Synthesis and scale-up of enantiopure pharmaceuticals, TiO2 nanotubes and zeolitic nanomaterials

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The objectives of the proposed research program are to synthesize and scale up the production of a series of industrially significant innovative nanomaterials ranging from the active pharmaceutical ingredients, enantiopure pharmaceuticals, photocatalysts, superhyrophobic particles/surfaces, and zeolitic like nanomaterials. A multi-scale engineering approach will be used to unravel the underlying phenomena at the atomic and molecular levels and to use process engineering and controls principles for efficient large scale production of the new nanomaterials. Direct crystallization and diasteremeric salts crystallization will be used for the enantioseparation of pharmaceutically significant conglomerates and racemic compounds, respectively. Magnetic iron oxide will be used as a hub along with organic linkers to synthesize zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) to load pharmaceuticals for controlled and targeted drug release. Using anodization, well-formed nano-tube arrays of TiO2 will be synthesized and Fe, C, N; organic dyes; and ZIF nanoparticles will be added to them to reduce their bandgap energy and improve their photosensitivity to visible light. These nanomaterials will be used for oxidation of pollutants, in solar cells, for hydrogen production, and to prepare superhydrophobic surfaces. The latter requires functionalization of the nano TiO2 by fluorine compounds. A major application of these functionalized nanmomaterials is for the effective separation of water oil (aqueous/organic) emulsions and mixtures which will have potential applications in oilsand processing, cleaning up of the tailings in the mining sites and oil spills. A series of metal organic framework (MOF) and ZIF nanomaterials will be synthesized using an assisted combined microwave and ultrasound approach. The proposed hybrid process in our lab has already resulted in yields as high as 100 times of the conventional solvothermal processes, and can revolutionize production of these materials and strongly affect the environmental protection (CO2 capture and cold temperature oxidation of CO), hydrogen storage and drug delivery systems.