Functionalized Microporous Membranes and Bimetallic Nanoparticle Synthesis for Environmental Applications
Multi-scale and/or multi-disciplinary approach to process-product innovation
Keynote Lectures: Theme-3
Keywords: Nanotechnology, Metals; Reaction, Nano-assembly,Chloroorganic
(Keynote Speaker)Functionalized Microporous Membranes and Bimetallic Nanoparticle Synthesis for Environmental Applications
Prof. D. Bhattacharyya (Keynote Speaker)*, J. Xu, Y. Tee
Dept. of Chemical and Materials Engineering
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
USA
*Email: db@engr.uky.edu
Membrane processes are finding wide applications ranging from water treatment to reactors to selective separations. The development of tunable (singe layer and multi-layer assembly in pores) membranes provide added opportunities in permeate flux and separation selectivity control. The attachment of selected types of polypeptides and the in-situ synthesis of nanoparticles in membranes allows highly effective separations at low pressures and toxic organic destruction at room temperature. For example, the use of polypeptides with helix-coil transitions allows nano-domain interactions in membrane pores for selective environmental separations (using layer-by-layer nano-assembly in pores), for the capture of various toxic metals, and for enzymatic reactions. Electrostatic LBL assembly in pores is achieved through alternate adsorption of cationic and anionic poly-aminoacids under convective flow conditions. The presentation will include the role of nano-domain interactions for selective separations, polypeptide assembly in membrane pores for environmental applications, synthesis of nano-structured metals (bimetallic systems) in membrane domain for dechlorination. The study of reductive dechlorination technology involved the synthesis of hybrid materials containing bimetallic (Fe/Ni, Fe/Pd) iron-based nanoparticles using either functionalization and ion-exchange principles or phase-inversion membrane processing. We synthesized and immobilized bimetallic nanoparticles with controlled diameters < 30 nm using membrane-based supports (such as PVDF and Chitosan). In addition to the rapid degradation (by Fe/Ni) of TCE (trichloroethylene) to ethane, we were also able to achieve complete dechlorination of selected chloro-biphenyls (PCBs) using milligram quantities immobilized Fe/Pd nanoparticles in membrane domain. The research is funded by NIEHS.
Presented Wednesday 19, 17:05 to 17:45, in session Keynote Lectures: Theme-3 (T3-K2).
