STTR Phase I: Desalination Using Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。这项小型企业技术转让第一期项目提出了一种功能化磁性纳米颗粒，用于新的海水淡化工艺。该技术使用磁性纳米粒子与选择性合成盐离子受体功能化，从盐水中提取溶解的盐离子。如果成功，结果将是一项革命性的海水淡化技术，大大减少农业和其他需求所需的海水淡化能源。提出的基于表面工程纳米材料的海水淡化技术将克服当前依赖热和膜法的海水淡化方法的主要缺点，这些方法由于高电力需求、定期更换膜和处理盐水而导致巨大的运营成本。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project proposes a functionalized magnetic nanoparticle to be used in a new water desalination process. The proposed technology uses magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with selective synthetic salt ion-receptors to extract the dissolved salt ions from saline water. If successful, the result will be a revolutionary desalination technique that greatly reduces the energy required for desalination for agricultural and other needs. The surface engineered nanomaterial based water desalination technique proposed will overcome the major shortcomings of current desalination methods that rely on thermal and membrane processes involving huge operating costs due to high electricity demands, periodic membrane replacements, and disposal of brines.