhanced photoactivity towards NO oxidation. Consequently, to alleviate the choking effect of photocatalytic paint and incorporate self-cleaning properties, the parent anatase titania was modified with Al(OH)3 and a number of organosilane (tetraethyl orthosilicate, propyltrimethoxysilane, triethoxy(octadecyl)silane, and trimethylchlorosilane) coatings. A facile hydrolysis approach in ethanol was employed to coat the parent titania. To facilitate uniform dispersion in photocatalytic paint and strong bonding with the prevailing organic matrix, it is necessary to avail both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions on the titania surface. Therefore, during the preparation of modified titania, the weight proportion of the total weight of alkyl silane and trimethylchlorosilane was adjusted to a ratio of 1:1. As the parent titania has few hydrophilic portions on the surface, tetraethyl orthosilicate was coated with an organic silane having an extended alkyl group as a hydrophobic group and tetraethyl orthosilicate as a hydrophilic group. When these two silane mixtures are hydrolyzed simultaneously and coated on the surface of parent titania, a portion containing a large amount of tetraethyl orthosilicate becomes hydrophilic, and a part containing an alkyl silane becomes hydrophobic. The surface morphology and the modified titania’s optical attributes were assessed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis. Based on the advanced characterizations, the NO removal mechanism of the modified titania is reported. The modified titania coated at 20 wt.% on the ceramic substrate was found to remove ~18% of NO under one h of UV irradiation. An extensive UV durability test was also carried out, whereby the coated surface with modified titania was exposed to 350 W/m2 of UV irradiance for 2 weeks. The results indicated that the coated surface appeared to preserve the self-cleaning property even after oil spraying. Hence, facile hydrolysis of multiple organosilane in ethanol could be a viable approach to design the coating on anatase titania for the fabrication of durable photoactive paint.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2014
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2022
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
Publisher: American Scientific Publishers
Date: 07-2015
Abstract: In the past few years, silica-modified titania has drawn increasing attention due to their special properties making them ideal candidates for a wide range of applications. In this study, we report a novel method for the synthesis of silica-modified titania by a sol-gel method using sodium silicate solution (1 M). The hydrolysis and condensation reactions of titanium dioxide (TiO2, Degussa Aeroxide® P25) in sodium silicate solution proceeded with citric acid (3 M) as a catalyst. The orbital shaking method was followed for the removal of sodium salt formed during the sol-gel process. Solvent exchange was carried out using methanol and hexane. Finally, chemical modification of the gel was conducted using trimethylchlorosilane followed by ambient pressure drying. The obtained silica-modified titania was characterised for nanostructural analysis using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements were employed to investigate the BET surface area, pore structure and pore volume of specimens. Thermal gravimetric analysis showed exothermic peaks at temperature range of 90-190 °C representing the oxidation of organic groups from--Si-R network. The silica-modified titania showed high photocatalytic activity and an easy recovery using crystal violet as model water pollutant.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2010
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 20-01-2015
Publisher: American Scientific Publishers
Date: 05-2016
Abstract: Solar photocatalytic degradation of organic water pollutants can be used to degrade toxic organic pollutants in water. In this study, potassium titanate nanofibres were synthesized by an aqueous peroxide route at high pH and examined as photocatalysts for photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) using a solar simulator. Initially, MB was adsorbed on the surface of potassium polytitanates to achieve adsorption equilibrium before the photocatalysts were illuminated using solar simulator. The results showed that potassium polytitanate nanofibres were effective adsorbents of MB and also facilitated its photocatalytic degradation. Sulphate ion evolution during photocatalysis confirmed that some mineralisation occurred and hence photo-oxidative degradation of MB took place. The optimum operational conditions for the photocatalytic degradation of MB were found at 0.05 g/L of photocatalyst load, 10 mg/L MB and pH 7. The stability and regeneration of the photocatalyst specimen was also studied for 3 degradation cycles using adsorption hotocatalysis model. Morphological structure analysis of potassium titanate showed nanocrystallines structure of longitudinally-oriented isolated fibre with a length up to several micrometres with diameters ranging from 10 to 20 nanometres.
