SBIR Phase I: Polyoxometalate-Based Conductometric Cell

这个小企业创新研究计划（SBIR）第一阶段项目的目的是开发一种用于水质监测的电导池，该池采用了聚氧金属盐（POM）及其所谓的缺位衍生物的特性。所提出的方法是基于测量的电导率的解决方案的空隙POM和水样的调查之前和之后混合在电导池由两个腔室组成。缺位POM非常易溶于水和能够掺入多价阳离子（如Ca 2+和Mg 2+）的高电荷阴离子，所述多价阳离子主要负责总水硬度。由于将这些阳离子封装到缺位POM中而导致的溶液电导率的变化将用于水样中的定量测定。该项目的研究目标将包括开发电导监测器和用于测定水硬度的半经验校准模型。电池的性能将与目前市场上用于水硬度测定的电位和比色技术进行比较。这项研究的预期技术成果将导致该技术的实施，以生产一系列水硬度监测仪，从便携式仪器到在线工业级监测systems.The更广泛的影响/商业潜力的拟议创新涉及到应用这种仪器可靠的水分析。本研究计划将增进对多价阳离子在温和条件下包封到缺位多金属氧酸盐中及其对电导率的影响的更好理解。所提出的方法的主要应用领域是水质控制和环境监测。这项技术的发展将有利于水分配和监测基础设施。这将是感兴趣的广泛的客户：市政设施，饮料生产商，医院，酒店，洗衣设施和工业厂房。水的硬度会产生各种问题，对传热和配水系统的效率产生负面影响，市场上对廉价且可靠的在线仪表的需求很大。该监测仪最有前景的应用是城市水的深度处理。在美国，这一市场正以8.2%的复合年增长率增长，2016年将达到20亿美元。POM是非常多样的，并且它们的空隙形式能够掺入各种阳离子。如果证明成功，这种方法可以扩展到监测饮用水或废水中的其他物种和有毒污染物。

This Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase I project is aimed at development of a conductometric cell for water quality monitoring that employs properties of polyxoxmetalats (POMs) and their so called lacunary derivatives. The proposed approach is based on measurements of electric conductivities of solutions of lacunary POMs and water samples under investigation before and after mixing in the conductometric cell consisting of two chambers. The lacunary POMs are very soluble in water and highly charged anions capable of incorporation of multi-valent cations, such as Ca2+ and Mg2+, which are primarily responsible for total water hardness. Changes in solutions' conductivities due to the encapsulation of these cations into lacunary POMs will be used for their quantitative determination in water samples. Research objectives of this project will include development of the conductometric monitor and semi-empirical calibration models for determination of water hardness. Performance of the cell will be compared with potentiometric and colorimetric techniques currently used on the market for water hardness determination. The anticipated technical results of this research will lead to implementation of this technology to produce a series of water hardness monitors ranging from portable instruments to in-line industrial grade monitoring systems.The broader impact/commercial potential of the proposed innovation relates to application of this instrumentation to reliable water analysis. This research project will enhance better understanding of encapsulation of multi-valent cations into lacunary POMs under moderate conditions and its effect on electric conductivities. The main area of application of the proposed approach is in water quality control and environmental monitoring. Development of this technology will be beneficial for water distribution and monitoring infrastructure. It will be of interest to a wide spectrum of customers: municipal facilities, beverage producers, hospitals, hotels, laundry facilities, and industrial plants. Water hardness creates a variety of problems negatively affecting efficiency of heat transfer and water distribution systems, and inexpensive and reliable in-line instrumentation is of great demand on the market. The most prospective application of this monitor is anticipated to be in advanced municipal water treatment. In the United States, this market is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 8.2% to reach $2 billion in 2016. POMs are very diverse, and their lacunary forms are capable of incorporation of various cations. If proven successful, this approach can be extended to monitoring of other species and toxic pollutants in drinking water or wastewater.