CAREER: Fouling, Regeneration and Sustainability of Heterogeneous Catalytic Treatment Processes: An Integrated Research and Education Plan

CBET-0746453 Strathman该职业奖支持的工作将促进非均相催化水处理技术的长期可持续性，并改善环境工程教育，同时促进该领域的多样性。研究将集中在用于水或废水处理的非均相催化剂造成结垢和失活的重要但鲜为人知的过程。我们将结合宏观、微观和光谱技术来研究两种纳米相催化剂--负载型钯(Pd)金属和二氧化钛(Ti02)--的污垢情况。这两种催化剂是两类很有前途的水处理催化剂。研究计划的目的是：A)确定在水处理过程中导致催化剂结垢和失活的界面反应；B)开发实用的策略以减少催化剂结垢和重新激活结垢催化剂。将使用实验室生成的含有可疑模型污垢的溶液和天然水样来研究催化剂结垢。上述研究工作将与旨在缩小当地社区学校少数人成就差距的教育计划相结合，B)增加学生在环境专业中追求职业的多样性，以及C)提高环境工程课程的学习效果。这些目标将通过实施针对高危少数族裔小学生的外展计划(EnviroTech)、将来自代表性不足群体的学生纳入研究活动以及重振环境工程课程来实现。将对教育活动进行多方面的评估，以确保这些项目达到预期的结果。

CBET- 0746453StrathmannThe work supported by this CAREER award will advance the long-term sustainability of heterogeneous catalytic water treatment technologies and improve environmental engineering education while promoting increased diversity in the field.Research will focus on the important, yet poorly understood, processes responsible for fouling and deactivation of heterogeneous catalysts used for water or wastewater treatment. Complementary macroscopic, micro--scopic and spectroscopic techniques will be combined to study the fouling of two nanophase catalysts, supported palladium (Pd) metal and titanium dioxide (TiO2), which are representative of two promising classes of water treatment catalysts.Objectives of the research plan are to A) identify interfacial reactions responsible for catalyst fouling and deactivation during water treatment and B) develop practical strategies for reducing catalyst fouling and for reactivating fouled catalysts.Catalyst fouling will be studied with both laboratory-generated solutions containing suspected model foulants and natural water samples.The above research efforts will be coupled with an educational plan designed toA) reduce the minority achievement gap in local community schools,B) increase the diversity of students pursuing careers in environmental professions, and C) improve learning outcomes in environmental engineering courses. These goals will be addressed by implementing an outreach program for at-risk minority elementary school students (EnviroTech), integrating students from underrepresented groups in research activities, and revitalizing a course in environmental engineering. A multi-faceted assessment of educational activities will be conducted to ensure that these programs achieved the desired outcomes.