Publisher: Trans Tech Publications, Ltd.
Date: 12-2013
DOI: 10.4028/WWW.SCIENTIFIC.NET/AMM.465-466.852
Abstract: This study investigated the influence of electrospun polyurethane mats containing different contents of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) stacked in between basalt fabric layers to form a composite laminate. The composite laminate was fabricated using a vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process. Flexural test were carried out to investigate the strength and stiffness of composites for each configuration, while the failure characteristics were observed using a field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis. The results showed that flexural strength and stiffness of the hybrid composites with increasing CNT content in polyurethane (PU) nanofiber were increased by 6.5% and 17.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the addition of surfactants for the dispersion of CNTs in nanofibers significantly improved the flexural property of the composite interply basalt fabric-CNT/PU laminates. This study proved that the use of multi-scale reinforcement fillers with good and homogeneous dispersion increased the mechanical performance of the composite.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2023
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 24-04-2023
DOI: 10.3390/MEMBRANES13050460
Abstract: Thermally localized solar-driven water evaporation (SWE) in recent years has increasingly been developed due to the potential of cost-efficient freshwater production from small-scale portable devices. In particular, the multistage SWE has attracted much attention as the systems possess mostly a simple foundational structure and high solar-to-thermal conversion output rates, enough to produce freshwater from 1.5 L m−2h−1 (LMH) to 6 LMH. In this study, the currently designed multistage SWE devices were reviewed and examined based on their unique characteristics as well as their performances in freshwater production. The main distinguishing factors in these systems were the condenser staging design and the spectrally selective absorbers either in a form of high solar absorbing material, photovoltaic (PV) cells for water and electricity co-production, and coupling of absorber and solar concentrator. Other elements of the devices involved differences such as the direction of water flow, the number of layers constructed, and the materials used for each layer of the system. The key factors to consider for these systems include the heat and mass transport in the device, solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency, gain output ratio (representing how many times the latent heat has been reused), water production rate/number of stages, and kWh/number of stages. It was evident that most of the studied devices involved slightly different mechanisms and material compositions to draw out higher efficiency rates from the current limitations. The reviewed designs showed the ability to be adopted into small-scale solar desalination allowing for accessibility of sufficient freshwater in needing regions.
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2019
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 16-07-2018
DOI: 10.20944/PREPRINTS201807.0279.V1
Abstract: Electrospun nanofiber-supported thin film composite membranes are among the most promising membranes for seawater desalination via forward osmosis. In this study, a high-performance electrospun polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) nanofiber-supported TFC membrane was successfully fabricated after molecular layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition. Negatively-charged electrospun polyacrylic acid (PAA) nanofibers were deposited on electrospun PVDF nanofibers to form a support layer consisted of PVDF and PAA nanofibers. This resulted to a more hydrophilic support compared to the plain PVDF nanofiber support. The PVDF-PAA nanofiber support then underwent a layer-by-layer deposition of polyethylenimine (PEI) and PAA to form a polyelectrolyte layer on the nanofiber surface prior to interfacial polymerization, which forms the selective polyamide layer of TFC membranes. The resultant PVDF-LbL TFC membrane exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity and porosity, without sacrificing mechanical strength. As a result, it showed high pure water permeability and low structural parameter values of 4.12 Lm& minus h& minus bar& minus and 221 & micro m, respectively, significantly better compared to commercial FO membrane. Layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolyte is therefore a useful and practical modification method for fabrication of high performance nanofiber-supported TFC membrane.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-07-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2015.05.011
Abstract: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are currently one of the most prolifically used nanomaterials, resulting in an increasing likelihood of release to the environment. This is of concern as the potential toxicity of TiO2 NPs has been investigated in several recent studies. Research into their fate and behaviour once entering the environment is urgently needed to support risk assessment and policy development. In this study, we used a multi-method approach combining light scattering and field-flow fractionation techniques to assess both the aggregation behaviour and aggregate structure of TiO2 NPs in different river waters. Results showed that both the aggregate size and surface-adsorbed dissolved organic matter (DOM) were strongly related to the initial DOM concentration of the tested waters (i.e. R(2) > 0.90) suggesting that aggregation of TiO2 NPs is controlled by the presence and concentration of DOM. The conformation of the formed aggregates was also found to be strongly related to the surface-adsorbed DOM (i.e. R(2) > 0.95) with increasing surface-adsorbed DOM leading to more compact structures. Finally, the concentration of TiO2 NPs remaining in the supernatant after sedimentation of the larger aggregates was found to decrease proportionally with both increasing IS and decreasing DOM concentration, resulting in more than 95% sedimentation in the highest IS s le.
