Engineering Soils with Thermally Controlled Wettability on Command

这项研究的主题是由热能控制的润湿行为可切换和完全可逆的功能化土壤，以扩展天然土壤的单一功能。温度响应性聚合物用作涂层材料，将可调的润湿性强加于土壤表面。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、有机物在孔隙空间中的去向和迁移以及分离技术都有很大的影响。对修复技术和自然表现形式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。这项研究的重点是发现与可调工程土壤相关的创新的工程意义。这项研究的主要重点是研究引起宏观尺度响应的颗粒水平的机制，然后使用最先进的聚合方法合成热响应性聚合物涂层土壤。通过光谱分析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将通过光学检测来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量化值相关联。将通过对照实验来评估功能化土壤对温度变化的力学和物理特性。然后，分离不相容的流体，以验证可调土壤的性能。这种土工材料的潜在影响和延展性包括智能水文屏障和颗粒过滤器，用于分离不相容的流体和控制土壤中的微生物。教育活动直接与研究挂钩，旨在造福于K-12和本科生。PI将积极参与全校范围内的外展计划，并邀请一名本科生参与支持研究活动。将根据研究结果开发一个短期课程结核，以适应该系目前提供的本科生和研究生课程。智力价值：这项研究扩展了智能材料的使用，通过跨学科的方法来改善自然土壤的功能。土壤表面在纳米尺度的表面改性将通过颗粒水平的解释提升到宏观尺度的表现形式。研究中的新概念和新方法使我们能够对多尺度征兆进行评估，揭示地球工程中普遍存在的紧急现象，并将表面与材料科学和地球工程的知识有机地结合在一起。利哈伊大学拥有著名的表面化学课程，配备了一流的设备和知识渊博的教职员工。这项研究将使它们在工程土壤领域产生协同影响。更广泛的影响：功能化土壤的开发提供了一种替代方法，生产环境可持续的有益于社会的土工材料。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。为了促进与这项研究相关的教育，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、国家和国际范围内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.