Intensification of Photocatalytic Membrane Processes

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With rapid depletion of energy and natural resources, there is need for developing sustainable processes that meet the challenges of increased consumer demands while protecting the environment and public safety. Photocatalysis is considered a sustainable technology that offers opportunities for harvesting the inexhaustible solar energy for use in many applications. These include, degradation of toxic pollutants, generation of H2, green synthesis of organic compounds, and more recently, emulsion separation, which can be very beneficial in treatment of complex waste streams contaminated with oil-water emulsions. Despite such potential advantages, competitive application of the technology is still limited by catalyst activity, reactor efficiency and product-catalyst separation.******The main objective of this research program is to identify global intensification techniques to overcome these limitations and to allow for development of viable cost effective photocatalysis technologies for use in industrial and environmental applications. The proposed intensification approach will be based on a two pronged strategy. First, to intensify the reactor operation by coupling with advanced membrane separation, thus achieving synergy of simultaneous reaction and product recovery. The second is to intensify the catalytic reaction using efficient catalysts with enhanced visible light utilization, either suspended or immobilized on membranes.******To overcome membrane fouling and enhance product and catalyst recovery, a novel hybrid oscillatory membrane system will be implemented. Use of oscillatory motion has proven effective in intensifying many processes, and its application in photocatalysis could present a novel approach for mitigating fouling problems and enhancing process efficiency. The development will involve exploring use of both pressure and thermal driven membrane separation such as pervaporation or membrane distillation which can provide several advantages in applications such as green synthesis and emulsion separation. It will also include investigating use of advanced membrane materials with enhanced surface and separation properties as well as membranes functionalized with efficient catalysts and/or nanoparticles. Modeling and optimization studies using analytical and experimental techniques will be done for use in design and scale up applications. Finally, the advantages of the developed system will be tested for applications including multi-pollutants degradation as well as demulsification and treatment of complex waste streams contaminated with oil-water emulsions. Achieving the above will provide knowledge needed to develop new generation of efficient photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMR) and could present a breakthrough in the industry by making PMR an economically viable option for environmental and industrial applications.*****