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2017
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 14-07-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.JHAZMAT.2021.126919
Abstract: The feasibility of preparing TiO
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Date: 08-11-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2022
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2016
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 22-04-2020
Abstract: The purpose of the study was to effectively treat algae bloomed water while using a Ti-based coagulant (TiCl4) and recover photoactive novel anatase TiO2 from the flocculated sludge. Conventional jar tests were conducted in order to evaluate the coagulation efficiency, and TiCl4 was found superior compared to commercially available poly aluminum chloride (PAC). At a dose of 0.3 g Ti/L, the removal rate of turbidity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total phosphorus (TP) were measured as 99.8%, 66.7%, and 96.9%, respectively. Besides, TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were recovered from the flocculated sludge and scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of only anatase phase. The recovered TiO2 was found to be effective in removing gaseous CH3CHO and NOx under UV-A l at a light intensity of 10 W/m2. Additionally, the TiO2 mixed mortar blocks that were prepared in this study successfully removed atmospheric nitrogen oxide (NOx) under UV irradiance. This study is one of the first to prepare anatase TiO2 from flocculated algal sludge and it showed promising results. Further research on this novel TiO2 concerning internal chemical bonds and shift in the absorbance spectrum could explore several practical implications.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2020
Publisher: Universitas PGRI Semarang
Date: 30-04-2021
Abstract: Solar-driven interfacial water evaporation (SWE) is considered as a promising sustainable solution for clean water production especially for remote and off-grid communities. Various approaches have been developed in the last decade to improve the evaporation and thermal efficiency of the system, and to make it more robust for long-term operation. In recent years, 3D printing has emerged as an attractive method to fabricate simple and complex absorber geometries for SWE. In this mini-review, we present the new developments of 3D-printed solar absorbers including the various designs, fabrication strategies, challenges and opportunities. This study hopes to provide more insights into the use of additive manufacturing for improving the absorber design and performance of SWE.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.JHAZMAT.2014.11.003
Abstract: Adsorption of natural organic matter, aggregation and disaggregation have been identified as three of the main processes affecting the fate and behaviour of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in aquatic environments. However, although several methods have been developed to study the aggregation behaviour of ENPs in natural waters, there are only a few studies focusing on the fate of such aggregates and their potential disaggregation behaviour. In this study, we proposed and demonstrated a simple method for characterising the aggregation behaviour and aggregate structure of ENPs in different natural waters. Both the aggregate size of ENPs and their adsorption capacity for dissolved organic matter (DOM) were strongly related (R(2)>0.97, p 0.95, p<.05) to the amount of DOM adsorbed by the ENPs during the aggregation process. Under high ionic strength conditions, aggregation is mainly governed by diffusion and the aggregates formed under these conditions showed the lowest stability and fractal dimension, forming linear, chain-like aggregates. In contrast, under low ionic strength conditions, the aggregate structure was more compact, most likely due to strong chemical binding with DOM and bridging mechanisms involving alent cations formed during reaction-limited aggregation.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2022
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2017
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-2014
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 30-09-2009
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2012
Publisher: CRC Press
Date: 30-08-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2006
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.JES.2014.09.020
Abstract: Potassium titanate nanostructures were synthesised by hydrothermal treatment of TiO2 (P25) in KOH and H2O2. As-produced powders were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption methods. Longitudinally-oriented-wire-like structures with a length up to several micrometres and diameters ranging from 10 to 30 nm were obtained. Larger size fibrous nanowires resulting from the hydrothermal treatment showed high affinity in adsorbing crystal violet (CV), which was mainly due to their high surface area. The photocatalytic bleaching of CV solution revealed that the wires are photoactive under ultraviolet light irradiation. Macroporous nanowires are considered as effective adsorbents of CV, capable of photocatalytic degradation, and they can be easily separated from the solution by settling.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2016.02.023
Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of powdered activated carbon (PAC) on the overall performance of a submerged membrane bioreactor (SMBR) system integrated with nanofiltration (NF) for wastewater reclamation. It was found that the trans-membrane pressure of SMBR increased continuously while that of the SMBR with PAC was more stable, mainly because water could still pass through the PACs and membrane even though foulants adhered on the PAC surface. The presence of PAC was able to mitigate fouling in SMBR as well as in NF. SMBR-NF with PAC obtained a higher flux of 8.1 LMH compared to that without PAC (6.6 LMH). In addition, better permeate quality was obtained with SMBR-NF integrated process added with PAC. The present results suggest that the addition of PAC in integrated SMBR-NF process could possibly lead to satisfying water quality and can be operated for a long-term duration.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2021
Publisher: American Scientific Publishers
Date: 02-2016
Abstract: Potassium polytitanate nanofibres prepared by a hydrothermal method were investigated for their possible application in removing toxic metals from aqueous solution. Particular attention was paid to employing the titanate as a novel effective adsorbent for the removal of Pb(II). Batch adsorption experiments demonstrated that the adsorption was influenced by various conditions such as solution pH, adsorbent dosage and initial Pb(II) concentration. The results showed that the adsorption rate was faster in the first 5 min and equilibrium was achieved after 180 min. The maximum amount of adsorption was detected at pH 5. Potassium titanate showed much higher adsorption capacity compared to P25. The kinetic studies indicated that the adsorption of Pb(II) onto titanate best fit the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. FTIR spectra revealed that the hydroxyl groups in titanate were responsible for Pb(II) adsorption. The principal mechanism of the adsorption of Pb(II) in the present study is attributed to both ion exchange and oxygen bonding. The adsorption-desorption results demonstrated that the titanate could be readily regenerated after adsorption. Therefore, the present titanate exhibits great potential for the removal of Pb(II) from wastewater.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2013
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 19-11-2020
Abstract: Titania nanotube was prepared from sludge generated TiO2 (S-TNT) through a modified hydrothermal route and successfully composited with graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) through a simple calcination step. Advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV/visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence analysis were utilized to characterize the prepared s les. A significant improvement in morphological and optical bandgap was observed. The effective surface area of the prepared composite increased threefold compared with sludge generated TiO2. The optical bandgap was narrowed to 3.00 eV from 3.18 in the pristine sludge generated TiO2 nanotubes. The extent of photoactivity of the prepared composites was investigated through photooxidation of NOx in a continuous flow reactor. Because of extended light absorption of the as-prepared composite, under visible light, 19.62% of NO removal was observed. On the other hand, under UV irradiation, owing to bandgap narrowing, although the light absorption was compromised, the impact on photoactivity was compensated by the increased effective surface area of 153.61 m2/g. Hence, under UV irradiance, the maximum NO removal was attained as 32.44% after 1 h of light irradiation. The proposed facile method in this study for the heterojunction of S-TNT and g-CN could significantly contribute to resource recovery from water treatment plants and photocatalytic atmospheric pollutant removal.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2022
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2022
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2012
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 11-11-2014
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2014.454
Abstract: Manufactured nanoparticles (MNPs) are increasingly released into the environment and thus research on their fate and behaviour in complex environmental s les is urgently needed. The fate of MNPs in the aquatic environment will mainly depend on the physico-chemical characteristics of the medium. The presence and concentration of natural organic matter (NOM) will play a significant role on the stability of MNPs by either decreasing or exacerbating the aggregation phenomenon. In this study, we firstly investigated the effect of NOM concentration on the aggregation behaviour of manufactured Fe-oxide nanoparticles. Then, the stability of the coated nanoparticles was assessed under relevant environmental conditions. Flow field-flow fractionation, an emerging method which is gaining popularity in the field of nanotechnology, has been employed and results have been compared to another size-measurement technique to provide increased confidence in the outcomes. Results showed enhanced stability when the nanoparticles are coated with NOM, which was due to electrosteric stabilisation. However, the presence of alent cations, even at low concentration (i.e. less than 1 mM) was found to induce aggregation of NOM-coated nanoparticles via bridging mechanisms between NOM and Ca2+.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2006
