Porous materials and mediums such as activated carbon and membranes have been playing a vital role in catalyzing chemical reactions and removing notoriously harmful environmental contaminants. Given the growing population and the rising initiatives to significantly reduce pollution by 2050, the global scientific community continues to remain interested in coming up with low-cost, innovative yet sustainable microparticles to break high energy demand of chemical processes. In the attempt to create a novel adsorbent, this research investigates the performance of polymethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a polymer-inspired adsorbent for lead (Pb) in water. Manganese oxide is also added to the PDMS structures at mass compositions of 0 percent to 10 percent to improve reactivity. Once pyrolyzed, the PDMS samples are characterized by using various technical analysis tools such as nitrogen isotherms, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to visualize and understand morphology and crystallinity. Visual data shows that the samples are very microporous and slightly amorphous as induced by manganese oxide. As the amount of Mn increases, adsorption capacity (mg Pb/mg adsorbent) also increases, supporting the dominant presence of micropores in PDMS membranes. Adsorption kinetic model, such as pseudo-second-order (PSO), is used to demonstrate the mechanistic pathways as well as temperature influence on lead uptake capacities in deionized water. The research provides a learning opportunity to strengthen the understanding of polymeric membranes as a potential candidate for the development of novel nanomaterials. It engages the student researcher to utilize personal analytical and technical skills as well as their knowledge to perform a well-rounded research that examines multiple aspects of the polymeric membrane as an adsorbent for water pollutants.
Author: John Nguyen, Chemical Engineering and Energy
Advisor: Catherine Almquist, Chemical, Paper and Biomedical Engineering
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