CAREER: Catalytic Hollow-Fiber Membranes as an Efficient and Scalable Process in Water Treatment

在过去的世纪中，工业化学品的使用急剧增加。这导致了供水的广泛污染。有几种污染物不能用普通的水处理技术去除，可能会影响人类健康。为了解决这个问题，研究人员将开发一种高度创新的水处理系统，该系统使用基于纳米技术的催化剂。这些催化剂提高了化学反应的速率，以具有成本效益的方式有效地清洁水。这项研究的结果可能会导致低成本水处理的变革性技术。研究人员将在大学课程中创建水处理设施的虚拟现实图尔斯之旅，公众可以访问，以促进更好地了解环境工程师如何保护人类健康。这项研究的目标是开发纳米催化剂，以解决基本和应用的水质问题。多相加氢催化剂（HHC）是一种很有前途的处理方案，用于处理许多环境持久性污染物，如卤代和含氧有机化合物。纳米技术的最新进展使HHC作为水处理技术更加可行，实现了更高的反应速率和对无害副产物的更好的反应选择性。然而，由于催化剂成本和传质限制，挑战仍然存在。本研究将研究新型HHC反应器--催化水凝胶膜（CHM）反应器的动力学机制、稳定性和可扩展性。CHM由涂覆有含催化剂纳米颗粒的水凝胶的透气中空纤维膜组成。利用一套先进的电化学和光谱学工具，本研究的具体任务是：i）量化模型和真实的水系统中的本体反应和膜扩散速率; ii）识别催化剂失活的机制; iii）量化水凝胶支撑体的机械性质; iv）模拟放大的连续流动CHM反应器的性能;以及v）调查CHM对新兴饮用水污染物的适用性。这些研究目标的补充是研究者？的教育目标是通过研究加强研究生培训，使用虚拟现实（VR）模块改善本科教育，增加工程中代表性不足的群体参与，并利用外展来激发和教育公众对水质的认识。为了加强本科教育，并为所有年龄段的人提供外展机会，研究人员将开发和使用水处理设施的VR图尔斯之旅。该职业计划将产生深远的科学、教育和社会影响，并直接解决美国国家工程院提供清洁水的巨大挑战。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The use of industrial chemicals has increased dramatically over the past century. This has led to widespread contamination of water supplies. Several contaminants cannot be removed using common water-treatment technologies, potentially impacting human health. To address this problem, the investigator will develop a highly innovative water treatment system that uses nanotechnology-based catalysts. These catalysts increase the rate of a chemical reaction to efficiently clean water in a cost-effective way. Results from this research may lead to a transformative technology for low cost water treatment. The researchers will create virtual reality tours of water treatment facilities in college courses that can be accessed by the public to promote a better understanding of how environmental engineers protect human health.The objective of this research is to develop nano-enabled catalysts to solve fundamental and applied water quality problems. Heterogeneous hydrogenation catalysts (HHCs) are a promising treatment option for numerous environmentally-persistent contaminants such as halogenated and oxygenated organic compounds. Recent advancements in nanotechnology make HHCs more feasible as a water treatment technology, with the achievement of higher reaction rates and better reaction selectivity for innocuous by-products. However, challenges remain due to catalyst cost and mass transport limitations. This research will investigate the kinetic mechanisms, stability, and scalability of a new HHC reactor - the catalytic hydrogel membrane (CHM) reactor. The CHM consists of a gas-permeable hollow-fiber membrane coated with hydrogel-containing catalyst nanoparticles. Using a suite of advanced electrochemical and spectroscopy tools, the specific tasks of this research are to: i) quantify bulk reaction and film diffusion rates in model and real water systems; ii) identify the mechanisms of catalyst deactivation; iii) quantify the mechanical properties of the hydrogel support; iv) model the performance of a scaled-up, continuous-flow CHM reactor; and v) investigate the applicability of CHM for emerging drinking water contaminants. Complimentary to these research objectives are the investigator?s educational goals to enhance graduate training through research, improve undergraduate education using virtual reality (VR) modules, increase underrepresented group participation in engineering, and use outreach to excite and educate the public about water quality. To enhance undergraduate education and provide outreach opportunities for all ages, the investigator will develop and use VR tours of water treatment facilities. This CAREER program will have far-reaching science, education, and societal impacts, and it directly address the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenge of providing access to clean water.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.