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2022.135294
Abstract: In this study, a comprehensive model was developed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and the behaviour of a direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) system was investigated at hypersaline feedwater conditions. The effects of various operating parameters including feed and permeate velocities, temperatures and salinities, as well as different membrane characteristics like thickness, porosity, and thermal conductivity were studied. The developed simulation model was also validated using experimental data. The results showed that the membrane conductivity and thickness had a significant impact on the DCMD performance, and the optimum operational condition was necessary to be determined. The results showed that increasing the feedwater salinity from 50 to 200 g/l decreased the membrane flux by up to 33%, while a four times decrease in thermal conductivity of the membrane could lead to an increase in the membrane flux from 11.2 to 32.4 l/m
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2022.135293
Abstract: Azithromycin (AZIM) is considered as one of the most frequently prescribed antibiotics (ABs) in the world by medical professionals. This study explored, two novel, cheap and environmentally beneficial adsorbents i.e., alkali treated water hyacinth powder (AT-WHP) and graphene oxide-water hyacinth-polyvinyl alcohol (GO-WH-PVA) composite, fabricated from water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) waste to remediate AZIM from wastewater. Biosorption experiments were performed by batch and packed-bed column studies and the adsorbents were characterized using various instrumental methods. The morpho-chemical profile of the adsorbents suggested noteworthy AZIM adsorption. AZIM adsorption data can be reasonably explained by pseudo second order (PSO) kinetic model with maximum regression coefficient (R
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2006
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2019.05.049
Abstract: This study aimed at improving membrane distillation (MD) performance by mixing various non-solvents (NSs) in polymer dope solutions. The effect of each NS on the inner structure and surface morphology of hollow fiber (HF) membrane was investigated. Membrane morphology is manipulated by controlling liquid-liquid (L-L) and solid-liquid (S-L) demixing time, which is a function of the viscosity and water affinity of dope solutions. Consequently, the addition of NSs altered membrane morphology by affecting the diffusion rate during NS induced phase separation (NIPS) process. The performance results showed that the dope solution composed of 11/71.2/17.8 wt% polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/triethyl phosphate (TEP)/toluene produced the most promising HF membrane for MD. The optimal membrane demonstrated a unique bicontinuous structure with increased porosity and mean pore size. The addition of toluene as NS in dope solutions enhanced crystallization process, which increased the Young's modulus of membrane but slightly decreased its maximum tensile strength at break. The optimal PVDF HF membrane demonstrated a steady flux of 18.9 LMH at 60 °C/20 °C of feed ermeate temperatures and a salt rejection of 99.99% when tested for 72 h. The results suggest that incorporation of toluene as a NS into PVDF dope solutions can increase permeation performance in MD by enhancing the morphology of HF membranes.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2019.109521
Abstract: This study focused on the preparation of undoped and Ca-doped titania from flocculation generated sludge. Initially, TiCl
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2022
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-11-2012
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 28-08-2020
DOI: 10.3390/MEMBRANES10090204
Abstract: Nanofibers are one of the most attractive materials in various applications due to their unique properties and promising characteristics for the next generation of materials in the fields of energy, environment, and health. Among the many fabrication methods, electrospinning is one of the most efficient technologies which has brought about remarkable progress in the fabrication of nanofibers with high surface area, high aspect ratio, and porosity features. However, neat nanofibers generally have low mechanical strength, thermal instability, and limited functionalities. Therefore, composite and modified structures of electrospun nanofibers have been developed to improve the advantages of nanofibers and overcome their drawbacks. The combination of electrospinning technology and high-quality nanomaterials