Engineering Soils with Thermally Controlled Wettability on Command

本研究的主题是功能化土壤，其润湿性行为是可切换的和完全可逆的，由热能控制，以扩展天然土壤的单一功能。热响应聚合物作为一种涂层材料，在土壤表面施加可调的润湿性。天然土壤和颗粒介质的表面润湿性对污染物在地下的流动、孔隙中有机质的命运和运移以及分离技术都有很大的影响。修复技术和自然表现的研究需要对颗粒和参与流体之间的界面相互作用有基本的了解。该研究的重点是发现与可调工程土壤相关的创新工程含义。该研究的主要重点是研究引起宏观尺度响应的颗粒级机制，然后使用最先进的聚合方法合成热响应性聚合物包覆土壤。利用光谱学和显微观察对涂层表面的纳米结构进行表征。颗粒-流体相互作用的界面行为反过来将通过光学检测阐明可调土壤颗粒对温度变化引发的流体的选择性亲和力。接触角和润湿性的测量将界面行为与定量值联系起来。功能化土壤的力学和物理特性对温度变化的响应将通过控制实验进行评估。然后，将不混相流体分离，以验证可调土壤的性能。这种土工材料的潜在影响和可扩展性包括智能水文屏障和颗粒过滤器，以分离不混溶流体和控制土壤中的微生物。教育活动与研究直接相关，旨在使K-12和本科生受益。PI将积极参与大学范围内的推广计划，并让一名本科生参与支持研究活动。根据研究成果开发的短期课程模块将适用于本系目前提供的本科和研究生课程。智力优势：本研究扩展了智能材料的使用，通过跨学科的方法来改善天然土壤的功能。土壤表面的纳米级修饰将通过粒子级的解释提升到宏观尺度的表现。该研究的新概念和新方法使我们能够评估多尺度症状，揭示地球工程中普遍存在的新兴现象，并将表面和材料科学与地球工程的知识有机地结合起来。里海大学拥有著名的表面化学专业，拥有一流的设施和知识渊博的教师。本研究使二者在工程土领域产生协同效应。更广泛的影响：功能化土壤的发展提供了一种生产有益于社会的环境可持续土工材料的替代方法。参与的本科生将广泛接触先进的实验和分析工具，成为一名未来的工程师。为了促进与本研究相关的教育，将开发一个短期课程模块，并将制作的样本分发给当地高中，以激发K-12学生的创造力。研究小组将通过会议和期刊出版物在区域、国家和国际上传播研究和教育成果。

This research addresses the topic of functionalized soils whose wettability behavior is switchable and fully reversible, controlled by thermal energy to extend the mono-functionality of natural soils. The thermo-responsive polymer serves as a coating material to impose the tunable wettability on the soil surface. The surface wettability of natural soils and granular media strongly influences the contaminant flow in subsurface, the fate and transport of organic matters in pore space, and the separation technology. The investigation of remediation technologies and natural manifestations require the fundamental understanding of interfacial interaction between particles and participating fluids.The research focuses on the discovery of the innovative engineering implications relevant to tunable engineered soils. The primary emphasis of the research is to investigate the particle-level mechanism that induces the macro-scale response, followed by the synthesis of thermo-responsive polymer coated soils using a state-of-the-art polymerization method. The nano-structure of coated surface will be characterized using the spectroscopic and microscopic observation. The interfacial behavior of particle-fluid interaction in turn will elucidate the selective affinity of tunable soil particles to fluids triggered by temperature change via optical inspection. The measurement of contact angle and wettability correlates the interfacial behavior with quantitative values. The mechanical and physical characterization of functionalized soils responding to the temperature variation will be evaluated using controlled experiments. Then, the immiscible fluids will be separated to validate the performance of the tunable soils. The potential impact and extendibility of this geo-material include the intelligent hydrologic barrier and the granular filter to separate the immiscible fluids and to control the microorganisms in soils.The educational activities directly tie to the research, and are intended to benefit K-12 and undergraduate students. The PI will actively participate to the university wide efforts of outreach programs and involve an undergraduate student in support of the research activities. The development of a short course nodule based on the outcome from the research will be adapted to the undergraduate and graduate courses currently offered in the department. Intellectual Merit: This research extends the use of intelligent materials to improve the functionality of natural soils by cross-disciplinary approaches. The surface modification of soil surface at nano-scale will be up-scaled to the macro-scale manifestation via particle-level interpretation. The novel concept and approach in the research enables us to evaluate the multi-scale symptom, to unveil the emergent phenomena prevailing in geo-engineering, and to organically integrate knowledge about surface and material science and geo-engineering. The Lehigh University has a well-renowned surface chemistry programs geared with the top-rated facilities and knowledgeable faculty. This research brings them to produce a synergetic impact in the field of engineering soils.Broader Impact: The development of functionalized soils offers an alternative way to produce environmentally sustainable geo-materials beneficial to society. The participating undergraduate will be extensively exposed to the advanced experiments and analyses tool to be a prospective engineer. To promote education related to this research, a short course module will be developed and the produced samples will be distributed to local high schools to stimulate the creativity of K-12 students. The research team will disseminate the research and educational results regionally, nationally, and internationally through conferences and journal publications.