via materials science advances as well as new modification techniques have led to the fabrication of composite and modified nanofibers with desired properties for different applications. In this review, we present the recent progress on the fabrication and applications of electrospun nanofiber composites to sketch a progress line for advancements in various categories. Firstly, the different methods for fabrication of composite and modified nanofibers have been investigated. Then, the current innovations of composite nanofibers in environmental, healthcare, and energy fields have been described, and the improvements in each field are explained in detail. The continued growth of composite and modified nanofiber technology reveals its versatile properties that offer alternatives for many of current industrial and domestic issues and applications.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 12-01-2017
DOI: 10.3390/APP7010078
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 25-08-2018
Abstract: Electrospun nanofiber-supported thin film composite membranes are among the most promising membranes for seawater desalination via forward osmosis. In this study, a high-performance electrospun polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) nanofiber-supported thin film composite (TFC) membrane was successfully fabricated after molecular layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition. Negatively-charged electrospun polyacrylic acid (PAA) nanofibers were deposited on electrospun PVDF nanofibers to form a support layer consisted of PVDF and PAA nanofibers. This resulted to a more hydrophilic support compared to the plain PVDF nanofiber support. The PVDF-PAA nanofiber support then underwent a layer-by-layer deposition of polyethylenimine (PEI) and PAA to form a polyelectrolyte layer on the nanofiber surface prior to interfacial polymerization, which forms the selective polyamide layer of TFC membranes. The resultant PVDF-LbL TFC membrane exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity and porosity, without sacrificing mechanical strength. As a result, it showed high pure water permeability and low structural parameter values of 4.12 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and 221 µm, respectively, significantly better compared to commercial FO membrane. Layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolyte is therefore a useful and practical modification method for fabrication of high performance nanofiber-supported TFC membrane.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.COLSURFB.2012.08.032
Abstract: Polyamide-6 nanofibers containing calcium lactate (CL) on their surface were prepared by neutralization of lactic acid (LA) in core-shell structured polyamide-6/LA electrospun fibers. First, simple blending of LA with polyamide-6 solution was used for electrospinning which interestingly formed a thin LA layer around polyamide-6 nanofibers (core-shell structure) and then subsequent conversion of this LA into calcium lactate via neutralization using calcium base. FE-SEM and TEM images revealed that plasticizer capacity of LA led the formation of point-bonded structure due to the formation of shell layer of LA and core of polyamide-6. The bone formation ability of polyamide-6/calcium lactate composite fibers was evaluated by incubating in biomimetic simulated body fluid (SBF). The SBF incubation test confirmed the faster deposition of large amount of calcium phosphate around the composite polyamide-6/calcium lactate fibers compared to pristine polyamide-6. This study demonstrated a simple post electrospinning calcium compound coating technique of polymeric nanofibers for enhancing the bone biocompatibility of polyamide-6 fibers.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.COLSURFB.2014.10.009
Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of particle size and other injection factors on the skin penetration of nanoparticles delivered with a needle-free injector. Experimental and simulation tests were carried out at various parameters. In addition to testing different sizes of nanoparticles, we also observed the effects of several injection pressures and syringe orifice diameters (SOD) on the dispersion pattern of the nanoparticles after injection. Our results showed that as the nanoparticle size increased from 45 nm to 452 nm, the resulting puncture opening, channel diameter, and depth of the nanoparticle dispersion decreased, but the width of the dispersion increased. Conversely, as the SOD increased, the puncture opening, channel diameter, and depth of the dispersion increased, but width of the dispersion decreased. Increasing the injection pressure also decreased the size, depth, and width of the puncture opening. These results identify how these three parameters affect nanoparticle delivery from a needle-free injector therefore, our findings will be beneficial for optimization and further study of needle-free injectors as a mechanism for transdermal delivery of nanoparticles.
Start Date: 2014
End Date: 12-2016
Amount: $155,709.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 07-2022
End Date: 07-2026
Amount: $2,062,428.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity