One-step synthesis of hierarchically porous hybrid TiO2 hollow spheres with high photocatalytic activity

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ruiping; Ren, Feng; Yang, Jinlin; Su, Weiming; Sun, Zhiming; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Chang-an

2016-03-01

Hierarchically porous hybrid TiO2 hollow spheres were solvothermally synthesized successfully by using tetrabutyl titanate as titanium precursor and hydrated metal sulfates as soft templates. The as-prepared TiO2 spheres with hierarchically pore structures and high specific surface area and pore volume consisted of highly crystallized anatase TiO2 nanocrystals hybridized with a small amount of metal oxide from the hydrated sulfate. The proposed hydrated-sulfate assisted solvothermal (HAS) synthesis strategy was demonstrated to be widely applicable to various systems. Evaluation of the hybrid TiO2 hollow spheres for the photo-decomposition of methyl orange (MO) under visible-light irradiation revealed that they exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity and durability.

Sol-gel route to synthesis of microporous ceramic membranes: Thermal stability of TiO2-ZrO2 mixed oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qunyin Xu; Anderson, M.A.

1993-01-01

In this paper concerning the synthesis of microporous ceramic membranes, the authors focus on the preparation and thermal stability of unsupported microporous TiO 2 -ZrO 2 mixed-oxide membranes. It has been observed that, by adding up to 20% ZrO 2 into TiO 2 or up to 10% TiO 2 into ZrO 2 , these microporous membranes display improved thermal stability. They can be fired up to 500 C for 0.5 h without closing micropores. However, membranes containing almost equal percentages of each component have lost microporous features and have low surface areas and low porosities. A phase diagram of a two-component TiO 2 -ZrO 2 mixed-oxide membrane has been prepared based on DTA and X-ray diffraction data in order to better understand the microstructure changes upon firing

Mixed matrix membranes prepared from high impact polystyrene with dispersed TiO2 nanoparticles for gas separation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Safaei

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The current study presents synthesis and characterization of high impact polystyrene - TiO2 nanoparticles mixed matrix membranes for separation of carbon dioxide from nitrogen. The solution-casting method was used for preparation of membranes. The nano mixed matrix membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy to ensure the suitable dispersion of nano particles in high impact polystyrene matrix. The effect of TiO2 nanoparticles loading on membrane performance was investigated. The separation performance of synthesized membranes was investigated in separation of CO2 from CO2/N2 mixture. Effect of feed pressure and TiO2 content on separation of CO2 was studied. The results revealed that increase of feed pressure decreases flux of gases through the mixed matrix membrane. The results also confirmed that the best separation performance can be obtained at TiO2 nanoparticles loading of 7 wt.%.

Fabrication of TiO2 nanorod assembly grafted rGO (rGO@TiO2-NR) hybridized flake-like photocatalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Kangle; Fang, Shun; Si, Lingling; Xia, Yang; Ho, Wingkei; Li, Mei

2017-01-01

To efficiently separate the photo-generated electron-hole pairs of TiO2 hybrid, anatase TiO2 nanorod assembly grafted reduced graphene oxides (rGO@TiO2-NR) hybrid was successfully fabricated using potassium titanium oxalate (PTO) and graphene oxides (GO) as starting materials and diethylene glycol (DEG) as reductant. The effect of GO content on the structure and photocatalytic activity of rGO@TiO2-NR composite was systematically studied. Results show that, in the absence of GO, only TiO2 microsphere assembly is obtained from TiO2 nanorods. The presence of GO results in the formation of a flake-like TiO2-nanorod-assembled grafted rGO hybrid. The photocatalytic activity of rGO@TiO2-NR composite increases first and then decreases with increase in the amount of GO from 0 wt.% to 10 wt.%. The hybridized S4 sample prepared with 4 wt.% GO possesses the highest photocatalytic activity with a constant rate of 0.039 min-1 in the photocataytic degradation of Brilliant X-3B dye (X3B); this sample was enhanced more than three times when compared with pure TiO2 sample (0.012 min-1). The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the rGO@TiO2-NR hybrid was attributed to the strong interaction between TiO2 nanorods and rGO. The unique hierarchical structure of 1D nanorod assembly TiO2-rGO flakes facilitates the injection and transfer of photo-generated electrons from TiO2 to graphene, thus retarding the recombination of electron-hole pairs and enhancing the photocatalytic activity. The enlarged BET surface areas, not only increasing the number of active sites, but also facilitating the adsorption of the dye, and improved light-harvesting ability also contribute to the enhanced photoreactivity of rGO@TiO2-NR hybrid.

Preparation of TiO2 hollow fibers using poly(vinylidene fluoride) hollow fiber microfiltration membrane as a template

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Haiqiang; Zhang Lixiong; Xing Weihong; Wang Huanting; Xu Nanping

2005-01-01

TiO 2 hollow fibers were successfully prepared by using poly(vinylidene fluoride) hollow fiber microfiltration membrane as a template. The preparation procedure includes repeated impregnation of the TiO 2 precursor in the pores of the polymeric membrane, and calcination to burn off the template, producing the TiO 2 hollow fibers. The TiO 2 hollow fibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). TiO 2 hollow fibers with other structures, such as honeycomb monolith and spring, were also prepared by preshaping the polymeric membranes into the honeycomb structure and spring, respectively. The phase structure of the TiO 2 hollow fibers could be readily adjusted by changing the calcination temperature

Carbamazepine degradation using a N-doped TiO_2 coated photocatalytic membrane reactor: Influence of physical parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horovitz, Inna; Avisar, Dror; Baker, Mark A.; Grilli, Rossana; Lozzi, Luca; Di Camillo, Daniela; Mamane, Hadas

2016-01-01

Highlights: • UV–vis N-doped TiO_2 was deposited by sol-gel onto Al_2O_3 microfiltration membranes. • Coating decreased permeability by 50 and 12% for 200- and 800-nm Al_2O_3 membranes. • Flow through membrane results in higher reaction rates compared to flow on top. • Higher vis photocatalytic activity for N-doped TiO_2 vs. non-doped TiO_2 membranes. • Mass transfer is a critical parameter for the design of immobilized PMR. - Abstract: Commercial α-Al_2O_3 photocatalytic membranes with a pore size of 200 and 800-nm were coated with N-doped TiO_2 photocatalytic film using a sol-gel technique for concurrent bottom-up filtration and photocatalytic oxidation. X-ray diffraction confirmed that the deposited N-doped TiO_2 films are in the form of anatase with 78–84% coverage of the membrane surface. The concentration of N found by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was in the range of 0.3–0.9 atomic percentage. Membrane permeability after coating decreased by 50% and 12% for the 200- and 800-nm membrane substrates, respectively. The impact of operational parameters on the photocatalytic activity (PCA) of the N-doped TiO_2-coated membranes was examined in a laboratory flow cell based on degradation of the model micropollutant carbamazepine, using a solar simulator as the light source. The significant gap in degradation rate between flow through the membrane and flow on the surface of the membrane was attributed both to the hydraulic effect and in-pore PCA. N-doped TiO_2-coated membranes showed enhanced activity for UV wavelengths, in addition to activity under visible light. Experiments of PCA under varying flow rates concluded that the process is in the mass-transfer control regime. Carbamazepine removal rate increased with temperature, despite the decrease in dissolved oxygen concentration.

CoFe2O4-TiO2 Hybrid Nanomaterials: Synthesis Approaches Based on the Oil-in-Water Microemulsion Reaction Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arturo Adrián Rodríguez-Rodríguez

2017-01-01

Full Text Available CoFe2O4 nanoparticles decorated and wrapped with TiO2 nanoparticles have been prepared by mixing well-dispersed CoFe2O4 with amorphous TiO2 (impregnation approach and growing amorphous TiO2 over the magnetic core (seed approach, respectively, followed by thermal treatment to achieve TiO2 crystallinity. Synthesis strategies were based on the oil-in-water microemulsion reaction method. Thermally treated nanomaterials were characterized in terms of structure, morphology, and composition, to confirm hybrid nanoparticles formation and relate with the synthesis approaches; textural, optical, and magnetic properties were evaluated. X-ray diffraction revealed coexistence of cubic spinel-type CoFe2O4 and tetragonal anatase TiO2. Electron microscopy images depicted crystalline nanoparticles (sizes below 25 nm, with homogeneous Ti distribution for the hybrid nanoparticles synthesized by seed approach. EDX microanalysis and ICP-AES corroborated established chemical composition. XPS evidenced chemical states, as well as TiO2 predominance over CoFe2O4 surface. According to BET measurements, the hybrid nanoparticles were mesoporous. UV-Vis spectroscopy showed optical response along the UV-visible light region. Magnetic properties suggested the breaking order of magnetic domains due to modification with TiO2, especially for mediated seed approach sample. The properties of the obtained hybrid nanoparticles were different in comparison with its individual components. The results highlight the usefulness of designed microemulsion approaches for the straightforward synthesis of CoFe2O4-TiO2 nanostructured hybrids.

Microwave-assisted synthesis and characterization of poly(acrylic)/SiO2-TiO2 core-shell nanoparticle hybrid thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chien, Wen-Chen; Yu, Yang-Yen; Chen, Po-Kan; Yu, Hui-Huan

2011-01-01

In this study, poly(acrylic)/SiO 2 -TiO 2 core-shell nanoparticle hybrid thin films were successfully synthesized by microwave-assisted polymerization. The coupling agent 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (MSMA) was hydrolyzed with colloidal SiO 2 -TiO 2 core-shell nanoparticles, and then polymerized with two acrylic monomers and initiator to form a precursor solution. The results of this study showed that the spin-coated hybrid films had relatively good surface planarity, high thermal stability, a tunable refractive index (1.525 2 -TiO 2 core-shell nanoparticle hybrid thin films, for potential use in optical applications.

Crystallization behaviour of nanostructured hybrid SiO2-TiO2 gel glasses to nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsvetelina, Gerganova; Yordanka, Ivanova; Yuliya, Vueva; Miranda, Salvado Isabel M; Helena, Fernandes Maria

2010-04-01

The crystallization behaviour of hybrid SiO2-TiO2 nanocomposites derived from titanosiloxanes by sol-gel method has been investigated depending on the type of siloxane precursor and the pirolysis temperature. The resulting hybrid titanosiloxanes, crosslinked with trimethylsilil isocyanate (nitrogen-modified) or methyltrietoxisilane (carbon-modified), were pirolyzed in an inert atmosphere in the temperature range between 600 to 1100 degrees C in order to form C-(N)-Si-O-TiO2 nanocomposites. By means of XRD, FTIR, 29Si NMR, SEM, TEM and AFM investigations have been established that the transformation of the nanostructured SiO2-TiO2 hybrid materials into nanocomposites as well as the crystalline size depend on the titanium content and the type of cross-linking agents used in the synthesizes.

Enhanced photovoltaic properties of perovskite solar cells by TiO2 homogeneous hybrid structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Pengyu; Fu, Wuyou; Yao, Huizhen; Liu, Li; Ding, Dong; Feng, Fei; Feng, Shuang; Xue, Yebin; Liu, Xizhe; Yang, Haibin

2017-10-01

In this paper, we fabricated a TiO 2 homogeneous hybrid structure for application in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) under ambient conditions. Under the standard air mass 1.5 global (AM 1.5G) illumination, PSCs based on homogeneous hybrid structure present a maximum power conversion efficiency of 5.39% which is higher than that of pure TiO 2 nanosheets. The enhanced properties can be explained by the better contact of TiO 2 nanosheets/nanoparticles with CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 and fewer pinholes in electron transport materials. The advent of such unique structure opens up new avenues for the future development of high-efficiency photovoltaic cells.

Hybrid matrices of TiO2 and TiO2–Ag nanofibers with silicone for high water flux photocatalytic degradation of dairy effluent

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kanjwal, Muzafar Ahmad; Alm, Martin; Thomsen, Peter

2016-01-01

TiO2 and TiO2–Ag nanofibers were produced by electrospinning technique and surface coated on silicone elastomer (diameter: 10.0 mm; thickness: 2.0 mm) by dipcoating method. These coated hybrid nanoporous matrices were characterized by various morphological and physicochemical techniques (like SEM...

Solution-Processed Ultrathin TiO2 Compact Layer Hybridized with Mesoporous TiO2 for High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Inyoung; Park, Yun Hee; Bae, Seunghwan; Park, Minwoo; Jeong, Hansol; Lee, Phillip; Ko, Min Jae

2017-10-25

The electron transport layer (ETL) is a key component of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and must provide efficient electron extraction and collection while minimizing the charge recombination at interfaces in order to ensure high performance. Conventional bilayered TiO 2 ETLs fabricated by depositing compact TiO 2 (c-TiO 2 ) and mesoporous TiO 2 (mp-TiO 2 ) in sequence exhibit resistive losses due to the contact resistance at the c-TiO 2 /mp-TiO 2 interface and the series resistance arising from the intrinsically low conductivity of TiO 2 . Herein, to minimize such resistive losses, we developed a novel ETL consisting of an ultrathin c-TiO 2 layer hybridized with mp-TiO 2 , which is fabricated by performing one-step spin-coating of a mp-TiO 2 solution containing a small amount of titanium diisopropoxide bis(acetylacetonate) (TAA). By using electron microscopies and elemental mapping analysis, we establish that the optimal concentration of TAA produces an ultrathin blocking layer with a thickness of ∼3 nm and ensures that the mp-TiO 2 layer has a suitable porosity for efficient perovskite infiltration. We compare PSCs based on mesoscopic ETLs with and without compact layers to determine the role of the hole-blocking layer in their performances. The hybrid ETLs exhibit enhanced electron extraction and reduced charge recombination, resulting in better photovoltaic performances and reduced hysteresis of PSCs compared to those with conventional bilayered ETLs.

Single-walled carbon nanotube-facilitated dispersion of particulate TiO2 on ZrO2 ceramic membrane filters.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Yuan; Li, Gonghu; Gray, Kimberly A; Lueptow, Richard M

2008-07-15

We report that SWCNTs substantially improve the uniformity and coverage of TiO2 coatings on porous ZrO2 ceramic membrane filters. The ZrO2 filters were dip coated with 100 nm anatase TiO2, TiO2/SWCNT composites, a TiO2+SWCNT mixture, and a TiO2/MWCNT composite at pH 3, 5, and 8. Whereas the TiO2+SWCNT mixture and the TiO2/MWCNT composite promote better coverage and less clumping than TiO2 alone, the TiO2/SWCNT composite forms a complete uniform coating without cracking at pH 5 ( approximately 100% coverage). A combination of chemical and electrostatic effects between TiO2 and SWCNTs forming the composite as well as between the composite and the ZrO2 surface explains these observations.

EGFET pH Sensor Performance Dependence on Sputtered TiO2 Sensing Membrane Deposition Temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khairul Aimi Yusof

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Titanium dioxide (TiO2 thin films were sputtered by radio frequency (RF magnetron sputtering method and have been employed as the sensing membrane of an extended gate field effect transistor (EGFET for pH sensing detection application. The TiO2 thin films were deposited onto indium tin oxide (ITO coated glass substrates at room temperature and 200°C, respectively. The effect of deposition temperature on thin film properties and pH detection application was analyzed. The TiO2 samples used as the sensing membrane for EGFET pH-sensor and the current-voltage (I-V, hysteresis, and drift characteristics were examined. The sensitivity of TiO2 EGFET sensing membrane was obtained from the transfer characteristic (I-V curves for different substrate heating temperatures. TiO2 thin film sputtered at room temperature achieved higher sensitivity of 59.89 mV/pH compared to the one deposited at 200°C indicating lower sensitivity of 37.60 mV/pH. Moreover the hysteresis and the drift of TiO2 thin film deposited at room temperature showed lower values compared to the one at 200°C. We have also tested the effect of operating temperature on the performance of the EGFET pH-sensing and found that the temperature effect was very minimal.

Preparation of Oleyl Phosphate-Modified TiO2/Poly(methyl methacrylate Hybrid Thin Films for Investigation of Their Optical Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masato Fujita

2015-01-01

Full Text Available TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs modified with oleyl phosphate were synthesized through stable Ti–O–P bonds and were utilized to prepare poly(methyl methacrylate- (PMMA- based hybrid thin films via the ex situ route for investigation of their optical properties. After surface modification of TiO2 NPs with oleyl phosphate, IR and 13C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy showed the presence of oleyl groups. The solid-state 31P MAS NMR spectrum of the product revealed that the signal due to oleyl phosphate (OP shifted upon reaction, indicating formation of covalent Ti–O–P bonds. The modified TiO2 NPs could be homogeneously dispersed in toluene, and the median size was 16.1 nm, which is likely to be sufficient to suppress Rayleigh scattering effectively. The TEM images of TiO2/PMMA hybrid thin films also showed a homogeneous dispersion of TiO2 NPs, and they exhibited excellent optical transparency even though the TiO2 content was 20 vol%. The refractive indices of the OP-modified TiO2/PMMA hybrid thin films changed higher with increases in TiO2 volume fraction, and the hybrid thin film with 20 vol% of TiO2 showed the highest refractive index (n = 1.86.

IN SITU PREPARED TiO2 NANOPARTICLES CROSS-LINKED SULFONATED PVA MEMBRANES WITH HIGH PROTON CONDUCTIVITY FOR DMFC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jignasa N. Solanki

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Organic/inorganic membranes based on sulfonated poly(vinyl alcohol (SPVA and in situ prepared TiO2 nanoparticles nanocomposite membranes with various compositions were prepared to use as proton exchange membranes in direct membrane fuel cells. Poly(vinyl alcohol (PVA was sulfonated and cross-linked separately by 4-formylbenzene-1,3-disulfonic acid disodium salt hydrate and glutaraldehyde. The ion exchange capacity and proton conductivity of the membranes increased with increasing amount of TiO2 nanoparticles. The composite membranes with 15 wt% TiO2 exhibited excellent proton conductivity of 0.0822 S cm-1, as well as remarkably low methanol permeability of 1.11×10-9 cm2 s-1. The thermal stability and durability were also superior and performance in methanol fuel cell was also reasonably good

Characterization and improved solar light activity of vanadium doped TiO2/diatomite hybrid catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bin; Zhang, Guangxin; Leng, Xue; Sun, Zhiming; Zheng, Shuilin

2015-03-21

V-doped TiO2/diatomite composite photocatalysts with different vanadium concentrations were synthesized by a modified sol-gel method. The diatomite was responsible for the well dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles on the matrix and consequently inhibited the agglomeration. V-TiO2/diatomite hybrids showed red shift in TiO2 absorption edge with enhanced absorption intensity. Most importantly, the dopant energy levels were formed in the TiO2 bandgap due to V(4+) ions substituted to Ti(4+) sites. The 0.5% V-TiO2/diatomite photocatalyst displayed narrower bandgap (2.95 eV) compared to undoped sample (3.13 eV) and other doped samples (3.05 eV) with higher doping concentration. The photocatalytic activities of V doped TiO2/diatomite samples for the degradation of Rhodamine B under stimulated solar light illumination were significantly improved compared with the undoped sample. In our case, V(4+) ions incorporated in TiO2 lattice were responsible for increased visible-light absorption and electron transfer to oxygen molecules adsorbed on the surface of TiO2 to produce superoxide radicals ˙O2(-), while V(5+) species presented on the surface of TiO2 particles in the form of V2O5 contributed to e(-)-h(+) separation. In addition, due to the combination of diatomite as support, this hybrid photocatalyst could be separated from solution quickly by natural settlement and exhibited good reusability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and Mechanical Properties Investigation of Nano TiO2/Glass/Epoxy Hybrid Nanocomposite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamid Reza Salehi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Mechanical properties of epoxy and glass/epoxy filled with 0.25, 0.5 and 1 vol% of TiO2 nanoparticles have been studied using tensile and three-point bending tests. For the TiO2/epoxy nanocomposites, the results showed that the strength and stiffness were improved, though the strain at ultimate strength point and breaking strain decreased. Moreover, the hybrid nanocomposites composed of 4 layers of woven E-glass fabric and TiO2/epoxy matrix were fabricated and cut onaxis and 45° off-axis by water jet. The results of tensile and three-point bending tests indicated a remarkable improvement in the strength and stiffness that could not be related to the mechanical improvement of the matrix. The samples containing 1 vol% nano TiO2 were improved relative to samples without the nanoparticles. The tensile strength of the on-axis and off-axis samples containing 1 vol% TiO2 increased by about 25.9% and 17.9%, in the order given, compared to that of the glass/epoxy specimens. In three-point bending test, the strength of the on-axis and off-axis specimens was improved 26% and 23.2%, respectively. In addition, the tensile stiffness of the onaxis and off-axis samples containing 1 vol% TiO2 increased, respectively, by about 14.4% and 17.5% compared to that of the glass/epoxy specimens. Also for the same on-axis and off-axis samples the three-point bending stiffness increased about 19.8% and 14.6%, respectively. The whole investigation on the microstructure of the hybrid nanocomposites illustrated that stronger interfaces between the fiber and TiO2/epoxy matrix were formed and improvement was noticed on mechanical properties of ternary composite compared to those of the fiber/epoxy composites. The analysis of damage zones of hybrid nanocomposites showed that the surface area of the damaged zone declined considerably due to the brittle behavior of TiO2-filled specimens but the area below the stress-strain curve, showing energy absorption during the test

Characterization and improved solar light activity of vanadium doped TiO2/diatomite hybrid catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Bin; Zhang, Guangxin; Leng, Xue; Sun, Zhiming; Zheng, Shuilin

2015-01-01

Highlights: • V-doped TiO 2 /diatomite composite photocatalyst was synthesized. • The physiochemical property and solar light photoactivity were characterized. • The presence and influence of V ions in TiO 2 matrix was systematically analyzed. • The photocatalysis for Rhodamine B were studied under solar light illumination. - Abstract: V-doped TiO 2 /diatomite composite photocatalysts with different vanadium concentrations were synthesized by a modified sol–gel method. The diatomite was responsible for the well dispersion of TiO 2 nanoparticles on the matrix and consequently inhibited the agglomeration. V-TiO 2 /diatomite hybrids showed red shift in TiO 2 absorption edge with enhanced absorption intensity. Most importantly, the dopant energy levels were formed in the TiO 2 bandgap due to V 4+ ions substituted to Ti 4+ sites. The 0.5% V-TiO 2 /diatomite photocatalyst displayed narrower bandgap (2.95 eV) compared to undoped sample (3.13 eV) and other doped samples (3.05 eV) with higher doping concentration. The photocatalytic activities of V doped TiO 2 /diatomite samples for the degradation of Rhodamine B under stimulated solar light illumination were significantly improved compared with the undoped sample. In our case, V 4+ ions incorporated in TiO 2 lattice were responsible for increased visible-light absorption and electron transfer to oxygen molecules adsorbed on the surface of TiO 2 to produce superoxide radicals ·O 2 – , while V 5+ species presented on the surface of TiO 2 particles in the form of V 2 O 5 contributed to e – –h + separation. In addition, due to the combination of diatomite as support, this hybrid photocatalyst could be separated from solution quickly by natural settlement and exhibited good reusability

Tuning TiO2 nanoparticle morphology in graphene-TiO2 hybrids by graphene surface modification

Science.gov (United States)

Sordello, Fabrizio; Zeb, Gul; Hu, Kaiwen; Calza, Paola; Minero, Claudio; Szkopek, Thomas; Cerruti, Marta

2014-05-01

We report the hydrothermal synthesis of graphene (GNP)-TiO2 nanoparticle (NP) hybrids using COOH and NH2 functionalized GNP as a shape controller. Anatase was the only TiO2 crystalline phase nucleated on the functionalized GNP, whereas traces of rutile were detected on unfunctionalized GNP. X-Ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed C-Ti bonds on all hybrids, thus confirming heterogeneous nucleation. GNP functionalization induced the nucleation of TiO2 NPs with specific shapes and crystalline facets exposed. COOH functionalization directed the synthesis of anatase truncated bipyramids, bonded to graphene sheets via the {101} facets, while NH2 functionalization induced the formation of belted truncated bipyramids, bonded to graphene via the {100} facets. Belted truncated bipyramids formed on unfunctionalized GNP too, however the NPs were more irregular and rounded. These effects were ascribed to pH variations in the proximity of the functionalized GNP sheets, due to the high density of COOH or NH2 groups. Because of the different reactivity of anatase {100} and {101} crystalline facets, we hypothesize that the hybrid materials will behave differently as photocatalysts, and that the COOH-GNP-TiO2 hybrids will be better photocatalysts for water splitting and H2 production.We report the hydrothermal synthesis of graphene (GNP)-TiO2 nanoparticle (NP) hybrids using COOH and NH2 functionalized GNP as a shape controller. Anatase was the only TiO2 crystalline phase nucleated on the functionalized GNP, whereas traces of rutile were detected on unfunctionalized GNP. X-Ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed C-Ti bonds on all hybrids, thus confirming heterogeneous nucleation. GNP functionalization induced the nucleation of TiO2 NPs with specific shapes and crystalline facets exposed. COOH functionalization directed the synthesis of anatase truncated bipyramids, bonded to graphene sheets via the {101} facets, while NH2 functionalization induced the formation of belted

Preparation of Transparent Bulk TiO2/PMMA Hybrids with Improved Refractive Indices via an in Situ Polymerization Process Using TiO2 Nanoparticles Bearing PMMA Chains Grown by Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization.

Science.gov (United States)

Maeda, Satoshi; Fujita, Masato; Idota, Naokazu; Matsukawa, Kimihiro; Sugahara, Yoshiyuki

2016-12-21

Transparent TiO 2 /PMMA hybrids with a thickness of 5 mm and improved refractive indices were prepared by in situ polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of TiO 2 nanoparticles bearing poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) chains grown using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), and the effect of the chain length of modified PMMA on the dispersibility of modified TiO 2 nanoparticles in the bulk hybrids was investigated. The surfaces of TiO 2 nanoparticles were modified with both m-(chloromethyl)phenylmethanoyloxymethylphosphonic acid bearing a terminal ATRP initiator and isodecyl phosphate with a high affinity for common organic solvents, leading to sufficient dispersibility of the surface-modified particles in toluene. Subsequently, SI-ATRP of MMA was achieved from the modified surfaces of the TiO 2 nanoparticles without aggregation of the nanoparticles in toluene. The molecular weights of the PMMA chains cleaved from the modified TiO 2 nanoparticles increased with increases in the prolonging of the polymerization period, and these exhibited a narrow distribution, indicating chain growth controlled by SI-ATRP. The nanoparticles bearing PMMA chains were well-dispersed in MMA regardless of the polymerization period. Bulk PMMA hybrids containing modified TiO 2 nanoparticles with a thickness of 5 mm were prepared by in situ polymerization of the MMA dispersion. The transparency of the hybrids depended significantly on the chain length of the modified PMMA on the nanoparticles, because the modified PMMA of low molecular weight induced aggregation of the TiO 2 nanoparticles during the in situ polymerization process. The refractive indices of the bulk hybrids could be controlled by adjusting the TiO 2 content and could be increased up to 1.566 for 6.3 vol % TiO 2 content (1.492 for pristine PMMA).

Formation of chelating agent driven anodized TiO2 nanotubular membrane and its photovoltaic application

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Subarna; Misra, Mano; Mohapatra, Susanta K.; Howard, Cameron; Mohapatra, Srikanta K.; Kamilla, Sushanta K.

2010-04-01

Titania (TiO2) nanotubular arrays provide an exciting material for dye sensitizing solar cells (DSSC) because of their large surface area, lower recombination losses, and fast charge transport properties along the nanotubes. In this paper, design of a next generation DSSC using a TiO2 nanotubular membrane is discussed. A single step, green process is developed to produce stable large area, free-standing TiO2 nanotubular films (in a short time, 30-60 min) by anodizing Ti using an organic electrolyte, containing disodium salt of ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (Na2[H2EDTA]) as complexing agent, and subsequent drying. Transparent, crack-free TiO2 films, 20-41 µm thick containing ordered hexagonal TiO2 nanotubes are achieved by this process. Films having a geometrical area up to 16.5 cm2 with pore openings of 182 nm have been obtained. These films have been etched to form membranes which provide an exciting prospect for front side illuminated DSSC with good mass and photon transport properties as well as wettability. A photovoltaic efficiency of 2.7% is achieved using a front side illuminated DSSC compared to 1.77% using back side illumination.

Formation of chelating agent driven anodized TiO(2) nanotubular membrane and its photovoltaic application.

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Subarna; Misra, Mano; Mohapatra, Susanta K; Howard, Cameron; Mohapatra, Srikanta K; Kamilla, Sushanta K

2010-04-09

Titania (TiO(2)) nanotubular arrays provide an exciting material for dye sensitizing solar cells (DSSC) because of their large surface area, lower recombination losses, and fast charge transport properties along the nanotubes. In this paper, design of a next generation DSSC using a TiO(2) nanotubular membrane is discussed. A single step, green process is developed to produce stable large area, free-standing TiO(2) nanotubular films (in a short time, 30-60 min) by anodizing Ti using an organic electrolyte, containing disodium salt of ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (Na(2)[H(2)EDTA]) as complexing agent, and subsequent drying. Transparent, crack-free TiO(2) films, 20-41 microm thick containing ordered hexagonal TiO(2) nanotubes are achieved by this process. Films having a geometrical area up to 16.5 cm(2) with pore openings of 182 nm have been obtained. These films have been etched to form membranes which provide an exciting prospect for front side illuminated DSSC with good mass and photon transport properties as well as wettability. A photovoltaic efficiency of 2.7% is achieved using a front side illuminated DSSC compared to 1.77% using back side illumination.

Formation of chelating agent driven anodized TiO2 nanotubular membrane and its photovoltaic application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, Subarna; Misra, Mano; Mohapatra, Susanta K; Howard, Cameron; Mohapatra, Srikanta K; Kamilla, Sushanta K

2010-01-01

Titania (TiO 2 ) nanotubular arrays provide an exciting material for dye sensitizing solar cells (DSSC) because of their large surface area, lower recombination losses, and fast charge transport properties along the nanotubes. In this paper, design of a next generation DSSC using a TiO 2 nanotubular membrane is discussed. A single step, green process is developed to produce stable large area, free-standing TiO 2 nanotubular films (in a short time, 30-60 min) by anodizing Ti using an organic electrolyte, containing disodium salt of ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (Na 2 [H 2 EDTA]) as complexing agent, and subsequent drying. Transparent, crack-free TiO 2 films, 20-41 μm thick containing ordered hexagonal TiO 2 nanotubes are achieved by this process. Films having a geometrical area up to 16.5 cm 2 with pore openings of 182 nm have been obtained. These films have been etched to form membranes which provide an exciting prospect for front side illuminated DSSC with good mass and photon transport properties as well as wettability. A photovoltaic efficiency of 2.7% is achieved using a front side illuminated DSSC compared to 1.77% using back side illumination.

Evaluation of the antifouling and photocatalytic properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride) plasma-grafted poly(acrylic acid) membrane with self-assembled TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

You, Sheng-Jie; Semblante, Galilee Uy; Lu, Shao-Chung; Damodar, Rahul A.; Wei, Ta-Chin

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Plasma and grafting parameters that maximized TiO 2 binding sites were found. ► PVDF hydrophilicity was vastly improved compared to other modification techniques. ► At least 1.5% TiO 2 and 30 min UV exposure were needed to attain full flux recovery. ► Photocatalytic membranes could remove up to 42% of 50 mg/l RB5 dye. - Abstract: Immobilization of TiO 2 is a promising approach that produces antifouling and photocatalytic membranes that could help advance wastewater treatment and re-use processes. In this study, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) was plasma-grafted on commercial poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) to introduce functional groups on the membrane surface that can support the nanoparticles. It was found that plasma treatment at 100 W for 120 s followed by liquid grafting with 70% aqueous AA at 60 °C for 2 h maximized the number of TiO 2 binding sites. Membrane hydrophilicity was tremendously enhanced by the self-assembly of TiO 2 , following a direct proportionality to TiO 2 loading. The membrane with 0.5% TiO 2 loading maintained the highest pure water flux and the best protein antifouling property. UV irradiation triggered the photodegradation of strongly bound foulants, but at least 1.5% TiO 2 and 30 min cumulative irradiation were necessary to completely recover the membrane's original performance. The TiO 2 -modified membranes removed 30–42% of 50 mg/l aqueous Reactive Black 5 (RB5) dye. The fabricated membranes demonstrate huge potential for use in membrane reactors with high hydrophilicity, fouling mitigation, and photocatalytic capability.

Preparation of Sb2S3 nanocrystals modified TiO2 dendritic structure with nanotubes for hybrid solar cell

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yingpin; Wei, Yanan; Feng, Kangning; Hao, Yanzhong; Pei, Juan; Sun, Bao

2018-06-01

Array of TiO2 dendritic structure with nanotubes was constructed on transparent conductive fluorine-doped tin oxide glass (FTO) with titanium potassium oxalate as titanium source. Sb2S3 nanocrystals were successfully deposited on the TiO2 substrate via spin-coating method. Furthermore, TiO2/Sb2S3/P3HT/PEDOT:PSS composite film was prepared by successively spin-coating P3HT and PEDOT:PSS on TiO2/Sb2S3. It was demonstrated that the modification of TiO2 dendritic structure with Sb2S3 could enhance the light absorption in the visible region. The champion hybrid solar cell assembled by TiO2/Sb2S3/P3HT/PEDOT:PSS composite film achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.56%.

Hybrid Processes Combining Photocatalysis and Ceramic Membrane Filtration for Degradation of Humic Acids in Saline Water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lili Song

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This study explored the combined effects of photocatalysis with ceramic membrane filtration for the removal of humic acid in the presence of salt; to simulate saline wastewater conditions. The effects of operating parameters, such as salinity and TiO2 concentration on permeate fluxes, total organic carbon (TOC, and UV absorbance removal, were investigated. The interaction between the humic acids and TiO2 photocatalyst played an important role in the observed flux change during ceramic membrane filtration. The results for this hybrid system showed that the TOC removal was more than 70% for both without NaCl and with the 500 ppm NaCl concentration, and 62% and 66% for 1000 and 2000 ppm NaCl concentrations. The reduction in UV absorbance was more complete in the absence of NaCl compared to the presence of NaCl. The operation of the integrated photoreactor-ceramic membrane filter over five repeat cycles is described. It can be concluded that the overall removal performance of the hybrid system was influenced by the presence of salts, as salt leads to agglomeration of TiO2 particles by suppressing the stabilising effects of electrostatic repulsion and thereby reduces the effective surface contact between the pollutant and the photocatalyst.

Silver Nanoparticles Influence on Photocatalytic Activity of Hybrid Materials Based on TiO2 P25

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomkouani Kodom

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study consists in the obtaining of a hybrid material film, obtained using TiO2 P25 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs. The film manufacturing process involved realization of physical mixtures of TiO2 P25 and AgNPs dispersions. The size distribution of the AgNPs proved to be a key factor determining the photodegradation activity of the materials measured using methyl orange. The best result was 33% degradation of methyl orange (MO after 150 min. The second approach was the generation of AgNPs on the surface of TiO2 P25. The obtained hybrid material presents photocatalytic activity of 45% MO degradation after 150 min. The developed materials were characterized by UV-VIS, SEM, and DLS analyses.

N-Doped TiO2-Coated Ceramic Membrane for Carbamazepine Degradation in Different Water Qualities

Science.gov (United States)

Luster, Enbal; Avisar, Dror; Horovitz, Inna; Lozzi, Luca; Baker, Mark A.; Grilli, Rossana; Mamane, Hadas

2017-01-01

The photocatalytic degradation of the model pollutant carbamazepine (CBZ) was investigated under simulated solar irradiation with an N-doped TiO2-coated Al2O3 photocatalytic membrane, using different water types. The photocatalytic membrane combines photocatalysis and membrane filtration in a single step. The impact of each individual constituent such as acidity, alkalinity, dissolved organic matter (DOM), divalent cations (Mg2+ and Ca2+), and Cl− on the degradation of CBZ was examined. CBZ in water was efficiently degraded by an N-doped TiO2-coated Al2O3 membrane. However, elements added to the water, which simulate the constituents of natural water, had an impact on the CBZ degradation. Water alkalinity inhibited CBZ degradation mostly due to increase in pH while radical scavenging by carbonate was more dominant at higher values (>200 mg/L as CaCO3). A negative effect of Ca2+ addition on photocatalytic degradation was found only in combination with phosphate buffer, probably caused by deposition of CaHPO4 or CaHPO4·2H2O on the catalyst surface. The presence of Cl− and Mg2+ ions had no effect on CBZ degradation. DOM significantly inhibited CBZ degradation for all tested background organic compounds. The photocatalytic activity of N-doped TiO2-coated Al2O3 membranes gradually decreased after continuous use; however, it was successfully regenerated by 0.1% HCl chemical cleaning. Nevertheless, dissolution of metals like Al and Ti should be monitored following acid cleaning. PMID:28758982

Non-aqueous hybrid supercapacitors fabricated with mesoporous TiO2 microspheres and activated carbon electrodes with superior performance

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yong; Zhao, Bote; Wang, Jie; Shao, Zongping

2014-05-01

Mesoporous TiO2 microspheres, synthesized by a facile template-free solvothermal method and subsequent heat treatment, are exploited as the electrode for hybrid supercapacitors. The effects of the calcination temperature on the phase composition, particulate microstructure and morphology are characterized by XRD, Raman, FE-SEM and N2 adsorption/desorption measurements. Hybrid supercapacitors utilizing the as-prepared TiO2 mesoporous microspheres as the negative electrode and activated carbon (AC) as the positive electrode in a non-aqueous electrolyte are fabricated. The electrochemical performance of these hybrid supercapacitors is studied by galvanostatic charge-discharge and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The hybrid supercapacitor built from TiO2 microspheres calcined at 400 °C shows the best performance, delivering an energy density of 79.3 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 178.1 W kg-1. Even at a power density of 9.45 kW kg-1, an energy density of 31.5 Wh kg-1 is reached. These values are much higher than the AC-AC symmetric supercapacitor. In addition, the hybrid supercapacitor exhibits excellent cycling performance, retaining 98% of the initial energy density after 1000 cycles. Such outstanding electrochemical performance of the hybrid supercapacitor is attributed to the matched reaction kinetics between the two electrodes with different energy storage mechanisms.

Carbon nanotube TiO2 hybrid films for detecting traces of O2

Science.gov (United States)

Llobet, E.; Espinosa, E. H.; Sotter, E.; Ionescu, R.; Vilanova, X.; Torres, J.; Felten, A.; Pireaux, J. J.; Ke, X.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Renaux, F.; Paint, Y.; Hecq, M.; Bittencourt, C.

2008-09-01

Hybrid titania films have been prepared using an adapted sol-gel method for obtaining well-dispersed hydrogen plasma-treated multiwall carbon nanotubes in either pure titania or Nb-doped titania. The drop-coating method has been used to fabricate resistive oxygen sensors based on titania or on titania and carbon nanotube hybrids. Morphology and composition studies have revealed that the dispersion of low amounts of carbon nanotubes within the titania matrix does not significantly alter its crystallization behaviour. The gas sensitivity studies performed on the different samples have shown that the hybrid layers based on titania and carbon nanotubes possess an unprecedented responsiveness towards oxygen (i.e. more than four times higher than that shown by optimized Nb-doped TiO2 films). Furthermore, hybrid sensors containing carbon nanotubes respond at significantly lower operating temperatures than their non-hybrid counterparts. These new hybrid sensors show a strong potential for monitoring traces of oxygen (i.e. beverage industry.

Quasiparticle interfacial level alignment of highly hybridized frontier levels: H2O on TiO2(110).

Science.gov (United States)

Migani, Annapaola; Mowbray, Duncan J; Zhao, Jin; Petek, Hrvoje

2015-01-13

Knowledge of the frontier levels' alignment prior to photoirradiation is necessary to achieve a complete quantitative description of H2O photocatalysis on TiO2(110). Although H2O on rutile TiO2(110) has been thoroughly studied both experimentally and theoretically, a quantitative value for the energy of the highest H2O occupied levels is still lacking. For experiment, this is due to the H2O levels being obscured by hybridization with TiO2(110) levels in the difference spectra obtained via ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS). For theory, this is due to inherent difficulties in properly describing many-body effects at the H2O-TiO2(110) interface. Using the projected density of states (DOS) from state-of-the-art quasiparticle (QP) G0W0, we disentangle the adsorbate and surface contributions to the complex UPS spectra of H2O on TiO2(110). We perform this separation as a function of H2O coverage and dissociation on stoichiometric and reduced surfaces. Due to hybridization with the TiO2(110) surface, the H2O 3a1 and 1b1 levels are broadened into several peaks between 5 and 1 eV below the TiO2(110) valence band maximum (VBM). These peaks have both intermolecular and interfacial bonding and antibonding character. We find the highest occupied levels of H2O adsorbed intact and dissociated on stoichiometric TiO2(110) are 1.1 and 0.9 eV below the VBM. We also find a similar energy of 1.1 eV for the highest occupied levels of H2O when adsorbed dissociatively on a bridging O vacancy of the reduced surface. In both cases, these energies are significantly higher (by 0.6 to 2.6 eV) than those estimated from UPS difference spectra, which are inconclusive in this energy region. Finally, we apply self-consistent QPGW (scQPGW1) to obtain the ionization potential of the H2O-TiO2(110) interface.

Template-based fabrication of nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Zuxin; Liu Haidong; Schultz, Isabel; Wu Wenhao; Naugle, D G; Lyuksyutov, I

2008-01-01

The fabrication and structure characterization of ordered nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays embedded in porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes are reported. Arrays of TiO 2 nanotubes were first deposited into the pores of AAO membranes by a sol-gel technique. Co nanowires were then electrochemically deposited into the TiO 2 nanotubes to form the nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy measurements showed a high nanowire filling factor and a clean interface between the Co nanowire and the TiO 2 nanotube. Application of these hybrids to the fabrication of ordered nanowire arrays with highly controllable geometric parameters is discussed

Application of carbon-coated TiO2 for decomposition of methylene blue in a photocatalytic membrane reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mozia, Sylwia; Toyoda, Masahiro; Inagaki, Michio; Tryba, Beata; Morawski, Antoni W.

2007-01-01

An application of carbon-coated TiO 2 for decomposition of methylene blue (MB) in a photocatalytic membrane reactor (PMR), coupling photocatalysis and direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) was investigated. Moreover, photodegradation of a model pollutant in a batch reactor without membrane distillation (MD) was also examined. Carbon-modified TiO 2 catalysts containing different amount of carbon and commercially available TiO 2 (ST-01) were used in this study. The carbon-coated catalyst prepared from a mixture of ST-01 and polyvinyl alcohol in the mass ratio of 70/30 was the most effective in degradation of MB from all of the photocatalysts applied. Photodecomposition of MB on the recovered photocatalysts was lower than on the fresh ones. The photodegradation of MB in the PMR was slower than in the batch reactor, what probably resulted from shorter time of exposure of the catalyst particles to UV irradiation. The MD process could be successfully applied for separation of photocatalyst and by-products from the feed solution

Hybrid TiO2: polymer photovoltaic cells made from a titanium oxide precursor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slooff, L.H.; Wienk, M.M.; Kroon, J.M.

2004-01-01

Hybrid TiO2:polymer photovoltaic cells were made from mixtures of titanium(IV) isopropoxide and poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyl)-p-phenylene vinylene] (MDMO-PPV) or poly(3-octyl thiophene) (P3OT) via hydrolysis in air. Cells were made with varying titanium(IV) isopropoxide:polymer ratios.

Hybrid selective noncatalytic reduction (SNCR)/selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for NOx removal using low-temperature SCR with Mn-V2O5/TiO2 catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sung-Woo; Choi, Sang-Ki; Bae, Hun-Kyun

2015-04-01

A hybrid selective noncatalytic reduction/selective catalytic reduction (SNCR/SCR) system that uses two types of technology, low-temperature SCR process and SNCR process, was designed to develop nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction technology. SCR was conducted with space velocity (SV)=2400 hr(-1) and hybrid SNCR/SCR with SV=6000 hr(-1), since the study focused on reducing the amount of catalyst and both achieved 98% NOx reduction efficiency. Characteristics of NOx reduction by NH3 were studied for low-temperature SCR system at 150 °C using Mn-V2O5/TiO2 catalyst. Mn-added V2O5/TiO2 catalyst was produced, and selective catalyst reduction of NOx by NH3 was experimented. NOx reduction rate according to added Mn content in Mn-V2O5/TiO2 catalyst was studied with varying conditions of reaction temperature, normalized stoichiometric ratio (NSR), SV, and O2 concentration. In the catalyst experiment according to V2O5 concentration, 1 wt.% V2O5 catalyst showed the highest NOx reduction rate: 98% reduction at temperature window of 200~250 °C. As a promoter of the V2O5 catalyst, 5 wt.% Mn was added, and the catalyst showed 47~90% higher efficiency even with low temperatures, 100~200 °C. Mn-V2O5/TiO2 catalyst, prepared by adding 5 wt.% Mn in V2O5/TiO2 catalyst, showed increments of catalyst activation at 150 °C as well as NOx reduction. Mn-V2O5/TiO2 catalyst showed 8% higher rate for NOx reduction compared with V2O5/TiO2 catalyst in 150 °C SCR. Thus, (5 wt.%)Mn-(1 wt.%)V2O5/TiO2 catalyst was applied in SCR of hybrid SNCR/SCR system of low temperature at 150 °C. Low-temperature SCR hybrid SNCR/SCR (150 °C) system and hybrid SNCR/SCR (350 °C) showed 91~95% total reduction rate with conditions of SV=2400~6000 hr(-1) SCR and 850~1050 °C SNCR, NSR=1.5~2.0, and 5% O2. Hybrid SNCR/SCR (150 °C) system proved to be more effective than the hybrid SNCR/SCR (350 °C) system at low temperature. NOx control is very important, since they are the part of greenhouse gases as well as the

Cellulose acetate-based SiO2/TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films for water-in-oil emulsion separation

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xue; Ma, Jianjun; Ling, Jing; Li, Na; Wang, Di; Yue, Fan; Xu, Shimei

2018-03-01

The cellulose acetate (CA)/SiO2-TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films were successfully fabricated via water vapor-induced phase inversion of CA solution and simultaneous hydrolysis/condensation of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) and tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) at room temperature. Micro-nano hierarchical structure was constructed on the surface of the film. The film could separate nano-sized surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions only under gravity. The flux of the film for the emulsion separation was up to 667 L m-2 h-1, while the separation efficiency was up to 99.99 wt%. Meanwhile, the film exhibited excellent stability during multiple cycles. Moreover, the film performed excellent photo-degradation performance under UV light due to the photocatalytic ability of TiO2. Facile preparation, good separation and potential biodegradation maked the CA/SiO2-TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films a candidate in oil/water separation application.

Antimicrobial activity of eumelanin-based hybrids: The role of TiO2 in modulating the structure and biological performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vitiello, Giuseppe; Pezzella, Alessandro; Zanfardino, Anna; Silvestri, Brigida; Giudicianni, Paola; Costantini, Aniello; Varcamonti, Mario; Branda, Francesco; Luciani, Giuseppina

2017-01-01

Eco-friendly hybrid Eumelanin-TiO 2 nanostructures, recently obtained through in situ methodology based on hydrothermal route, have shown a striking antimicrobial activity, after exposure to oxidative environment, even under visible light induction condition. Nevertheless, the role of each component in defining the efficacy of these biological properties is far from being clearly defined. Furthermore, the effect of oxidative step on hybrids structure has not yet addressed. This study aims at elucidating the role of the ratio between eumelanin precursor, 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA), and TiO 2 , for its polymerization in defining morphology and structural organization of TiO 2 -melanin nanostructures. Furthermore, tests on a Gram-negative Escherichia coli DH5α strain under UV irradiation and even visible light allowed to assess the contribution of each component, as well as of the TiO 2 –DHICA charge transfer complex to overall biological performance. Finally, results of biocide characterization were combined with spectroscopic evidences to prove that oxidative treatment induces a marked structural modification in melanin thus enhancing overall antimicrobial efficacy. - Highlights: • Eco-friendly hybrid Eumelanin-TiO 2 nanostructures shows striking antimicrobial activity under visible light. • TiO 2 catalyzes 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) polymerization to eumelanin. • Eumelanin precursor/catalyst ratio modulates physico-chemical and structural properties of hybrid nanostructures. • Oxidative treatment increases the reticulation grade of the polymeric chains within the nanoparticles. • Additional oxidative process of the eumelanin pigment strongly improves the antimicrobial activity of hybrids.

Hybrid Solar Cell with TiO2 Film: BBOT Polymer and Copper Phthalocyanine as Sensitizer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saptadip Saha

2016-01-01

Full Text Available An organic-inorganic hybrid solar cell was fabricated using Titanium dioxide (TiO2: 2,5-bis(5-tert-butyl-2-benzoxazolyl thiophene (BBOT film and Copper Phthalocyanine (CuPc as a sensitizer. BBOT was used in photodetector in other reported research works, but as per best of our knowledge, it was not implemented in solar cells till date. The blend of TiO2: BBOT blend was used to fabricate the film on ITO-coated glass and further a thin layer of CuPc was coated on the film. This was acted as photoanode and another ITO coated glass with a platinum coating was used as a counter electrode (cathode. An optimal blend of acetonitrile (solvent (50-100%, 1,3-dimethylimidazolium iodide (10-25%, iodine (2.5-10% and lithium iodide, pyridine derivative and thiocyanate was used as electrolytes in the hybrid solar cell. The different structural, optical and electrical characteristics were measured. The Hybrid solar cell showed a maximum conversion efficiency of 6.51%.

Removal of chromium (VI) ions from aqueous solutions using amine-impregnated TiO2 nanoparticles modified cellulose acetate membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gebru, Kibrom Alebel; Das, Chandan

2018-01-01

In this work, TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) were modified using tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), ethylenediamine (EDA), and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) amines using impregnation process. The prepared amine modified TiO 2 samples were explored as an additive to fabricate ultrafiltration membranes with enhanced capacity towards the removal of chromium ions from aqueous solution. Modified membranes were prepared from cellulose acetate (CA) polymer blended with polyethylene glycol (PEG) additive, and amine modified TiO 2 by using phase inversion technique. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), zeta potential (ζ), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), water contact angle (WCA), and atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) studies were done to characterize the membranes in terms of chemical structure, electric charge, thermal stability, morphology, hydrophilicity, and removal performance. The pure water permeability and Cr (VI) ion removal efficiency of the unmodified (i.e. CA/U-Ti) and the amine modified (CA/Ti-HMTA, CA/Ti-EDA, and CA/Ti-TEPA) membranes were dependent on pH and metal ion concentration. Incorporation of amine modified TiO 2 composite to the CA polymer was found to improve the fouling and removal characteristics of the membranes during the chromium ultrafiltration process. The maximum removal efficiency result of Cr (VI) ions at pH of 3.5 using CA/Ti-TEPA membrane was 99.8%. The washing/regeneration cycle results in this study described as an essential part for prospect industrial applications of the prepared membranes. The maximum Cr (VI) removal results by using CA/Ti-TEPA membrane for four washing/regeneration cycles are 99.6%, 99.5%, 98.6% and, 96.6%, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural and Spectroscopic Characterization of A Nanosized Sulfated TiO2 Filler and of Nanocomposite Nafion Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Allodi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available A large number of nano-sized oxides have been studied in the literature as fillers for polymeric membranes, such as Nafion®. Superacidic sulfated oxides have been proposed and characterized. Once incorporated into polymer matrices, their beneficial effect on peculiar membrane properties has been demonstrated. The alteration of physical-chemical properties of composite membranes has roots in the intermolecular interaction between the inorganic filler surface groups and the polymer chains. In the attempt to tackle this fundamental issue, here we discuss, by a multi-technique approach, the properties of a nanosized sulfated titania material as a candidate filler for Nafion membranes. The results of a systematic study carried out by synchrotron X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, Raman and infrared spectroscopies are presented and discussed to get novel insights about the structural features, molecular properties, and morphological characteristics of sulphated TiO2 nanopowders and composite Nafion membranes containing different amount of sulfated TiO2 nanoparticles (2%, 5%, 7% w/w.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of C-doped TiO2 and ZnO hybrid nanostructured materials as quantum-dots sensitized solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Rangel-Mendez, Jose R.; Matos, Juan; Cházaro-Ruiz, Luis F.; González-Castillo, Ana C.; Barrios-Yáñez, Guillermo

2018-03-01

The microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis of C-doped TiO2 and ZnO hybrid materials was performed. Saccharose, titanium isopropoxide and zinc acetate were used as organic and inorganic sources for the synthesis. The influence of temperature and reaction time on the textural and optoelectronic properties of the hybrid materials was verified. Carbon quantum-dots of TiO2 and ZnO nanostructured spheres were obtained in a second pot by controlled calcination steps of the precursor hybrid materials. A carefully characterization by adsorption-desorption N2 isotherms, XRD, XPS, SEM, UV-vis/DR and electro- and photo-electrochemistry properties of the carbon quantum-dots TiO2 and ZnO spheres was performed. The photoelectrochemical activity of TiO2-C and ZnO-C films proved to be dependent on the conditions of synthesis. It was found a red-shift in the energy band gap of the semiconductors with values of 3.02 eV and 3.13 eV for the TiO2-C and ZnO-C, respectively, clearly lower than those on bare semiconductors, which is associated with the C-doping effect. From the photo-electrochemistry characterization of C-doped TiO2 and ZnO films can be concluded that the present materials have potential applications as photoelectrodes for quantum-dots sensitized solar cells.

Chemical modification of polysulfone: composite anionic exchange membrane with TiO2 nano-particles

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Nonjola, PT

2013-04-01

Full Text Available -chemical properties studied by means of SEM and XRD techniques suggested the uniform and homogeneous distribution of TiO2 at 2.5wt. % loading, and negligible agglomeration at 10wt % loading, also indicated enhancement of crystalline character of these membranes...

Non-enzymatic detection of glucose in fruits using TiO2-Mn3O4 hybrid nano interface

Science.gov (United States)

Jayanth Babu, K.; Sasya, Madhurantakam; Nesakumar, Noel; Shankar, Prabakaran; Gumpu, Manju Bhargavi; Ramachandra, Bhat Lakshmishri; Kulandaisamy, Arockia Jayalatha; Rayappan, John Bosco Balaguru

2017-08-01

Consumption of fruits leads to increase in glucose level in blood for diabetic patients, which in turn leads to peripheral, vascular, ocular complications and cardiac diseases. In this context, a non-enzymatic hybrid glucose biosensor was fabricated for the first time to detect glucose by immobilizing titanium oxide-manganese oxide (TiO2-Mn3O4) nanocomposite and chitosan membrane on to the surface of Pt working electrode (Pt/TiO2-Mn3O4/chitosan). TiO2-Mn3O4 nanocomposite catalyzed the oxidation of glucose to gluconolactone in the absence of glucose oxidase enzyme with high electron transfer rate, good biocompatibility and large surface coverage. Electrochemical measurements revealed the excellent sensing response of the developed biosensor towards glucose with a high sensitivity of 7.073 µA mM-1, linearity of 0.01-0.1 mM, low detection limit of 0.01 µM, reproducibility of 1.5% and stability of 98.8%. The electrochemical parameters estimated from the anodic process were subjected to linear regression models for the detection of unknown concentration of glucose in different fruit samples.

TiO2 micro-nano-hybrid surface to alleviate biological aging of UV-photofunctionalized titanium.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwasa, Fuminori; Tsukimura, Naoki; Sugita, Yoshihiko; Kanuru, Rajita Kodali; Kubo, Katsutoshi; Hasnain, Hafiz; Att, Wael; Ogawa, Takahiro

2011-01-01

Bioactivity and osteoconductivity of titanium degrade over time after surface processing. This time-dependent degradation is substantial and defined as the biological aging of titanium. UV treatment has shown to reactivate the aged surfaces, a process known as photofunctionalization. This study determined whether there is a difference in the behavior of biological aging for titanium with micro-nano-hybrid topography and titanium with microtopography alone, following functionalization. Titanium disks were acid etched to create micropits on the surface. Micro-nano-hybrid surfaces were created by depositioning 300-nm diameter TiO(2) nodules onto the micropits using a previously established self-assembly protocol. These disks were stored for 8 weeks in the dark to allow sufficient aging, then treated with UV light for 48 hours. Rat bone marrow-derived osteoblasts were cultured on fresh disks (immediately after UV treatment), 3-day-old disks (disks stored for 3 days after UV treatment), and 7-day- old disks. The rates of cell attachment, spread, proliferation, and levels of alkaline phosphatase activity, and calcium deposition were reduced by 30%-50% on micropit surfaces, depending on the age of the titanium. In contrast, 7-day-old hybrid surfaces maintained equivalent levels of bioactivity compared with the fresh surfaces. Both micropit and micro-nano-hybrid surfaces were superhydrophilic immediately after UV treatment. However, after 7 days, the micro-nano- hybrid surfaces became hydrorepellent, while the micropit surfaces remained hydrophilic. The sustained bioactivity levels of the micro-nano-hybrid surfaces were nullified by treating these surfaces with Cl(-)anions. A thin TiO(2) coating on the micropit surface without the formation of nanonodules did not result in the prevention or alleviation of the time-dependent decrease in biological activity. In conclusion, the micro-nano-hybrid titanium surfaces may slow the rate of time-dependent degradation of titanium

Electrospun Fe3O4/TiO2 hybrid nanofibers and their in vitro biocompatibility: Prospective matrix for satellite cell adhesion and cultivation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amna, Touseef; Hassan, M. Shamshi; Van Ba, Hoa; Khil, Myung-Seob; Lee, Hak-Kyo; Hwang, I.H.

2013-01-01

We report the fabrication of novel Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 hybrid nanofibers with the improved cellular response for potential tissue engineering applications. In this study, Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 hybrid nanofibers were prepared by facile sol–gel electrospinning using titanium isopropoxide and iron(III) nitrate nonahydrate as precursors. The obtained electrospun nanofibers were vacuum dried at 80 °C and then calcined at 500 °C. The physicochemical characterization of the synthesized composite nanofibers was carried out by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction pattern. To examine the in vitro cytotoxicity, satellite cells were treated with as-prepared Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 and the viability of cells was analyzed by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay at regular time intervals. The morphological features of unexposed satellite cells and exposed to Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 composite were examined with a phase contrast microscope whereas the quantification of cell viability was carried out via confocal laser scanning microscopy. The morphology of the cells attached to hybrid matrix was observed by Bio-SEM. Cytotoxicity experiments indicated that the satellite cells could attach to the Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 composite nanofibers after being cultured. We observed that Fe 3 O 4 –TiO 2 composite nanofibers could support cell adhesion and growth. Results from this study therefore suggest that Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 composite scaffold with small diameters (approximately 200 nm) can mimic the natural extracellular matrix well and provide possibilities for diverse applications in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Highlights: ► We report fabrication of novel Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 hybrid nanofibers by facile electrospinning. ► The utilized satellite cells were isolated from native Korean Hanwoo cattle. ► Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 composite with small diameters (∼ 200 nm) can mimic the natural ECM well. ► Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2

Highly efficient hybrid photovoltaics based on hyperbranched three-dimensional TiO2 electron transporting materials

KAUST Repository

Mahmood, Khalid; Swain, Bhabani Sankar; Amassian, Aram

2015-01-01

A 3D hyperbranched TiO2 electron transporting material is demonstrated, which exhibits superior carrier transport and lifetime, as well as excellent infiltration, leading to highly efficient mesostructured hybrid solar cells, such as lead-halide perovskites (15.5%) and dye-sensitized solar cells (11.2%).

Highly efficient hybrid photovoltaics based on hyperbranched three-dimensional TiO2 electron transporting materials

KAUST Repository

Mahmood, Khalid

2015-03-23

A 3D hyperbranched TiO2 electron transporting material is demonstrated, which exhibits superior carrier transport and lifetime, as well as excellent infiltration, leading to highly efficient mesostructured hybrid solar cells, such as lead-halide perovskites (15.5%) and dye-sensitized solar cells (11.2%).

Investigation of TiO2 photocatalyst performance for decolorization in the presence of hydrodynamic cavitation as hybrid AOP.

Science.gov (United States)

Bethi, Bhaskar; Sonawane, S H; Rohit, G S; Holkar, C R; Pinjari, D V; Bhanvase, B A; Pandit, A B

2016-01-01

In this article, an acoustic cavitation engineered novel approach for the synthesis of TiO2, cerium and Fe doped TiO2 nanophotocatalysts is reported. The prepared TiO2, cerium and Fe doped TiO2 nanophotocatalysts were characterized by XRD and TEM analysis to evaluate its structure and morphology. Photo catalytic performance of undoped TiO2 catalyst was investigated for the decolorization of crystal violet dye in aqueous solution at pH of 6.5 in the presence of hydro dynamic cavitation. Effect of catalyst doping with Fe and Ce was also studied for the decolorization of crystal violet dye. The results shows that, 0.8% of Fe-doped TiO2 exhibits maximum photocatalytic activity in the decolorization study of crystal violet dye due to the presence of Fe in the TiO2 and it may acts as a fenton reagent. Kinetic studies have also been reported for the hybrid AOP (HAOP) that followed the pseudo first-order reaction kinetics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hybrid TiO2 -Ruthenium Nano-photosensitizer Synergistically Produces Reactive Oxygen Species in both Hypoxic and Normoxic Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilson, Rebecca C; Black, Kvar C L; Lane, Daniel D; Achilefu, Samuel

2017-08-28

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is widely used to treat diverse diseases, but its dependence on oxygen to produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) diminishes the therapeutic effect in a hypoxic environment, such as solid tumors. Herein, we developed a ROS-producing hybrid nanoparticle-based photosensitizer capable of maintaining high levels of ROS under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Conjugation of a ruthenium complex (N3) to a TiO 2 nanoparticle afforded TiO 2 -N3. Upon exposure of TiO 2 -N3 to light, the N3 injected electrons into TiO 2 to produce three- and four-fold more hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide, respectively, than TiO 2 at 160 mmHg. TiO 2 -N3 maintained three-fold higher hydroxyl radicals than TiO 2 under hypoxic conditions via N3-facilitated electron-hole reduction of adsorbed water molecules. The incorporation of N3 transformed TiO 2 from a dual type I and II PDT agent to a predominantly type I photosensitizer, irrespective of the oxygen content. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Towards the development of a novel bioinspired functional material: synthesis and characterization of hybrid TiO2/DHICA-melanin nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Pezzella, Alessandro; Capelli, Luigia; Costantini, Aniello; Luciani, Giuseppina; Tescione, Fabiana; Silvestri, Brigida; Vitiello, Giuseppe; Branda, Francesco

2013-01-01

A large number of recent literature data focus on modification/modulation of surface chemistry of inorganic materials in order to improve their functional properties. Melanins, a wide class of natural pigments, are recently emerging as a powerful organic component for developing bioinspired active material for a large number of applications from organoelectronics to bioactive compounds. Here we report the use of the approach referred as "chimie douce", involving in situ formation of the hybrids through reactions of precursors under mild conditions, to prepare novel hybrid functional architectures based on eumelanin like 5,6 dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) polymer and TiO2. Two synthesis procedures were carried out to get DHICA-melanin coated TiO2 nanoparticles as well as mixed DHICA/TiO2 hybrid nanostructures. Such systems were characterized through EPR, FT-IR and fluorescence spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and TEM microscopy in order to assess the effect of synthesis path as well as of DHICA content on structural, morphological and optical properties of TiO2 nanostructures. In particular, EPR, FT-IR spectra and TGA analysis confirmed the presence of DHICA-melanin in these samples. TEM measurements indicated the formation of the nanoparticles having relatively narrow size distribution with average particle size of about 10nm. DHICA-melanin does act as a morphological agent affecting morphology of hybrid nanostructures. XRD analysis proved that TiO2 hybrid nanoparticles kept anatase structures for DHICA-melanin contents within the range of investigated compositions, i.e. up to 50% wt/wt. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Formaldehyde gas sensor based on TiO2 thin membrane integrated with nano silicon structure

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Xuan; Ming, An-jie; Ye, Li; Chen, Feng-hua; Sun, Xi-long; Liu, Wei-bing; Li, Chao-bo; Ou, Wen; Wang, Wei-bing; Chen, Da-peng

2016-07-01

An innovative formaldehyde gas sensor based on thin membrane type metal oxide of TiO2 layer was designed and fabricated. This sensor under ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diode (LED) illumination exhibits a higher response to formaldehyde than that without UV illumination at low temperature. The sensitivities of the sensor under steady working condition were calculated for different gas concentrations. The sensitivity to formaldehyde of 7.14 mg/m3 is about 15.91 under UV illumination with response time of 580 s and recovery time of 500 s. The device was fabricated through micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) processing technology. First, plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) was adopted to form black polysilicon, then a nanoscale TiO2 membrane with thickness of 53 nm was deposited by DC reactive magnetron sputtering to obtain the sensing layer. By such fabrication approaches, the nanoscale polysilicon presents continuous rough surface with thickness of 50 nm, which could improve the porosity of the sensing membrane. The fabrication process can be mass-produced for the MEMS process compatibility.

Performance of Nafion-TiO2 hybrid membranes and PtSn/C electrocatalysts in PEM type fuel cells fed with ethanol and H2/CO at high temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isidoro, Roberta Alvarenga

2010-01-01

In this work, Nafion-TiO 2 hybrid electrolytes and PtSn/C electrocatalysts were synthesized for the application in direct ethanol fuel cell operating at high temperature (130 degree C). For this purpose, TiO 2 particles were incorporated in commercial Nafion membranes by an 'in situ' sol gel route. The resulting materials were characterized by gravimetric analysis, water uptake, DSC, XRD and EDX. Electrocatalysts based on carbon dispersed platinum-tin (PtSn/C), with different composition, were produced by alcohol-reduction method and were employed as anodic electrode. The electrocatalysts were characterized by XRD, EDX, XPS and transmission electronic spectroscopy. The electrochemical characterization was conducted by cyclic voltametry, carbon monoxide linear anodic voltammetry (CO stripping), and chronoamperometry. Membrane-electrodes assembly (MEAs) were formed with PtSn/C anodes, Pt/C cathodes and Nafion-TiO 2 hybrids. The performance of these MEA was evaluated in single-cell fed with H2/CO mixture or ethanol solution at the anode and oxygen at the cathode in the temperature range of 80-130 degree C. The analysis showed that the hybrid membranes improved the DEFC performance due to crossover suppression and that PtSn/C 70:30 electrocatalysts, prepared by an alcohol reduction process, showed better performance in ethanol oxidation. (author)

Facile Preparation of TiO2 Nanobranch/Nanoparticle Hybrid Architecture with Enhanced Light Harvesting Properties for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ju Seong Kim

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We report TiO2 nanobranches/nanoparticles (NBN hybrid architectures that can be synthesized by a facile solution phase method. The hybrid architecture simultaneously improves light harvesting and charge collection performances for a dye-sensitized solar cell. First, TiO2 nanorods with a trunk length of 2 μm were grown on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO/glass substrate, and then nanobranches and nanoparticles were deposited on the nanorods’ trunks through a solution method using an aqueous TiCl3 solution at 80°C. The relative amount of nanobranches and nanoparticles can be controlled by multiplying the number of TiCl3 treatments to maximize the amount of surface area. We found that the resultant TiO2 NBN hybrid architecture greatly improves the amount of dye adsorption (five times compared to bare nanorods due to the enhanced surface area, while maintaining a fast charge collection, leading to a three times higher current density and thus tripling the maximum power conversion efficiency for a dye-sensitized solar cell.

The electrical conductivity and energy band gap of ‘bunga belimbing buluh’/tio2 nanocrystals as hybrid solar cell

Science.gov (United States)

Kamarulzaman, N. H.; Salleh, H.; Ghazali, M. S. M.; Ghazali, S. M.; Ahmad, Z.

2018-05-01

This research intends to explore the effect of thickness of inorganic titania nanocrystals (TiO2 NCs) materials and Averrhoe bilimbi’s flower towards the electrical conductivity. Averrhoe bilimbi’s flower or also known as ‘bunga belimbing buluh’ was used for the first time as a natural dye in hybrid solar cells. The performance of electrical conductivity can be improved in bilayer heterojunction hybrid solar cell (HCS). The TiO2 NCs was deposited on the ITO substrate using Electrochemistry method at room temperature. The dye extracted from Averrhoe bilimbi’s flower was deposited on the top of TiO2 NCs layered using the same method. The electrical conductivity can be recorded using Four Point Probe (FPP) under dark and light radiation (range of 0 Wm-2 to 200Wm-2). From the results, electrical conductivity was increased by the increment light intensity and suitable for further solar cell fabrications.

Study of the Photocatalytic Property of Polysulfone Membrane Incorporating TiO2 Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xingxing; Zhou, Weiqi; Chen, Zhe; Yao, Lei

In order to investigate the effect of the incorporated nanoparticles on the photocatalytic property of the hybrid membranes, the uncovered and covered polysulfone/TiO2 hybrid membranes were prepared. Positron annihilation γ-ray spectroscopy coupled with a positron beam was utilized to examine the depth profiles of the two membranes. The photocatalytic activities of the membranes were evaluated by the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) aqueous solution under the irradiation of Xe lamp. UV-Vis spectroscopy was applied to study the UV transmission through the polysulfone layer. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to detect the photo-generated charges by the covered membrane during the irradiation. It can be found that UV light can penetrate through the covered layer (about 230nm), and the incorporated nanoparticles can still generate charges under irradiation, which endows the photocatalytic ability of the covered membrane.

Preliminary Study on the Removal of Steroidal Estrogens Using TiO2-Doped PVDF Ultrafiltration Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingquan Wang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Steroidal estrogens are a representative type of endocrine-disrupting chemical contaminant that has been detected in surface water. In this paper, modified polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF membranes were prepared by adding different amounts of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP and nano-TiO2 particles. PVDF-PVP membrane adsorption, UV photolysis and PVDF-PVP-TiO2 membrane photocatalysis performance were investigated by considering the rejection of estrone (E1 and 17β-estradiol (E2 in the cross-flow filtration experiments. The mechanism of photocatalytic degradation on TiO2-doped PVDF membranes was also evaluated. The results from the study indicated that adding PVP and nano-TiO2 appropriately in PVDF membranes could be an effective method for better E1and E2 rejection due to adsorption and photocatalytic degradation.

Fouling Removal of UF Membrane with Coated TiO2 Nanoparticles under UV Irradiation for Effluent Recovery during TFT-LCD Manufacturing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. H. You

2013-01-01

Full Text Available An ultrafiltration (UF membrane process was employed to treat the secondary effluent discharged from a manufacturing of thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD in this study. A bench-scale system was performed to evaluate the fouling removal of a UF membrane with coated titanium dioxide (TiO2 nanoparticles under UV irradiation. The operating pressure and feed temperature were controlled at 300 KN/m2 and 25°C, respectively. It was found that the optimum operating conditions were attained with TiO2 concentrations of 10 wt% for both 5 KD and 10 KD MWCO. Continuous UV irradiation of 5 KD MWCO improved the permeate flux rate from 45.0% to 59.5% after 4 hours of operation. SEM-EDS analysis also showed that the photocatalytic effect had reduced the average thickness of cake fouling on the membrane from 6.40 μm to 2.70 μm for 5 KD MWCO and from 6.70 μm to 3.1 μm for 10 KD MWCO. In addition, the membrane contact angle was reduced from 54° to 44°. The photocatalytic properties of TiO2 apparently increased the hydrophilicity of the membrane surface, thereby reducing membrane fouling.

Improved thermal conductivity of TiO2-SiO2 hybrid nanofluid in ethylene glycol and water mixture

Science.gov (United States)

Hamid, K. A.; Azmi, W. H.; Nabil, M. F.; Mamat, R.

2017-10-01

The need to study hybrid nanofluid properties such as thermal conductivity has increased recently in order to provide better understanding on nanofluid thermal properties and behaviour. Due to its ability to improve heat transfer compared to conventional heat transfer fluids, nanofluids as a new coolant fluid are widely investigated. This paper presents the thermal conductivity of TiO2-SiO2 nanoparticles dispersed in ethylene glycol (EG)-water. The TiO2-SiO2 hybrid nanofluids is measured for its thermal conductivity using KD2 Pro Thermal Properties Analyzer for concentration ranging from 0.5% to 3.0% and temperature of 30, 50 and 70°C. The results show that the increasing in concentration and temperature lead to enhancement in thermal conductivity at range of concentration studied. The maximum enhancement is found to be 22.1% at concentration 3.0% and temperature 70°C. A new equation is proposed based on the experiment data and found to be in good agreement where the average deviation (AD), standard deviation (SD) and maximum deviation (MD) are 1.67%, 1.66% and 5.13%, respectively.

Synthesis and characterization of Nafion/TiO2 nanocomposite membrane for proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae Young; Cho, Sung Yong

2011-08-01

In this study, the syntheses and characterizations of Nafion/TiO2 membranes for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) were investigated. Porous TiO2 powders were synthesized using the sol-gel method; with Nafion/TiO2 nanocomposite membranes prepared using the casting method. An X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that the synthesized TiO2 had an anatase structure. The specific surface areas of the TiO2 and Nafion/TiO2 nanocomposite membrane were found to be 115.97 and 33.91 m2/g using a nitrogen adsorption analyzer. The energy dispersive spectra analysis indicated that the TiO2 particles were uniformly distributed in the nanocomposite membrane. The membrane electrode assembly prepared from the Nafion/TiO2 nanocomposite membrane gave the best PEMFC performance compared to the Nafion/P-25 and Nafion membranes.

Three-dimensional observation of TiO2 nanostructures by electron tomography

KAUST Repository

Suh, Young Joon

2013-03-01

Three-dimensional nanostructures of TiO2 related materials including nanotubes, electron acceptor materials in hybrid polymer solar cells, and working electrodes of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were visualized by electron tomography as well as TEM micrographs. The regions on the wall of TiO2 nanotubes where the streptavidins were attached were elucidated by electron tomogram analysis. The coverage of TiO2 nanotubes by streptavidin was also investigated. The TiO2 nanostructures in hybrid polymer solar cells made by sol-gel and atomic layer deposition (ALD) methods and the morphologies of pores between TiO2 particles in DSSCs were also observed by reconstructed three-dimensional images made by electron tomography. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

TiO2 micro-nano-hybrid surface to alleviate biological aging of UV-photofunctionalized titanium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iwasa F

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Fuminori Iwasa1, Naoki Tsukimura1, Yoshihiko Sugita1, Rajita Kodali Kanuru1, Katsutoshi Kubo1, Hafiz Hasnain1, Wael Att1,2, Takahiro Ogawa11Laboratory of Bone and Implant Sciences (LBIS, The Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, Division of Advanced Prosthodontics, Biomaterials and Hospital Dentistry, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 2Department of Prosthodontics, Dental School, Albert-Ludwigs University, Freiburg, GermanyAbstract: Bioactivity and osteoconductivity of titanium degrade over time after surface processing. This time-dependent degradation is substantial and defined as the biological aging of titanium. UV treatment has shown to reactivate the aged surfaces, a process known as photofunctionalization. This study determined whether there is a difference in the behavior of biological aging for titanium with micro-nano-hybrid topography and titanium with microtopography alone, following functionalization. Titanium disks were acid etched to create micropits on the surface. Micro-nano-hybrid surfaces were created by depositioning 300-nm diameter TiO2 nodules onto the micropits using a previously established self-assembly protocol. These disks were stored for 8 weeks in the dark to allow sufficient aging, then treated with UV light for 48 hours. Rat bone marrow–derived osteoblasts were cultured on fresh disks (immediately after UV treatment, 3-day-old disks (disks stored for 3 days after UV treatment, and 7-day-old disks. The rates of cell attachment, spread, proliferation, and levels of alkaline phosphatase activity, and calcium deposition were reduced by 30%–50% on micropit surfaces, depending on the age of the titanium. In contrast, 7-day-old hybrid surfaces maintained equivalent levels of bioactivity compared with the fresh surfaces. Both micropit and micro-nano-hybrid surfaces were superhydrophilic immediately after UV treatment. However, after 7 days, the micro-nano-hybrid surfaces became hydrorepellent

Electrospun Fe3O4/TiO2 hybrid nanofibers and their in vitro biocompatibility: prospective matrix for satellite cell adhesion and cultivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Amna, Touseef; Hassan, M Shamshi; Van Ba, Hoa; Khil, Myung-Seob; Lee, Hak-Kyo; Hwang, I H

2013-03-01

We report the fabrication of novel Fe3O4/TiO2 hybrid nanofibers with the improved cellular response for potential tissue engineering applications. In this study, Fe3O4/TiO2 hybrid nanofibers were prepared by facile sol-gel electrospinning using titanium isopropoxide and iron(III) nitrate nonahydrate as precursors. The obtained electrospun nanofibers were vacuum dried at 80 °C and then calcined at 500 °C. The physicochemical characterization of the synthesized composite nanofibers was carried out by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction pattern. To examine the in vitro cytotoxicity, satellite cells were treated with as-prepared Fe3O4/TiO2 and the viability of cells was analyzed by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay at regular time intervals. The morphological features of unexposed satellite cells and exposed to Fe3O4/TiO2 composite were examined with a phase contrast microscope whereas the quantification of cell viability was carried out via confocal laser scanning microscopy. The morphology of the cells attached to hybrid matrix was observed by Bio-SEM. Cytotoxicity experiments indicated that the satellite cells could attach to the Fe3O4/TiO2 composite nanofibers after being cultured. We observed that Fe3O4-TiO2 composite nanofibers could support cell adhesion and growth. Results from this study therefore suggest that Fe3O4/TiO2 composite scaffold with small diameters (approximately 200 nm) can mimic the natural extracellular matrix well and provide possibilities for diverse applications in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of TiO2@Yeast-Carbon Hybrid Composites with the Raspberry-Like Structure and Their Synergistic Adsorption-Photocatalysis Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dang Yu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the present work, we report the preparation and photocatalytic properties of TiO2@yeast-carbon with raspberry-like structure using a pyrolysis method. The products are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS, X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermal gravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, and ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS, respectively. The results show that the hybrid TiO2@yeast-carbon microspheres have ordered elliptic shapes of uniform size (length = 3.5±0.3 μm; width = 2.5±0.5 μm. UV-VIS ascertains that the as-prepared microspheres possess an obvious light response in a wide range of 250–400 nm. In the decomposition of typical model pollutants including methylene blue and congo red, the hybrid composites exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for the methylene blue due to the enhanced adsorption ability. Further investigation reveals that the combined effect of adsorption from the yeast-carbon core and photocatalytic degradation from the attached TiO2 nanoparticles were responsible for the improvement of the photocatalytic activities. Hereby, the raspberry-like TiO2@yeast-carbon has promising applications in water purification.

TiO2-Based Phosphoproteomic Analysis of the Plasma Membrane and the Effects of Phosphatase Inhibitor Treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thingholm, Tine; Larsen, Martin Røssel; Ingrell, Christian

2008-01-01

Phosphorylation of plasma membrane proteins frequently initiates signal transduction pathways or attenuate plasma membrane transport processes. Because of the low abundance and hydrophobic features of many plasma membrane proteins and the low stoichiometry of protein phosphorylation, studies...... of the plasma membrane phosphoproteome are challenging. We present an optimized analytical strategy for plasma membrane phosphoproteomics that combines efficient plasma membrane protein preparation with TiO 2-based phosphopeptide enrichment and high-performance mass spectrometry for phosphopeptide sequencing....... We used sucrose centrifugation in combination with sodium carbonate extraction to achieve efficient and reproducible purification of low microgram levels of plasma membrane proteins from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs, 10 (7) cells), achieving more than 70% yield of membrane proteins...

Fabrication and optical properties of TiO sub 2 nanowire arrays made by sol-gel electrophoresis deposition into anodic alumina membranes

CERN Document Server

Lin, Y; Yuan, X Y; Xie, T; Zhang, L D

2003-01-01

Ordered TiO sub 2 nanowire arrays have been successfully fabricated into the nanochannels of a porous anodic alumina membrane by sol-gel electrophoretic deposition. After annealing at 500 deg. C, the TiO sub 2 nanowire arrays and the individual nanowires were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). SEM and TEM images show that these nanowires are dense and continuous with a uniform diameter throughout their entire length. XRD and SAED analysis together indicate that these TiO sub 2 nanowires crystallize in the anatase polycrystalline structure. The optical absorption band edge of TiO sub 2 nanowire arrays exhibits a blue shift with respect of that of the bulk TiO sub 2 owing to the quantum size effect.

Preparation and properties of hybrid direct methanol fuel cell membranes by embedding organophosphorylated titania submicrospheres into a chitosan polymer matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Hong; Hou, Weiqiang; Wang, Jingtao; Xiao, Lulu; Jiang, Zhongyi

Organophosphorylated titania submicrospheres (OPTi) are prepared and incorporated into a chitosan (CS) matrix to fabricate hybrid membranes with enhanced methanol resistance and proton conductivity for application in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). The pristine monodispersed titania submicrospheres (TiO 2) of controllable particle size are synthesized through a modified sol-gel method and then phosphorylated by amino trimethylene phosphonic acid (ATMP) via chemical adsorption, which is confirmed by XPS, FTIR and TGA. The morphology and thermal property of the hybrid membranes are explored by SEM and TGA. The ionic cross-linking between the -PO 3H 2 groups on OPTi and the -NH 2 groups on CS lead to better compatibility between the inorganic fillers and the polymer matrix, as well as a decreased fractional free volume (FFV), which is verified by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). The effects of particle size and content on the methanol permeability, proton conductivity, swelling and FFV of the membranes are investigated. Compared to pure CS membrane, the hybrid membranes exhibit an increased proton conductivity to an acceptable level of 0.01 S cm -1 for DMFC application and a reduced methanol permeability of 5 × 10 -7 cm 2 s -1 at a 2 M methanol feed.

Biotoxicity of TiO2 Nanoparticles on Raphidocelis subcapitata Microalgae Exemplified by Membrane Deformation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Merve Ozkaleli

2018-02-01

Full Text Available TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs, which are mainly used in consumer products (mostly cosmetics, have been found to cause ecotoxic effects in the aquatic environment. The green algae Raphidocelis subcapitata, as a representative of primary producers of the freshwater ecosystem, has been frequently used to study the effects of metal oxide NPs. An ecotoxicity study was conducted herein to investigate the effects of TiO2 NPs on survival and membrane deformation of algal cells. Five different concentrations of nano-TiO2 particles (1, 10, 50, 100 and 500 mg/L were prepared in synthetic surface water samples with five different water quality characteristics (pH 6.4–8.4, hardness 10–320 mg CaCO3/L, ionic strength 0.2–8 mM, and alkalinity 10–245 mg CaCO3/L. Results showed a significant increase in the hydrodynamic diameter of NPs with respect to both NP concentrations and ionic content of the test system. A soft synthetic freshwater system at pH 7.3 ± 0.2 appeared to provide the most effective water type, with more than 95% algal mortality observed at 50, 100 and 500 mg/L NP concentrations. At high exposure concentrations, increased malondialdehyde formations were observed. Moreover, due to membrane deformation, TEM images correlated the uptake of the NPs.

Biotoxicity of TiO2 Nanoparticles on Raphidocelis subcapitata Microalgae Exemplified by Membrane Deformation

Science.gov (United States)

Ozkaleli, Merve; Erdem, Ayca

2018-01-01

TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs), which are mainly used in consumer products (mostly cosmetics), have been found to cause ecotoxic effects in the aquatic environment. The green algae Raphidocelis subcapitata, as a representative of primary producers of the freshwater ecosystem, has been frequently used to study the effects of metal oxide NPs. An ecotoxicity study was conducted herein to investigate the effects of TiO2 NPs on survival and membrane deformation of algal cells. Five different concentrations of nano-TiO2 particles (1, 10, 50, 100 and 500 mg/L) were prepared in synthetic surface water samples with five different water quality characteristics (pH 6.4–8.4, hardness 10–320 mg CaCO3/L, ionic strength 0.2–8 mM, and alkalinity 10–245 mg CaCO3/L). Results showed a significant increase in the hydrodynamic diameter of NPs with respect to both NP concentrations and ionic content of the test system. A soft synthetic freshwater system at pH 7.3 ± 0.2 appeared to provide the most effective water type, with more than 95% algal mortality observed at 50, 100 and 500 mg/L NP concentrations. At high exposure concentrations, increased malondialdehyde formations were observed. Moreover, due to membrane deformation, TEM images correlated the uptake of the NPs. PMID:29495534

Microporous TiO2-WO3/TiO2 films with visible-light photocatalytic activity synthesized by micro arc oxidation and DC magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Kee-Rong; Hung, Chung-Hsuang; Yeh, Chung-Wei; Wu, Jiing-Kae

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A simple MAO is used to prepare porous WO 3 /TiO 2 layer on Ti sheet as a visible-light enabled catalyst. ► The photocatalytic activity of the WO 3 /TiO 2 is enhanced by sputtering over an N,C-TiO 2 layer. ► This is ascribed to the synergetic effect of hybrid sample prepared by two-step method. - Abstract: This study reports the preparation of microporous TiO 2 -WO 3 /TiO 2 films with a high surface area using a two-step approach. A porous WO 3 /TiO 2 template was synthesized by oxidizing a titanium sheet using a micro arc oxidation (MAO) process. This sheet was subsequently overlaid with a visible light (Vis)-enabled TiO 2 (N,C-TiO 2 ) film, which was deposited by codoping nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) ions into a TiO 2 lattice using direct current magnetron sputtering. The resulting microporous TiO 2 -WO 3 /TiO 2 film with a 0.38-μm-thick N,C-TiO 2 top-layer exhibited high photocatalytic activity in methylene blue (MB) degradation among samples under ultraviolet (UV) and Vis irradiation. This is attributable to the synergetic effect of two-step preparation method, which provides a highly porous microstructure and the well-crystallized N,C-TiO 2 top-layer. This is because a higher surface area with high crystallinity favors the adsorption of more MB molecules and more photocatalytic active areas. Thus, the microporous TiO 2 -WO 3 /TiO 2 film has promising applications in the photocatalytic degradation of dye solution under UV and Vis irradiation. These results imply that the microporous WO 3 /TiO 2 can be used as a template of hybrid electrode because it enables rapid fabrication.

A synergetic analysis method for antifouling behavior investigation on PES ultrafiltration membrane with self-assembled TiO2 nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xin; Li, Jiansheng; Fang, Xiaofeng; Bakzhan, Kariboz; Wang, Lianjun; Van der Bruggen, Bart

2016-05-01

Fouling of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes is a major impediment for their use in drinking water production. Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) may have great opportunities in dealing with this challenge due to their hierarchical structures and multiple functionalities. In this study, a synergetic analysis method based on intermolecular adhesion force measurement and fouling process simulation was applied to investigate the fouling mechanism of polyethersulfone (PES) UF membranes containing in situ self-assembled TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). The fouling resistance behavior and antifouling mechanism of the newly developed composite membranes were investigated with sodium alginate (SA), bovine serum albumin (BSA) and humic acid (HA) as model organic foulants. An improved antifouling effect was conspicuously observed for the composite membranes, expressed by a lower flux decline and significantly better cleaning efficiency. A strong correlation between the self-assembled structure of TiO2 NPs and the antifouling behavior of the composite membrane was observed. A lower magnitude and a narrower distribution of adhesion forces for the composite membrane suggest the effective suppression of foulants adsorption on the clean or fouled membrane. The simulation analysis indicates that the main fouling mechanism was standard blocking and cake filtration, further confirming the superiority of the NPs self-assembled structure in mitigating membrane fouling. This dual analysis method may provide a promising technological support for the application of modified UF membranes with self-assembled NPs in drinking water production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Photovoltaic characterization of hybrid solar cells using surface modified TiO2 nanoparticles and poly(3-hexyl)thiophene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenes, Serap; Marjanovic, Nenad; Nedeljkovic, Jovan M; Sariciftci, Niyazi Serdar

2008-01-01

We report on the photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells using novel nanoparticles of 6-palmitate ascorbic acid surface modified TiO 2 as an electron acceptor embedded into the donor poly(3-hexyl)thiophene (P3HT) matrix. Devices were fabricated by using P3HT with varying amounts of red TiO 2 nanoparticles (1:1, 1:2, 1:3 w-w ratio). The devices were characterized by measuring current-voltage characteristics under simulated AM 1.5 conditions. Incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) was spectrally resolved. The nanoscale morphology of such organic/inorganic hybrid blends was also investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Effect of filler surface functionalization on the performance of Nafion/Titanium oxide composite membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonis, Catia de; Cozzi, Dafne; Mecheri, Barbara; D'Epifanio, Alessandra; Rainer, Alberto; De Porcellinis, Diana; Licoccia, Silvia

2014-01-01

The phenylsulfonic functionalized nanometric titania (TiO 2 -PhSO 3 H) was synthesized to be used as filler in Nafion-based composite membranes for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) applications. The organic moieties were covalently bound on the surface of TiO 2 nanoparticles and the hybrid product was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. TiO 2 -PhSO 3 H showed higher ion exchange capacity (IEC) and proton conductivity values with respect to those of TiO 2 . The incorporation of TiO 2 -PhSO 3 H in Nafion led to a mechanical reinforcement of the membranes and higher conductivity than that obtained with unfilled Nafion. The composite membrane containing 10 wt.% of TiO 2 -PhSO 3 H showed an increased crystallinity and the highest conductivity, reaching 0.11 S cm −1 at 140 °C. DMFC tests were carried out showing that the use of the organic-inorganic hybrid filler leads to a general improvement in the cell performance, in terms of higher current and power density and reduced methanol crossover

Graphitic-C(3)N(4)-hybridized TiO(2) nanosheets with reactive {001} facets to enhance the UV- and visible-light photocatalytic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Liuan; Wang, Jingyu; Zou, Zhijuan; Han, Xijiang

2014-03-15

AnataseTiO(2)nanosheets with dominant {001} facets were hybridized with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C(3)N(4)) using a facile solvent evaporation method. On top of the superior photocatalytic performance of highly reactive {001} facets, the hybridization with g-C(3)N(4) is confirmed to further improve the reactivity through degrading a series of organic molecules under both UV- and visible-light irradiation. It is proposed that an effective charge separation between g-C(3)N(4) and TiO2 exists in the photocatalytic process, i.e., the transferring of photogenerated holes from the valence band (VB) of TiO(2) to the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of g-C(3)N(4), and the injecting of electrons from the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of g-C(3)N(4) to the conduction band (CB) of TiO(2). Due to this synergistic effect, the enhancement of UV- and visible-light photoactivity over the hybrid is achieved. Furthermore, it has been revealed that holes were the main factor for the improved photoactivity under UV-light, while the OH radicals gained the predominance for degrading organic molecules under visible-light. Overall, this work would be significant for fabricating efficient UV-/visible-photocatalysts and providing deeper insight into the enhanced mechanisms of π-conjugated molecules hybridized semiconductors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Porous TiO2 Conformal Coating on Carbon Nanotubes as Energy Storage Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Litao; Xu, Yun; Zhou, Meng; Chen, Gen; Deng, Shuguang; Smirnov, Sergei; Luo, Hongmei; Zou, Guifu

2015-01-01

The controllable synthesis of strongly coupled inorganic materials/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hybrids represents a long-standing challenge for developing advanced catalysts and energy-storage materials. Here we report a simple sol-gel method for facile synthesis of TiO 2 /CNTs hybrid. The porous anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles are uniformly coated on the CNTs conducting network, which leads to remarkably improved electrochemical performances such as exceptional cycling stability, good high rate durability, and reduced resistance. This hybrid exhibits a reversible capacity as high as 200 mA·h g −1 at a current density of 0.1 A g −1 as an anode in lithium-ion battery (LIB). As a supercapacitor (SC), it shows a specific supercapacitance of 145 F g −1 in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 electrolyte, higher than that of the previously reported TiO 2 based supercapacitors. Moreover, this hybrid also exhibits excellent durability after 1000 cycles for both LIBs and SCs. Such superior performance and cycling durability demonstrate the reinforced synergistic effects between the porous TiO 2 and interweaved CNTs network, indicating a great application potential for such hybrid materials in high power LIBs and SCs

Graphene oxide – molybdenum disulfide hybrid membranes for hydrogen separation

KAUST Repository

Ostwal, Mayur; Shinde, Digambar B.; Wang, Xinbo; Gadwal, Ikhlas; Lai, Zhiping

2017-01-01

Graphene oxide – molybdenum disulfide hybrid membranes were prepared using vacuum filtration technique. The thickness and the MoS2 content in the membranes were varied and their H2 permeance and H2/CO2 selectivity are reported. A 60nm hybrid membrane containing ~75% by weight of MoS2 exhibited the highest H2 permeance of 804×10−9mol/m2·s·Pa with corresponding H2/CO2 selectivity of 26.7; while a 150nm hybrid membrane with ~29% MoS2 showed the highest H2/CO2 selectivity of 44.2 with corresponding H2 permeance of 287×10−9mol/m2·s·Pa. The hybrid membranes exhibited much higher H2 permeance compared to graphene oxide membranes and higher selectivity compared to MoS2 membranes, which fully demonstrated the synergistic effect of both nanomaterials. The membranes also displayed excellent operational long-term stability.

Graphene oxide – molybdenum disulfide hybrid membranes for hydrogen separation

KAUST Repository

Ostwal, Mayur

2017-12-24

Graphene oxide – molybdenum disulfide hybrid membranes were prepared using vacuum filtration technique. The thickness and the MoS2 content in the membranes were varied and their H2 permeance and H2/CO2 selectivity are reported. A 60nm hybrid membrane containing ~75% by weight of MoS2 exhibited the highest H2 permeance of 804×10−9mol/m2·s·Pa with corresponding H2/CO2 selectivity of 26.7; while a 150nm hybrid membrane with ~29% MoS2 showed the highest H2/CO2 selectivity of 44.2 with corresponding H2 permeance of 287×10−9mol/m2·s·Pa. The hybrid membranes exhibited much higher H2 permeance compared to graphene oxide membranes and higher selectivity compared to MoS2 membranes, which fully demonstrated the synergistic effect of both nanomaterials. The membranes also displayed excellent operational long-term stability.

Amplification of arsenic genotoxicity by TiO2 nanoparticles in mammalian cells: new insights from physicochemical interactions and mitochondria.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xinan; Liu, Yun; Wang, Juan; Nie, Yaguang; Chen, Shaopeng; Hei, Tom K; Deng, Zhaoxiang; Wu, Lijun; Zhao, Guoping; Xu, An

2017-10-01

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) have shown great adsorption capacity for arsenic (As); however, the potential impact of TiO 2 NPs on the behavior and toxic responses of As remains largely unexplored. In the present study, we focused on the physicochemical interaction between TiO 2 NPs and As(III) to clarify the underlying mechanisms involved in their synergistic genotoxic effect on mammalian cells. Our data showed that As(III) mainly interacted with TiO 2 NPs by competitively occupying the sites of hydroxyl groups on the surface of TiO 2 NP aggregates, resulting in more aggregation of TiO 2 NPs. Although TiO 2 NPs at concentrations used here had no cytotoxic or genotoxic effects on cells, they efficiently increased the genotoxicity of As(III) in human-hamster hybrid (A L ) cells. The synergistic genotoxicity of TiO 2 NPs and As(III) was partially inhibited by various endocytosis pathway inhibitors while it was completely blocked by an As(III)-specific chelator. Using a mitochondrial membrane potential fluorescence probe, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) probe together with mitochondrial DNA-depleted ρ 0 A L cells, we discovered that mitochondria were essential for mediating the synergistic DNA-damaging effects of TiO 2 NPs and As(III). These data provide novel mechanistic proof that TiO 2 NPs enhanced the genotoxicity of As(III) via physicochemical interactions, which were mediated by mitochondria-dependent ROS.

Self-assembled supramolecular system PDINH on TiO2 surface enhances hydrogen production.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xin; Lv, Xingshuai; Zhang, Qianqian; Huang, Baibiao; Wang, Peng; Qin, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Xiaoyang; Dai, Ying

2018-09-01

Constructing organic-inorganic hybrids is one of the hopeful strategies to improve photocatalyst performance. In this study, perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PDINH) and commercial TiO 2 P25 are chosen as raw materials to construct a PDINH/TiO 2 organic-inorganic hybrid, which has higher photocatalytic H 2 production activity and photocurrent intensity than pure PDINH and TiO 2 , respectively. The apparent quantum efficiency for H 2 production over 0.5%PDINH/TiO 2 reaches as high as 70.69% using irradiation at 365 nm. Moreover, XRD, DRS, HRTEM, FT-IR, and XPS are used to characterize the crystal structure, optical absorption, morphology, molecular structure, and chemical bonds, as well as the elemental and chemical states of PDINH/TiO 2 organic-inorganic hybrid. The interfaces between PDINH and TiO 2 , which largely determine photocatalytic performance, is also analyzed systematically. Furthermore, charge density difference (Δρ) is used to analyze the electron-ion interactions of PDINH and TiO 2 , and reveals that substantial charge transfer occurs from PDINH to TiO 2 . Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A Ag synchronously deposited and doped TiO2 hybrid as an ultrasensitive SERS substrate: a multifunctional platform for SERS detection and photocatalytic degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Libin; Sang, Qinqin; Du, Juan; Yang, Ming; Li, Xiuling; Shen, Yu; Han, Xiaoxia; Jiang, Xin; Zhao, Bing

2018-06-06

Ag simultaneously deposited and doped TiO2 (Ag-TiO2) hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared via a sol-hydrothermal method, as both a sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate and a superior photocatalyst for the first time. Ag-TiO2 hybrid NPs exhibit excellent SERS performance for several probe molecules and the enhancement factor is calculated to be 1.86 × 105. The detection limit of the 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) probe on the Ag-TiO2 substrate is 1 × 10-9 mol L-1, which is four orders of magnitude lower than that on pure TiO2 as a consequence of the synergistic effects of TiO2 and Ag. This is the highest SERS sensitivity among the reported semiconductor substrates and even comparable to noble metal substrates, and a SERS enhancement mechanism from the synergistic contribution of the semiconductor and noble metal was proposed. And importantly, the Ag-TiO2 hybrid shows excellent photocatalytic degradation activity for the detected species under UV light irradiation at lower concentration conditions, even for the hard to degrade 4-MBA molecule. This makes the Ag-TiO2 hybrid promising as a dual-function platform for both highly sensitive SERS detection and photocatalytic degradation of a pollutant system. Moreover, it also proves that the Ag-TiO2 hybrid can serve as a promising recyclable SERS-active substrate by virtue of its photocatalytic self-cleaning properties for some specific applications, for instance comparative studies of different species on the same SERS platform, in addition to the economic benefit.

Fabrication and Characterization of Polyimide-CNTs hybrid membrane to enhance high performance CO2 separation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tutuk Djoko Kusworo

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the CO2 separation performance of a hybrid membranes flat sheet based on polyimide incorporated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs particles. CNTs was selected and its loading were a 1 wt% in total solid. The hybrid composite membranes were fabricated in order to increase their separation performance for the gaseous mixture of CO2 and CH4. Hybrid Composite  membrane incorporated carbon nanotubes were mannufactured  by the dry-wet phase inversion technique using flat sheet membrane casting machine system,  in which the CNTs were embedded into the polyimide membrane and the resulting membranes were characterized. The results from the FESEM, DSC and FTIR analysis confirmed that chemical modification on carbon nanotubes surface had taken place. Sieve-in-a-cage’ morphology observed shows the poor adhesion between polymer and unmodified CNT. The results revealed that the good multi-wall carbon nanotubes dispersion leads to enhanced gas permeation properties. It is also concluded that addition of carbon nanotubes particles into the matrix of Polyimide polymer has significant effect on the membrane structure and properties.

Enhancing Properties and Performance of Cellulose Acetate/Polyethylene Glycol (CA/PEG Membrane with the addition of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2 by Using Surface Coating Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurkhamidah Siti

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, cellulose acetate/polyethylene glycol (CA/PEG membrane with composition 80/20 was prepared by phase inversion method. Titanium dioxide with different number has been added by using surface coating. Hydrophilicity, morphology, flux permeate and salt rejection of membranes has been studied. The hydrophilicity is determined by Fourier-Transformed Infra-Red (FTIR spectra and contact angle analysis. Surface and fractured morphology are identified by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM. The experiment results show that hydrophilicity of CA/PEG membrane increases with the addition and the increasing of TiO2 contents. However, with further increasing of TiO2, hydrophilicity of CPT membrane decreases. The optimum membrane is CA/PEG/TiO2 80/20/1,25 g/L solvent (CPT 3 with flux permeate of 111,82 L.m-2h-1 and salt rejection of 48,30%.

Preparation of novel poly(vinylidene fluoride)/TiO2 photocatalysis membranes for use in direct contact membrane distillation

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yukun; Dong, Shuying; Zhu, Liang

2018-03-01

Immobilization of TiO2 is a potential approach to obtain photocatalytic membranes that could eliminate concentration polarization in sewage disposal for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process. A simple non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) method was proposed to prepare poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane, and the double-coating technology was further used to prepare the self-cleaning membranes with different TiO2 content. The effects of TiO2 nano-particles on membrane crystal form, morphology, porosity, pore size, pore size distribution, hydrophobicity, permeation, and photocatalytic efficiency were investigated, respectively. The flux of the prepared membranes is higher than the membrane (MS) provided by Membrane Solutions, LLC, in DCMD process. The contact angle between water and membrane could be increased 22° by introducing photocatalytic layer containing TiO2. During the photocatalytic test, 65.78-96.31% degrading rate of 15 mg/L Rhodamine B (RhB) was achieved. The relative flux of the membrane T-3 can be recovered to 0.96 in photocatalysis-membrane reactor for 8 h UV radiation. The fabricated membrane has great potential in high-salty dyeing wastewater treatment due to its high hydrophobicity and photocatalytic capability. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Development of DNA biosensor based on TiO2 nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Nadzirah, Sh.; Hashim, U.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

A novel technique of DNA hybridization on the TiO2 nanoparticles film was developed by dropping a single droplet of target DNA onto the surface of TiO2 for the study of various concentrations of target DNA. The surface of TiO2 nanoparticle film was functionalized with APTES and covalently immobilized with 1 µM probe DNA on the silanized TiO2 nanoparticles surface. The effect of silanization, immobilization and hybridization were quantitatively measured by the output current signal obtained using a picoammeter. The 1 µM target DNA was found to be the most effective target towards the 1 µM probe DNA as the output current signal was within range; while the output current signal of the 10 µM target DNA was observed to beyond the range of the probe DNA control due to the excessive concentration as compared to the probe DNA. This approach has several advantages such as rapid, simple, low cost, and sensitive current signal during detection of different target DNA concentrations.

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of inverted hybrid bulk-heterojunction solar cells using TiO2/reduced graphene oxide films as electron transport layers

Science.gov (United States)

Morais, Andreia; Alves, João Paulo C.; Lima, Francisco Anderson S.; Lira-Cantu, Monica; Nogueira, Ana Flavia

2015-01-01

In this study, we investigated inverted hybrid bulk-heterojunction solar cells with the following configuration: fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) |TiO2/RGO|P3HT:PC61BM|V2O5 or PEDOT:PSS|Ag. The TiO2/GO dispersions were prepared by sol-gel method, employing titanium isopropoxide and graphene oxide (GO) as starting materials. The GO concentration was varied from 0.1 to 4.0 wt%. The corresponding dispersions were spin-coated onto FTO substrates and a thermal treatment was performed to remove organic materials and to reduce GO to reduced graphene oxide (RGO). The TiO2/RGO films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and microscopy techniques. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images showed that the addition of RGO significantly changes the morphology of the TiO2 films, with loss of uniformity and increase in surface roughness. Independent of the use of V2O5 or PEDOT: PSS films as the hole transport layer, the incorporation of 2.0 wt% of RGO into TiO2 films was the optimal concentration for the best organic photovoltaic performance. The solar cells based on TiO2/RGO (2.0 wt%) electrode exhibited a ˜22.3% and ˜28.9% short circuit current density (Jsc) and a power conversion efficiency enhancement, respectively, if compared with the devices based on pure TiO2 films. Kelvin probe force microscopy images suggest that the incorporation of RGO into TiO2 films can promote the appearance of regions with different charge dissipation capacities.

Fabrication of ridge waveguide structure from photosensitive TiO2/ormosil hybrid films by using an ultraviolet soft imprint technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xuehua; Que, Wenxiu; Chen, Jing; Gao, Tianxi; Hu, Jiaxing; Liu, Weiguo

2013-01-01

Photosensitive TiO 2 /organically modified silane hybrid films were prepared by combining a low-temperature sol–gel process with a spin-coating technique. Optical properties and photochemical activities of the as-prepared hybrid sol–gel films under different UV irradiation time were characterized and monitored by prism coupling technique, UV–visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Surface morphology of the hybrid films was also observed by an atomic force microscopy. Advantages for fabrication of ridge waveguide structure based on the photosensitive hybrid films were demonstrated by an ultraviolet soft imprint technique. Effects of imprint force, imprint time, and UV irradiation time on high replication fidelity of the ridge waveguide structure were also investigated. An altitude replication fidelity of 99.7% can be obtained when the imprint force of 2 MPa, imprint time of 30 min and UV irradiation time of 45 min were chosen. Scanning electron microscopy and surface profiler were used to characterize the morphological and surface profile properties of the as fabricated ridge waveguide structure. Results indicate that the as-prepared photosensitive hybrid materials have great applicability for the fabrication of micro-optical elements and advantage as the imprint layer under the ultraviolet soft imprint technique. - Highlights: ► Photosensitive TiO 2 /ormosil hybrid film is prepared by a sol–gel process. ► Optical properties of the films change a little with UV exposure time. ► Photo-chemical property of the film changes a lot with UV exposure time. ► The imprint force and time, and the UV exposure time affect the imprint fidelity. ► A fidelity value of 99.7% is obtained under an optimized condition

Hybridization and bond-orbital components in site-specific X-ray photoelectron spectra of rutile TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woicik, J.C.; Nelson, E.J.; Kronik, Leeor; Jain, Manish; Chelikowsky, James R.; Heskett, D.; Berman, L.E.; Herman, G.S.

2002-01-01

We have determined the Ti and O components of the rutile TiO 2 valence band using the method of site-specific x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Comparisons with calculations based on pseudopotentials within the local density approximation reveal the hybridization of the Ti 3d, 4s, and 4p states, and the O 2s and 2p states on each site. These chemical effects are observed due to the large differences between the angular-momentum dependent matrix elements of the photoelectron process

Toxicity of nanotitanium dioxide (TiO2-NP) on human monocytes and their mitochondria.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghanbary, Fatemeh; Seydi, Enaytollah; Naserzadeh, Parvaneh; Salimi, Ahmad

2018-03-01

The effect of nanotitanium dioxide (TiO 2 -NP) in human monocytes is still unknown. Therefore, an understanding of probable cytotoxicity of TiO 2 -NP on human monocytes and underlining the mechanisms involved is of significant interest. The aim of this study was to assess the cytotoxicity of TiO 2 -NP on human monocytes. Using biochemical and flow cytometry assessments, we demonstrated that addition of TiO 2 -NP at 10 μg/ml concentration to monocytes induced cytotoxicity following 12 h. The TiO 2 -NP-induced cytotoxicity on monocytes was associated with intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) collapse, lysosomal membrane injury, lipid peroxidation, and depletion of glutathione. According to our results, TiO 2 -NP triggers oxidative stress and organelles damages in monocytes which are important cells in defense against foreign agents. Finally, our findings suggest that use of antioxidants and mitochondrial/lysosomal protective agents could be of benefit for the people in the exposure with TiO 2 -NP.

Preparation and Characterization of Polymeric-Hybrid PES/TiO2 Hollow Fiber Membranes for Potential Applications in Water Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Simone

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In this work, poly(ethersulfone (PES ultrafiltration (UF hollow fibers (HF were modified by introducing TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs in the polymeric dope, to endow them with photocatalytic properties. Different dope compositions and spinning conditions for producing “blank” PES UF fibers with suitable properties were investigated. PEO–PPO–PEO (Poly(ethylene glycol-block-poly(propylene glycol-block-poly(ethylene glycol, Pluronic® (Sigma-Aldrich, Milan, Italy was finally selected as the additive and a suitable dope composition was identified. After the detection of an appropriate dope composition and the optimization of the spinning parameters, PES-TiO2 HF was produced. The optimized composition was employed for preparing the mixed matrix HF loaded with TiO2 NPs. The effect of different TiO2 NP (0.3–1 wt % concentrations and bore fluid compositions on the fiber morphology and properties were explored. The morphology of the produced fibers was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM. Fibers were further characterized by measuring: pore size diameters and thickness, porosity, and pure water permeability (PWP. The photocatalytic activity of the new membranes was also tested by UV light irradiation. The model “foulant” methylene blue (MB was used in order to prove the efficiency of the novel UF membrane for dye photo-degradation.

Enhanced Performance of Polyurethane Hybrid Membranes for CO2 Separation by Incorporating Graphene Oxide: The Relationship between Membrane Performance and Morphology of Graphene Oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ting; Zhao, Li; Shen, Jiang-nan; Wu, Li-guang; Van der Bruggen, Bart

2015-07-07

Polyurethane hybrid membranes containing graphene oxide (GO) with different morphologies were prepared by in situ polymerization. The separation of CO2/N2 gas mixtures was studied using these novel membranes. The results from the morphology characterization of GO samples indicated that the oxidation process in the improved Hummers method introduced oxygenated functional groups into graphite, making graphite powder exfoliate into GO nanosheets. The surface defects on the GO sheets increased when oxidation increased due to the introduction of more oxygenated functional groups. Both the increase in oxygenated functional groups on the GO surface and the decrease in the number of GO layers leads to a better distribution of GO in the polymer matrix, increasing thermal stability and gas separation performance of membranes. The addition of excess oxidant destroyed the structure of GO sheets and forms structural defects, which depressed the separation performance of membranes. The hybrid membranes containing well-distributed GO showed higher permeability and permeability selectivity for the CO2. The formation of GO aggregates in the hybrid membranes depressed the membrane performance at a high content of GO.

Development of an energy-saving anaerobic hybrid membrane bioreactors for 2-chlorophenol-contained wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yun-Kun; Pan, Xin-Rong; Sheng, Guo-Ping; Li, Wen-Wei; Shi, Bing-Jing; Yu, Han-Qing

2015-12-01

A novel energy-saving anaerobic hybrid membrane bioreactor (AnHMBR) with mesh filter, which takes advantage of anaerobic membrane bioreactor and fixed-bed biofilm reactor, is developed for low-strength 2-chlorophenol (2-CP)-contained wastewater treatment. In this system, the anaerobic membrane bioreactor is stuffed with granular activated carbon to construct an anaerobic hybrid fixed-bed biofilm membrane bioreactor. The effluent turbidity from the AnHMBR system was low during most of the operation period, and the chemical oxygen demand and 2-CP removal efficiencies averaged 82.3% and 92.6%, respectively. Furthermore, a low membrane fouling rate was achieved during the operation. During the AnHMBR operation, the only energy consumption was for feed pump. And a low energy demand of 0.0045-0.0063kWhm(-3) was estimated under the current operation conditions. All these results demonstrated that this novel AnHMBR is a sustainable technology for treating 2-CP-contained wastewater. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrocatalytic glucose oxidation via hybrid nanomaterial catalyst of multi-wall TiO2 nanotubes supported Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles: Optimization of the loading level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu, Yingying; Liu, Yicheng; Yang, Haihong; Li, Benqiang; An, Yarui

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Multi-wall TiO 2 nanotube supported Ni(OH) 2 nanoparticles, Ni(OH) 2 /TNTs, was prepared and investigated as anode electro-catalysts for glucose oxidation. • Ni(OH) 2 -24.2%/TNTs obtains the best catalytic activity. • Compared with Ni(OH) 2, the current density of Ni(OH) 2 -24.2%/TNTs increased 5.9 times in 0.1 M NaOH solution. - Abstract: The novel hybrid nanomaterial catalyst of multi-wall TiO 2 nanotube supported Ni(OH) 2 nanoparticles (Ni(OH) 2 /TNTs) was prepared through hydrothermal method and investigated as anode electro-catalysts for glucose oxidation. The nanostructure was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TGA) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption (BET-BJH). The electrochemical performance was measured by a range of electrochemical measurements. Compared with Ni(OH) 2 , the current density of Ni(OH) 2 /TNTs modified GC electrode increased 5.9 times in 0.1 M NaOH solution. The results indicated that the synthesized nanoparticles exhibited good electro-catalytic activity and stability for glucose oxidation. Meanwhile, the hybrid nanomaterial of Ni(OH) 2 /TNTs may be a potential candidate catalyst for direct glucose fuel cell

Hybrid membranes of polyamide applied in treatment of waste water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medeiros, Keila Machado de; Araujo, Edcleide Maria; Lira, Helio de Lucena; Lima, Diego de Farias; Lima, Carlos Antonio Pereira de

2017-01-01

In this work, it was prepared hybrid membranes of polyamide6 (PA6) with montmorillonite (MMT) and porogenic agent (CaCl 2 ). The hybrid membranes with CaCl 2 were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), porosimetry by mercury intrusion (PMI), flux measurements and rejection. By means of X-ray diffraction, it was revealed that the hybrid membranes with CaCl 2 have an exfoliated and/or partially exfoliated structure. For FTIR and DSC of hybrid membranes with CaCl 2 , it was found that the spectra and the crystalline melting temperature remained virtually unchanged compared to PA6 membrane. From the SEM images, it was observed that the addition of the MMT and the CaCl 2 in the membrane of PA6 caused an increase in the amount of pores the surface and cross section of these membranes. By PMI, it was observed that the presence of MMT and CaCl 2 in the membrane caused an increase in the average diameters of pores. The water-oil separation tests, indicated a significant reduction of oil in the permeate, allowing treatment of wastewater contaminated with oil. (author)

Hybrid membranes of polyamide applied in treatment of waste water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Medeiros, Keila Machado de; Araujo, Edcleide Maria; Lira, Helio de Lucena, E-mail: keilamachadodemedeiros@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), PB (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais; Lima, Diego de Farias; Lima, Carlos Antonio Pereira de [Universidade Estadual da Paraiba (UEPB), Campina Grande, PB (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia Sanitaria e Ambiental

2017-03-15

In this work, it was prepared hybrid membranes of polyamide6 (PA6) with montmorillonite (MMT) and porogenic agent (CaCl{sub 2} ). The hybrid membranes with CaCl{sub 2} were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), porosimetry by mercury intrusion (PMI), flux measurements and rejection. By means of X-ray diffraction, it was revealed that the hybrid membranes with CaCl{sub 2} have an exfoliated and/or partially exfoliated structure. For FTIR and DSC of hybrid membranes with CaCl{sub 2} , it was found that the spectra and the crystalline melting temperature remained virtually unchanged compared to PA6 membrane. From the SEM images, it was observed that the addition of the MMT and the CaCl{sub 2} in the membrane of PA6 caused an increase in the amount of pores the surface and cross section of these membranes. By PMI, it was observed that the presence of MMT and CaCl{sub 2} in the membrane caused an increase in the average diameters of pores. The water-oil separation tests, indicated a significant reduction of oil in the permeate, allowing treatment of wastewater contaminated with oil. (author)

'Pre-prosthetic use of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) membranes treated with oxygen plasma and TiO2 nanocomposite particles for guided bone regeneration processes'.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo-Dalí, Gabriel; Castillo-Oyagüe, Raquel; Terriza, Antonia; Saffar, Jean-Louis; Batista-Cruzado, Antonio; Lynch, Christopher D; Sloan, Alastair J; Gutiérrez-Pérez, José-Luis; Torres-Lagares, Daniel

2016-04-01

Guided bone regeneration (GBR) processes are frequently necessary to achieve appropriate substrates before the restoration of edentulous areas. This study aimed to evaluate the bone regeneration reliability of a new poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) membrane after treatment with oxygen plasma (PO2) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) composite nanoparticles. Circumferential bone defects (diameter: 10mm; depth: 3mm) were created on the parietal bones of eight experimentation rabbits and were randomly covered with control membranes (Group 1: PLGA) or experimental membranes (Group 2: PLGA/PO2/TiO2). The animals were euthanized two months afterwards, and a morphologic study was then performed under microscope using ROI (region of interest) colour analysis. Percentage of new bone formation, length of mineralised bone formed in the grown defects, concentration of osteoclasts, and intensity of osteosynthetic activity were assessed. Comparisons among the groups and with the original bone tissue were made using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The level of significance was set in advance at a=0.05. The experimental group recorded higher values for new bone formation, mineralised bone length, and osteoclast concentration; this group also registered the highest osteosynthetic activity. Bone layers in advanced formation stages and low proportions of immature tissue were observed in the study group. The functionalised membranes showed the best efficacy for bone regeneration. The addition of TiO2 nanoparticles onto PLGA/PO2 membranes for GBR processes may be a promising technique to restore bone dimensions and anatomic contours as a prerequisite to well-supported and natural-appearing prosthetic rehabilitations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of hybrid membrane and chemical absorption systems for CO2 capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Binns, Michael; Oh, Se-Young; Kwak, Dong-Hun; Kim, Jin-Kuk

2015-01-01

Amine-based absorption of CO 2 is currently the industry standard technology for capturing CO 2 emitted from power plants, refineries and other large chemical plants. However, more recently there have been a number of competing technologies under consideration, including the use of membranes for CO 2 separation and purification. We constructed and analyzed two different hybrid configurations combining and connecting chemical absorption with membrane separation. For a particular flue gas which is currently treated with amine-based chemical absorption at a pilot plant we considered and tested how membranes could be integrated to improve the performance of the CO 2 capture. In particular we looked at the CO 2 removal efficiency and the energy requirements. Sensitivity analysis was performed varying the size of the membranes and the solvent flow rate

Preparation and solar-light photocatalytic activity of TiO2 composites: TiO2/kaolin, TiO2/diatomite, and TiO2/zeolite

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Y.; Li, S. G.; Wang, J.; Li, Y.; Ma, C. H.; Zhang, L.

2014-12-01

Three TiO2 loaded composites, TiO2/kaolin, TiO2/diatomite, and TiO2/zeolite, were prepared in order to improve the solar-light photocatalytic activity of TiO2. The results showed that the photocatalytic activity could obviously be enhanced by loading appropriate amount of inorganic mineral materials. Meanwhile, TiO2 content, heat-treatment temperature and heat-treatment time on the photocatalytic activity were reviewed. Otherwise, the effect of solar light irradiation time and dye concentration on the photocatalytic degradation of Acid Red B was investigated. Furthermore, the degradation mechanism and adsorption process were also discussed.

Enhanced the performance of graphene oxide/polyimide hybrid membrane for CO2 separation by surface modification of graphene oxide using polyethylene glycol

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Li-guang; Yang, Cai-hong; Wang, Ting; Zhang, Xue-yang

2018-05-01

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) with different molecular weights was first used to modify graphene oxide (GO) samples. Subsequently, polyimide (PI) hybrid membranes containing modified-GO were fabricated via in situ polymerization. The separation performance of these hybrid membranes was evaluated using permeation experiments for CO2 and N2 gases. The morphology characterization showed that PEG with suitable molecular weight could be successfully grafted on the GO surface. PEG modification altered the surface properties of GO and introduced defective structures onto GO surface. This caused strong surface polarity and high free volume of membranes containing PEG-modified GO, thereby improving the separation performance of membranes. The addition of PEG-GO with low molecular weight effectively increased gas diffusion through hybrid membranes. The hybrid membranes containing PEG-GO with large molecular weight had high solubility performance for CO2 gas due to the introduction of numerous polar groups into polymeric membranes. With the loading content of modified GO, the CO2 gas permeability of hybrid membranes initially increased but eventually decreased. The optimal content of modified GO in membranes reached 3.0 wt%. When too much PEG added (exceeding 30 g), some impurities formed on GO surface and some aggregates appeared in the resulting hybrid membrane, which depressed the membrane performance.

Few-Layer MoS2 Nanodomains Decorating TiO2 Nanoparticles: A Case Study for the Photodegradation of Carbamazepine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Cravanzola

2018-03-01

Full Text Available S-doped TiO2 and hybrid MoS2/TiO2 systems have been synthesized, via the sulfidation with H2S of the bare TiO2 and of MoOx supported on TiO2 systems, with the aim of enhancing the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 for the degradation of carbamazepine, an anticonvulsant drug, whose residues and metabolites are usually inefficiently removed in wastewater treatment plants. The focus of this study is to find a relationship between the morphology/structure/surface properties and photoactivity. The full characterization of samples reveals the strong effects of the H2S action on the properties of TiO2, with the formation of defects at the surface, as shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM and infrared spectroscopy (IR, while also the optical properties are strongly affected by the sulfidation treatment, with changes in the electronic states of TiO2. Meanwhile, the formation of small and thin few-layer MoS2 domains, decorating the TiO2 surface, is evidenced by both high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM and UV-Vis/Raman spectroscopies, while Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR spectra give insights into the nature of Ti and Mo surface sites. The most interesting findings of our research are the enhanced photoactivity of the MoS2/TiO2 hybrid photocatalyst toward the carbamazepine mineralization. Surprisingly, the formation of hazardous compounds (i.e., acridine derivatives, usually obtained from carbamazepine, is precluded when treated with MoS2/TiO2 systems.

A simple UV-ozone surface treatment to enhance photocatalytic performance of TiO 2 loaded polymer nanofiber membranes

KAUST Repository

Dilpazir, S.

2016-01-29

Homogeneously dispersed titanium dioxide loaded polyacrylonitrile nanofiber membranes with increased active mass loading, Ti3+ surface defects and hydrophilicity were fabricated by combining electrospinning and UV-ozone surface treatment. The photocatalytic activity improved by a factor of ∼2 and the kinetics of photodegradation switched from pseudo-first order to pseudo-second order with increasing TiO2 content with a maximum rate constant of 20.7 h-1. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2016.

Electrocatalytic activity of lithium polysulfides adsorbed into porous TiO2 coated MWCNTs hybrid structure for lithium-sulfur batteries

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xiulin; Hou, Huijie; Yuan, Xiqing; Huang, Long; Hu, Jingping; Liu, Bingchuan; Xu, Jingyi; Xie, Jia; Yang, Jiakuan; Liang, Sha; Wu, Xu

2017-01-01

Lithium-sulfur batteries have attracted great attention because of their high energy density, environmental friendliness, natural abundance and intrinsically low cost of sulfur. However, their commercial applications are greatly hindered by rapid capacity decay due to poor conductivity of electrode, fast dissolution of the intermediate polysulfides into the electrolyte, and the volume expansion of sulfur. Herein, we report a novel composite MWCNTs@TiO2-S nanostructure by grafting TiO2 onto the surface of MWCNTs, followed by incorporating sulfur into the composite. The inner MWCNTs improved the mechanical strength and conductivity of the electrode and the outer TiO2 provided the adsorption sites to immobilize polysulfides due to bonding interaction between TiO2 and polysulfides. The MWCNTs@TiO2-S composite with a mass ratio of 50% (MWCNTs in MWCNTs@TiO2) exhibited the highest electrochemistry performance among all compositing ratios of MWCNTs/TiO2. The performance improvement might be attributed to the downward shift of the apparent Fermi level to a more positive potential and electron rich space region at the interface of MWCNTs-TiO2 that facilitates the reduction of lithium polysulfide at a higher potential. Such a novel hybrid structure can be applicable for electrode design in other energy storage applications. PMID:28098167

TiO2/PCL hybrid materials synthesized via sol–gel technique for biomedical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catauro, M.; Bollino, F.; Papale, F.; Marciano, S.; Pacifico, S.

2015-01-01

The aim of the present work has been the synthesis of organic/inorganic hybrid materials based on titanium dioxide and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) to be used in the biomedical field. Several materials have been synthesized using sol–gel methods by adding different amounts of polymer to the inorganic sol. The obtained gels have been characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The FT-IR data allowed us to hypothesize that the structure formed was that of an interpenetrating network, realized by hydrogen bonds between Ti-OH groups in the sol–gel intermediate species and carbonyl groups in the polymer repeating units. SEM and AFM analyses highlighted that the obtained materials were nanostructurated hybrids. To evaluate the biological properties of the hybrids, their bioactivity and cytotoxicity were investigated as a function of the PCL amount. The bioactivity of the synthesized systems was proven by the formation of a hydroxyapatite layer on the surface of samples soaked in a fluid simulating human blood plasma (SBF). MTT cytotoxicity tests and Trypan Blue dye exclusion tests were carried out exposing NIH-3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblasts for 24 and 48 h to extracts from the investigated hybrid materials. The results showed that all the hybrids had a non-cytotoxic effect on target cells. - Highlights: • TiO 2 /PCL hybrids were obtained by the sol–gel process for biomedical applications. • Synthesized materials were found to be first-class hybrid nanocomposites. • Hybrids appear to be bioactive, a fundamental characteristic for osseointegration. • MTT and Trypan Blue viability test show that the materials are biocompatible. • The organic phase is able to modulate the biocompatibility of the materials

Optimal descriptor as a translator of eclectic information into the prediction of membrane damage by means of various TiO(2) nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Toropova, Alla P; Toropov, Andrey A

2013-11-01

The increasing use of nanomaterials incorporated into consumer products leads to the need for developing approaches to establish "quantitative structure-activity relationships" (QSARs) for various nanomaterials. However, the molecular structure as rule is not available for nanomaterials at least in its classic meaning. An possible alternative of classic QSAR (based on the molecular structure) is the using of data on physicochemical features of TiO(2) nanoparticles. The damage to cellular membranes (units L(-1)) by means of various TiO(2) nanoparticles is examined as the endpoint. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An insight into the mechanism of charge transfer properties of hybrid organic (MEH-PPV): Inorganic (TiO2) nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mittal, Tanu; Tiwari, Sangeeta; Mehta, Aarti; Sharma, Shailesh N.

2016-01-01

Now a days, inorganic nanoparticles are gaining importance and are potential candidate in different organic electronic device application like (LEDs, PVs) due to their novel properties and confinement in Nano-dimensions. [1, 2] In the present work, we have compared the properties of titanium di oxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by using two different chemical routes aqueous and ethanol respectively. These synthesized TiO 2 nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) for phase confirmation. It was observed that synthesized nanoparticles are in anatase phase for both preparation routes. Morphological information was collected by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which confirms that particles are almost spherical in shape and distributed uniformly which is further ensured by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique was also used for further confirmation of size distribution of as-synthesized nanoparticles. Optical properties were also investigated by photoluminescence and UV-Vis spectroscopy and calculated bandgap was found to be in the range of 3.3-3.5eV for TiO 2 (aq/eth) nanoparticles. The increase in bandgap values with respect to bulk (3.2 eV) confirms that as- synthesized nanoparticles are confined in nanodimensions. As synthesized nanoparticles were interacted with MEHPPV polymer (donor) matrix to make their respective MEHPPV: TiO 2 nanocomposites and to confirm the charge transfer mechanism from polymer to nanoparticles. It can be observed from photoluminescence (PL) quenching experiments that continuous quenching obtained for respective nanocomposites confirms better charge transfer from polymer to inorganic TiO 2 nanoparticles respectively. Because of, better quenching and simultaneously enhanced charge transfer of respective nanocomposites, ensures that these nanocomposites are greatly applicable for photovoltaics (PVs) especially in Hybrid Solar cells (HSCs).

Hybrid adsorptive membrane reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Tsotsis, Theodore T [Huntington Beach, CA; Sahimi, Muhammad [Altadena, CA; Fayyaz-Najafi, Babak [Richmond, CA; Harale, Aadesh [Los Angeles, CA; Park, Byoung-Gi [Yeosu, KR; Liu, Paul K. T. [Lafayette Hill, PA

2011-03-01

A hybrid adsorbent-membrane reactor in which the chemical reaction, membrane separation, and product adsorption are coupled. Also disclosed are a dual-reactor apparatus and a process using the reactor or the apparatus.

Eu"2"+ doped TiO_2 nano structures synthesized by HYSYCVD for thermoluminescence dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez A, J. A.; Leal C, A. L.; Melendrez A, R.; Barboza F, M.

2016-10-01

Titania (TiO_2) has attracted interest owing his potential applications as dosimetry material given his excellent optical, electrical and thermal properties and the ability to shape his structure make TiO_2 suitable for research and dosimetry applications. In this work, a systematic study to know the magnitude of processing parameters influence on thermoluminescent properties of undoped (TiO_2) and doped (TiO_2:Eu"2"+) nano materials obtained by hybrid precursor systems chemical vapor deposition (HYSYCVD) technique is presented. Synthesis of one dimension nano structures of TiO_2:Eu"2"+ was carried out using K_2TiF_6 and EuCl_2 as dopant at 0.5, 1, 2.5 and 5 wt %. The nano structures samples were irradiated with β-ray in a doses range of 0.083-3000 Gy. All thermoluminescence (Tl) glow curves showed 3 broad Tl peaks around 373, 473 and 573 K, and a dosimetric linear behavior from 0.083 to 300 Gy. The Tl has a good reproducibility, with deviations of around 5%, making these TiO_2:Eu"2"+ nano materials suitable for dosimetric applications. (Author)

A Molecular Cobalt Catalyst Architected and TiO2 Modified p-GaInP2 Photoelectrode for Hydrogen Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gu, Jing; Yan, Yong; Young, James; Steirer, Kenneth; Neale, Nathan R.; Turner, John A.

2017-05-01

We demonstrate that by employing a hybrid molecular/semiconductor interface with atomic layer deposited (ALD) TiO2 as an intermediate layer, a robust and corrosion resistant GaInP2-TiO2-cobaltoxime-TiO2 photocathode can be operated in alkaline media (pH =13).

Post-deposition annealing temperature dependence TiO_2-based EGFET pH sensor sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zulkefle, M. A.; Rahman, R. A.; Yusoff, K. A.; Abdullah, W. F. H.; Rusop, M.; Herman, S. H.

2016-01-01

EGFET pH sensor is one type of pH sensor that is used to measure and determine pH of a solution. The sensing membrane of EGFET pH sensor plays vital role in the overall performance of the sensor. This paper studies the effects of different annealing temperature of the TiO_2 sensing membranes towards sensitivity of EGFET pH sensor. Sol-gel spin coating was chosen as TiO_2 deposition techniques since it is cost-effective and produces thin film with uniform thickness. Deposited TiO_2 thin films were then annealed at different annealing temperatures and then were connected to the gate of MOSFET as a part of the EGFET pH sensor structure. The thin films now act as sensing membranes of the EGFET pH sensor and sensitivity of each sensing membrane towards pH was measured. From the results it was determined that sensing membrane annealed at 300 °C gave the highest sensitivity followed by sample annealed at 400 °C and 500 °C.

Combined effects of adsorption and photocatalysis by hybrid TiO2/ZnO-calcium alginate beads for the removal of copper

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Devagi Kanakaraju; Shantini Ravichandar; Ying Chin Lim

2017-01-01

The use of nanosized titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) in the suspension form during treatment makes the recovering and recycling of photocatalysts difficult.Hence,supported photocatalysts are preferred for practical water treatment applications.This study was conducted to investigate the efficiency of calcium alginate (CaAlg) beads that were immobilized with hybrid photocatalysts,TiO2/ZnO to form TiO2/ZnO-CaAlg.Theseimmobilized beads,with three different mass ratios of TiO2:ZnO (1∶1,1∶2,and 2∶1) were used to remove Cu(Ⅱ) in aqueous solutions in the presence of ultraviolet light.These beads were subjected to three cycles of photocatalytic treatment with different initial Cu(Ⅱ) concentrations (10-80 ppm).EDX spectra have confirmed the inclusion of Ti and Zn on the surface of the CaAlg beads.Meanwhile,the surface morphology of the beads as determined using SEM,has indicated differences of before and after the photocatalytic treatment of Cu(Ⅱ).Among all three,the equivalent mass ratio TiO2/ZnO-CaAlg beads have shown the best performance in removing Cu(Ⅱ) during all three recycling experiments.Those TiO2/ZnO-CaAlg beads have also shown consistent removal of Cu,ranging from 7.14-62.0 ppm (first cycle) for initial concentrations of 10-80 ppm.In comparison,bare CaAlg was only able to remove 6.9-48 ppm of similar initial Cu concentrations.Thus,the potential use of TiO2/ZnO-CaAlg beads as environmentally friendly composite material can be further extended for heavy metal removal from contaminated water.

Study of optical and electrical properties of water-soluble conjugated poly(3-hexylthiophene) on different grain-sized mesoporous TiO2 layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thalluri, Gopala Krishna V.V.; Bolsée, Jean-Christophe; Madapati, Saipriya; Vanderzande, Dirk; Manca, Jean V.

2014-01-01

Solid-state hybrid solar cells are promising candidates for future low-cost photovoltaic energy generation that are based on polymer/metal oxide donor/acceptor heterojunctions. However, a critical drawback of hybrid solar cells is the usage of toxic and environmental unfriendly organic solvents in the phase of preparation. In terms of environmental impact, “green” and safer materials are required towards processing of eco-friendly hybrid solar cells. In this work, during processing phase of eco-friendly hybrid solar cells, aqueous-soluble conjugated poly(3-hexylthiophene) material is used as photo-active and hole transporting layer and TiO 2 layer as electron accepting layer. Optical, topographical and morphological characterizations on different grain-sized TiO 2 layers with polymer films are studied. The influence of eco-friendly hybrid solar cell electrical properties in combination with different grain-sized TiO 2 layers measured under N 2 and ambient conditions are discussed. It is important to understand these properties for further optimizations. - Highlights: • Morphological properties of different grain-sized TiO 2 layers. • Optical properties with and without water-soluble poly(3-hexylthiophene) on TiO 2 layers. • Electrical measurements. • Eco-friendly hybrid solar cells

Fabrication and CO2 separation performance of carbon membranes doped with TiO2 nanoparticles%纳米TiO2掺杂炭膜的制备及其CO2分离性能

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

王婵; 黄彦

2014-01-01

A TiO2 sol was prepared from tetrabutyltitanate using polyethylene glycol as a stabilizer, and this was homogeneously mixed with polyfurfuryl alcohol, dip-coated on a porous Al2 O3 substrate and carbonized at 700℃ for 4 h to produce TiO2-doped car-bon membranes. SEM, TEM, XRD and granulometry were used to characterize the membranes, and their permeation performance for CO2 , N2 and CH4 were tested. It was found that polyethylene glycol is effective in controlling the hydroxylation of the tetrabu-tyltitanate. This not only favored the formation of spherical TiO2 nanoparticles with a small size and narrow size distribution but also improved the homogeneity of the dispersion of the TiO2 nanoparticles in polyfurfuryl alcohol. The doping of the membranes with TiO2 nanoparticles greatly improved the CO2 permeance and permselectivity. The TiO2 doping helps to create diffusion paths, but it may also block the pores in the carbon matrix. Therefore, the CO2 permeance reached a maximum of 7. 0×10-8 mol·m-2·s-1·Pa-1 with a mass ratio of TiO2 sol to polyfurfuryl alcohol of 2, where the CO2/N2 and the CO2/CH4 selectivities were 34 and 64, respec-tively.%以钛酸丁酯为原料、聚乙二醇为稳定剂,采用溶胶-凝胶法制备含球形TiO2纳米粒子的溶胶,将其与碳前驱体聚糠醇均匀混合后涂敷于多孔Al2 O3基体表面,最后经炭化处理制得TiO2-C/Al2 O3复合膜。采用SEM、TEM、XRD、粒径分析等手段对样品进行表征,并测定炭膜对CO2、N2和CH4的渗透性能。结果表明,聚乙二醇能有效控制钛酸丁酯的水解,不仅有利于形成粒径小而均匀的球形纳米TiO2粒子,而且可促进TiO2粒子在聚糠醇中的均匀分散。 TiO2粒子的掺杂明显提高了炭膜的CO2渗透率及渗透选择性。其中,CO2渗透率、CO2/N2选择性和CO2/CH4选择性分别可达7.0´10-8 mol·m-2·s-1· Pa-1、34和64。 TiO2�

Preparation of environment-friendly 3D eggshell membrane-supported anatase TiO2 as a reusable photocatalyst for degradation of organic dyes

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yaling; Zhou, Ji; Fan, Yunde; Ye, Yong; Tang, Bin

2017-12-01

We fabricated a low-cost and efficient composite photocatalyst material, combining eggshell membrane (ESM) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, through self-assembly method. ESM with 3D porous structures provide scaffolds for TiO2 nanoparticles. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) was used to modify ESM by grafting amine groups. The microstructure and property of the fabricated composites were studied by various characterization methods. The composite was used for the photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). The results demonstrate that the composite catalyst possesses good photocatalytic performance for dye degradation under sunlight irradiation simulated by a xenon lamp. Functionalization based on nanomaterials may promote the applications of ESM.

Synthesis and enhanced electrochemical performance of the honeycomb TiO2/LiMn2O4 cathode materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, J.Y.; Shen, J.X.; Wei, C.B.

2016-01-01

angle compare to LiMn2O4, implying that TiO2 doping induced a change of crystal structure. By performing electrochemical measurements, we observed an enhancement of specific capacity (127.28 mAhg−1) and an improvement of cycling stability in the TiO2/LiMn2O4 hybrid materials. After 100 cycles of charge...

Pilot-plant evaluation of TiO2 and TiO2-based hybrid photocatalysts for solar treatment of polluted water.

Science.gov (United States)

Andronic, Luminita; Isac, Luminita; Miralles-Cuevas, Sara; Visa, Maria; Oller, Isabel; Duta, Anca; Malato, Sixto

2016-12-15

Materials with photocatalytic and adsorption properties for advanced wastewater treatment targeting reuse were studied. Making use of TiO 2 as a well-known photocatalyst, Cu 2 S as a Vis-active semiconductor, and fly ash as a good adsorbent, dispersed mixtures/composites were prepared to remove pollutants from wastewater. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, band gap energy, point of zero charge (pH pzc ) and BET porosity were used to characterize the substrates. Phenol, imidacloprid and dichloroacetic acid were used as pollutants for photocatalytic activity of the new photocatalysts. Experiments using the new dispersed powders were carried out at laboratory scale in two solar simulators and under natural solar irradiation at the Plataforma Solar de Almería, in a Compound Parabolic Collector (CPC) for a comparative analysis of pollutants removal and mineralization efficiencies, and to identify features that could facilitate photocatalyst separation and reuse. The results show that radiation intensity significantly affects the phenol degradation rate. The composite mixture of TiO 2 and fly ash is 2-3 times less active than sol-gel TiO 2 . Photodegradation kinetic data on the highly active TiO 2 are compared for pollutants elimination. Photodegradation of dichloroacetic acid was fast and complete after 90min in the CPC, while after 150min imidacloprid and phenol removal was 90% and 56% respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pilot-plant evaluation of TiO_2 and TiO_2-based hybrid photocatalysts for solar treatment of polluted water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andronic, Luminita; Isac, Luminita; Miralles-Cuevas, Sara; Visa, Maria; Oller, Isabel; Duta, Anca; Malato, Sixto

2016-01-01

Materials with photocatalytic and adsorption properties for advanced wastewater treatment targeting reuse were studied. Making use of TiO_2 as a well-known photocatalyst, Cu_2S as a Vis-active semiconductor, and fly ash as a good adsorbent, dispersed mixtures/composites were prepared to remove pollutants from wastewater. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, band gap energy, point of zero charge (pH_p_z_c) and BET porosity were used to characterize the substrates. Phenol, imidacloprid and dichloroacetic acid were used as pollutants for photocatalytic activity of the new photocatalysts. Experiments using the new dispersed powders were carried out at laboratory scale in two solar simulators and under natural solar irradiation at the Plataforma Solar de Almería, in a Compound Parabolic Collector (CPC) for a comparative analysis of pollutants removal and mineralization efficiencies, and to identify features that could facilitate photocatalyst separation and reuse. The results show that radiation intensity significantly affects the phenol degradation rate. The composite mixture of TiO_2 and fly ash is 2-3 times less active than sol-gel TiO_2. Photodegradation kinetic data on the highly active TiO_2 are compared for pollutants elimination. Photodegradation of dichloroacetic acid was fast and complete after 90 min in the CPC, while after 150 min imidacloprid and phenol removal was 90% and 56% respectively.

Effect of addition of Proline, ionic liquid [Choline][Pro] on CO2 separation properties of poly(amidoamine) dendrimer / poly(ethylene glycol) hybrid membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, S. H.; Kai, T.; Chowdhury, F. A.; Taniguchi, I.; Kazama, S.

2018-01-01

Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers were incorporated into cross-linked poly(ethylene glycol) (PEGDMA) matrix to improve carbon dioxide (CO2) separation performance at elevated pressures. In our previous studies, PAMAM/PEGDMA hybrid membranes showed high CO2 separation properties from CO2/H2 mixed gases. In this study, proline, choline and ionic liquid [Choline][Pro] compounds were selected as rate promoters that were used to prepare PAMAM/PEGDMA hybrid membranes. The effect of addition of proline, choline, IL [Choline][Pro] on separation performance of PAMAM/PEGDMA) hybrid membranes for CO2/H2 separation was investigated. Amino acid proline, choline, and IL [Choline][Pro] were used to promote CO2 and amine reaction. With the addition of [Choline][Pro] into PAMAM/PEG membrane, CO2 permeance of PAMAM/PEG hybrid membranes are increased up to 46% without any change of selectivity of membrane for CO2.

Rational design of carbon and TiO2 assembly materials: covered or strewn, which is better for photocatalysis?

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Guan-wei; Wang, Wei-liang; Ma, Ming-yue; Zhang, Ming; Xia, Xin-yuan; Han, Feng-yun; Shi, Xi-feng; Zhao, Ying-qiang; Dong, Yu-bin; Tang, Bo

2013-07-21

The rational design of carbonaceous hybrid nanostructures is very important for obtaining high photoactivity. TiO2 particles strewn with an optimal quantity of carbon nanodots have a much higher photoactivity than that of TiO2 covered with a carbon layer, showing the importance of carbon morphology in the photocatalysis of carbonaceous hybrid nanostructures.

Photovoltaic performance enhancement of CdS quantum dot-sensitized TiO2 photoanodes with plasmonic gold nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Aiping; Ren, Qinghua; Zhao, Ming; Xu, Tao; Yuan, Ming; Zhao, Tingyu; Tang, Weihua

2014-01-01

Highlights: • CdS QD-sensitized TiO 2 porous photoanode with plasmonic gold. • A prominent light absorption enhancement of hybrid was attained by gold plasmon. • The photovoltaic response of hybrid was tunable by CdS amount. • The Au/TiO 2 /CdS hybrid had a potential application in energy conversion devices. -- Abstract: The CdS quantum dot-sensitized TiO 2 films with plasmonic gold nanoparticles were designed as photoanodes by the electrodeposition of gold combined with the “successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction” (SILAR) method for CdS deposition on porous TiO 2 films. A prominent enhancement in light absorption of Au/TiO 2 /CdS hybrid was attained by efficient light scattering of gold plasmons as sub-wavelength antennas and concentrators. The photogenerated electron formed in the near-surface region of TiO 2 and CdS were facilitated to transfer to the plasmonic gold, resulting in the enhancement of photocurrent and incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of hybrid photoanode upon photoirradiation. Furthermore, the photovoltaic response of hybrid was highly tunable with respect to the number of SILAR cycles applied to deposit CdS. The thicker absorber layer with less porous structure and larger CdS crystals might limit the electrolyte diffusion into the hybrid electrode and impose a barrier for electron tunneling and transferring. The highly versatile and tunable properties of Au/TiO 2 /CdS photoanodes demonstrated their potential application in energy conversion devices

Characterization and Comparison of Photocatalytic Activity Silver Ion doped on TiO2(TiO2/Ag+) and Silver Ion doped on Black TiO2(Black TiO2/Ag+)

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jin Yi; Sim, Ho Hyung; Song, Sinae; Noh, Yeoung Ah; Lee, Hong Woon; Taik Kim, Hee

2018-03-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is one of the representative ceramic materials containing photocatalyst, optic and antibacterial activity. The hydroxyl radical in TiO2 applies to the intensive oxidizing agent, hence TiO2 is suitable to use photocatalytic materials. Black TiO2was prepared through reduction of amorphous TiO2 conducting under H2 which leads to color changes. Its black color is proven that absorbs 100% light across the whole-visible light, drawing enhancement of photocatalytic property. In this study, we aimed to compare the photocatalytic activity of silver ion doped on TiO2(TiO2/Ag+) and silver ion doped on black TiO2(black TiO2/Ag+) under visible light range. TiO2/Ag+ was fabricated following steps. 1) TiO2 was synthesized by a sol-gel method from Titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP). 2) Then AgNO3 was added during an aging process step for silver ion doping on the surface of TiO2. Moreover, Black TiO2/Ag+ was obtained same as TiO2/Ag+ except for calcination under H2. The samples were characterized X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible reflectance (UV-vis DRS), and Methylene Blue degradation test. XRD analysis confirmed morphology of TiO2. The band gap of black TiO2/Ag+ was confirmed (2.6 eV) through UV-vis DRS, which was lower than TiO2/Ag+ (2.9 eV). The photocatalytic effect was conducted by methylene blue degradation test. It demonstrated that black TiO2/Ag+ had a photocatalytic effect under UV light also visible light.

Sandwich structured MoO2@TiO2@CNT nanocomposites with high-rate performance for lithium ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Dandan; Yang, Wanli; Ni, Jiangfeng; Gao, Lijun

2015-01-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) is an important anode candidate for Li-ion battery (LIB) due to its properties of excellent cycle, high safety and low cost. However, the poor electrical conductivity of TiO 2 presents a significant challenge hampering its practical application in LIBs. Most researches have been concentrated on developing TiO 2 composites with metals, metal oxides and carbonaceous materials to improve its conductivity. In this work, we investigated a sandwich structured MoO 2 @TiO 2 @CNT nanocomposite through a simple three-step synthesis method. The CNT and highly conductive MoO 2 under/on the TiO 2 layer are served as flexible and strong electronic paths for rapid electron and ion transport. The resulting MoO 2 @TiO 2 @CNT hybrid structures show improved specific capacity and cycling stability compared with TiO 2 @CNT. In addition, the MoO 2 @TiO 2 @CNT composites also show a favorable rate capability, demonstrating its potential as anode material for LIBs

Cotton fabric coated with nano TiO2-acrylate copolymer for photocatalytic self-cleaning by in-situ suspension polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Xue; Tian Xiuzhi; Gu Jian; Huang Dan; Yang Yiqi

2011-01-01

Two kinds of nano TiO 2 -polyacrylate hybrid dispersions, TBM-w and TBM-e were synthesized by in-situ suspension polymerization and solution polymerization respectively, in order to fix the nano TiO 2 on fabrics. The photocatalytic self-cleaning fabrics have received much attention in recent years for its water-saving and environment-protection advantages. However, the fixation of the photocatalyst on fabrics is still a key problem that inhibits industrialization of these eco-friendly fabrics. The cotton fabric was treated by the two hybrid dispersions. The photocatalytic self-cleaning property was characterized. Infrared spectroscopy, burning loss test and thermogravimetry showed that some copolymer chains entangled with the nano TiO 2 . Transmission electron microscope illustrated that there was a polymeric layer on the surface of nano TiO 2 . The average diameter of TBM-w was smaller than that of TBM-e based on size analysis. The photocatalytic decoloration of the grape syrup indicated that the fabric with TiO 2 -polymer hybrid had excellent self-cleaning property.

Exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles increases Staphylococcusaureusinfection of HeLa cells

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yan; Wei, Ming-Tzo; Walker, Stephen. G.; Wang, Hong Zhan; Gondon, Chris; Brink, Peter; Guterman, Shoshana; Zawacki, Emma; Applebaum, Eliana; Rafailovich, Miriam; Ou-Yang, H. Daniel; Mironava, Tatsiana

TiO2 is one of the most common nanoparticles in industry from food additives to energy generation. Even though TiO2 is also used as an anti-bacterial agent in combination with UV, we found that, in the absence of UV, exposure of HeLa cells to TiO2 nanoparticles largely increased their risk of bacterial invasion. HeLa cells cultured with low dosage rutile and anatase TiO2 nanoparticles (0.1 mg/ml) for 24 hrs prior to exposure to bacteria had 350% and 250% respectively more bacteria infected per cell. The increase was attributed to increased LDH leakage, and changes in the mechanical response of the cell membrane. On the other hand, macrophages exposed to TiO2 particles ingested 40% fewer bacteria, further increasing the risk of infection. In combination, these two factors raise serious concerns regarding the impact of exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles on the ability of organisms to resist bacterial infection.

New insights into the origin of visible-light photocatalytic activity in Se-modified anatase TiO2 from screened coulomb hybrid DFT calculations

KAUST Repository

Harb, Moussab

2013-12-05

We report a systematic study on the optoelectronic properties of Se-modified anatase TiO2 investigated by DFT (including the perturbation theory approach DFPT) within the screened coulomb hybrid HSE06 formalism to guarantee accurate band gap and electronic excitation predictions. Various selenium species at substitutional sites for O or Ti, at interstitial sites, as well as at mixed substitutional/interstitial sites are studied. Among the explored structures, Ti(1-2x)O2Se2x (containing Se4+ species), TiO(2-x)Sex (containing Se2- species), and TiO(2-x)Se2x (containing Se2 2- species) reveal significant enhanced visible-light optical absorption spectra with new absorption features appearing at 500, 600, and 690 nm, respectively. Our calculated spectra are found to be in good agreement with those obtained in available experimental works. The band gap narrowing in these materials originates from incorporation of newly occupied electronic levels within 0.5-1.5 eV above the original valence band of TiO 2, leading to new narrowed band gaps of 2.5, 2.0, and 1.8 eV respectively. Our calculations also reveal suitable band positions of Ti (1-2x)O2Se2x and TiO(2-x)Se x for overall water splitting, whereas TiO(2-x)Se 2x shows an unsuitable valence band position for the oxygen evolution reaction. In contrast, the localized electronic character of the new occupied states on the Se 4p orbitals and only on the O 2p orbitals linked to the Se species makes the holes mobility limited in this material and the recombination rate of charge carriers greatly increased in the bulk. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Effect of Cross-Linking on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Hybrid Membranes for CO2 Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Shuhong; Kai, Teruhiko; Saito, Takashi; Yamazaki, Kota; Ikeda, Kenichi

2014-04-08

Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers were incorporated into cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix to improve carbon dioxide (CO2) separation performance at elevated pressures. In our previous studies, PAMAM/PVA hybrid membranes showed high CO2 separation properties from CO2/H2 mixed gases. In this study, three types of organic Ti metal compounds were selected as PVA cross-linkers that were used to prepare PAMAM/cross-linked PVA hybrid membranes. Characterization of the PAMAM/cross-linked PVA hybrid membranes was conducted using nanoindentation and thermogravimetric analyses. The effects of the cross-linker and CO2 partial pressure in the feed gas on CO2 separation performance were discussed. H2O and CO2 sorption of the PAMAM/PVA hybrid membranes were investigated to explain the obtained CO2 separation efficiencies.

Attainability and minimum energy of single-stage membrane and membrane/distillation hybrid processes

KAUST Repository

Alshehri, Ali

2014-12-01

As an energy-efficient separation method, membrane technology has attracted more and more attentions in many challenging separation processes. The attainability and the energy consumption of a membrane process are the two basic fundamental questions that need to be answered. This report aims to use process simulations to find: (1) at what conditions a single-stage membrane process can meet the separation task that is defined by product purity and recovery ratio and (2) what are the most important parameters that determine the energy consumption. To perform a certain separation task, it was found that both membrane selectivity and pressure ratio exhibit a minimum value that is defined only by product purity and recovery ratio. The membrane/distillation hybrid system was used to study the energy consumption. A shortcut method was developed to calculate the minimum practical separation energy (MPSE) of the membrane process and the distillation process. It was found that the MPSE of the hybrid system is only determined by the membrane selectivity and the applied transmembrane pressure ratio in three stages. At the first stage when selectivity is low, the membrane process is not competitive to the distillation process. Adding a membrane unit to a distillation tower will not help in reducing energy. At the second medium selectivity stage, the membrane/distillation hybrid system can help reduce the energy consumption, and the higher the membrane selectivity, the lower is the energy. The energy conservation is further improved as pressure ratio increases. At the third stage when both selectivity and pressure ratio are high, the hybrid system will change to a single-stage membrane unit and this change will cause significant reduction in energy consumption. The energy at this stage keeps decreasing with selectivity at slow rate, but slightly increases with pressure ratio. Overall, the higher the membrane selectivity, the more the energy is saved. Therefore, the two

Hybrid Nano composite Membranes for PEMFC Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niepceron, F.

2008-03-01

This work aims at validating a new concept of hybrid materials for the realization of proton exchange membranes, an essential constituent of PEM fuel cells. The originality of this nano-composite hybrid concept corresponds to a separation of the membrane's properties. We investigated the preparation of composite materials based on an inert, relatively low cost, polymer matrix (PVDF-HFP) providing the mechanical stability embedding inorganic fillers providing the necessary properties o f proton-conduction and water retention. The first step of this work consisted in the modification of fumed silica to obtain a proton-conducting filler. An ionic exchange capacity (CEI) equal to 3 meq/g was obtained by the original grafting of sodium poly(styrene-sulfonate) chains from the surface of particles. Nano-composite hybrid membranes PVDF-HFP/functionalized silica were accomplished by a film casting process. The coupling of the morphological and physicochemical analyses validated the percolation of the inorganic phase for 30 wt.% of particles. Beyond 40 % of loading, measured protonic conductivity is higher than the reference membrane Nafion 112. Finally, these membranes presented high performances, above 0.8 W/cm 2 , in single-cell fuel cell tests. A compromise is necessary according to the rate of loading between performances in fuel cell and mechanical properties of the membrane. 50 % appeared as best choice with, until 90 C, a remarkable thermal stability of the performances. (author)

Water on Graphene-Coated TiO2: Role of Atomic Vacancies

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Beyond two-dimensional (2D) materials, interfaces between 2D materials and underlying supports or 2D-coated metal or metal oxide nanoparticles exhibit excellent properties and promising applications. The hybrid interface between graphene and anatase TiO2 shows great importance in photocatalytic, catalytic, and nanomedical applications due to the excellent and complementary properties of the two materials. Water, as a ubiquitous and essential element in practical conditions and in the human body, plays a significant role in the applications of graphene/TiO2 composites for both electronic devices and nanomedicine. Carbon vacancies, as common defects in chemically prepared graphene, also need to be considered for the application of graphene-based materials. Therefore, the behavior of water on top and at the interface of defective graphene on anatase TiO2 surface was systematically investigated by dispersion-corrected hybrid density functional calculations. The presence of the substrate only slightly enhances the on-top adsorption and reduces the on-top dissociation of water on defective graphene. However, at the interface, dissociated water is largely preferred compared with undissociated water on bare TiO2 surface, showing a prominent cover effect. Reduced TiO2 may further induce oxygen diffusion into the bulk. Our results are helpful to understand how the presence of water in the surrounding environment affects structural and electronic properties of the graphene/TiO2 interface and thus its application in photocatalysis, electronic devices, and nanomedicine. PMID:29368503

Nanostructured Polyelectrolytes Based on SPEEK/TiO2 for Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells (DEFCs)

OpenAIRE

Dutra Filho, José Carlos; Santos, Tamirys Rodrigues dos; Gomes, Aílton de Souza

2014-01-01

Proton-conducting hybrid membranes consisting of poly(ether ether ketone) sulfonated (SPEEK) and titanium oxide (TiO2) were prepared using the sol-gel technique for application in direct ethanol fuel cells. The effect from TiO2 incorporation on membrane properties such as ethanol uptake, pervaporation and proton conductivity was investigated. The uptake and permeated flux decreased with increasing content of TiO2. The ethanol permeability was about one order of magnitude smaller than Nafion® ...

Dual-Channel, Molecular-Sieving Core/Shell ZIF@MOF Architectures as Engineered Fillers in Hybrid Membranes for Highly Selective CO2 Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Zhuonan; Qiu, Fen; Zaia, Edmond W; Wang, Zhongying; Kunz, Martin; Guo, Jinghua; Brady, Michael; Mi, Baoxia; Urban, Jeffrey J

2017-11-08

A novel core/shell porous crystalline structure was prepared using a large pore metal organic framework (MOF, UiO-66-NH 2 , pore size, ∼ 0.6 nm) as core surrounded by a small pore zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF, ZIF-8, pore size, ∼ 0.4 nm) through a layer-by-layer deposition method and subsequently used as an engineered filler to construct hybrid polysulfone (PSF) membranes for CO 2 capture. Compared to traditional fillers utilizing only one type of porous material with rigid channels (either large or small), our custom designed core/shell fillers possess clear advantages via pore engineering: the large internal channels of the UiO-66-NH 2 MOFs create molecular highways to accelerate molecular transport through the membrane, while the thin shells with small pores (ZIF-8) or even smaller pores generated at the interface by the imperfect registry between the overlapping pores of ZIF and MOF enhance molecular sieving thus serving to distinguish slightly larger N 2 molecules (kinetic diameter, 0.364 nm) from smaller CO 2 molecules (kinetic diameter, 0.33 nm). The resultant core/shell ZIF@MOF and as-prepared hybrid PSF membranes were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, wide-angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and contact angle tests. The dependence of the separation performance of the membranes on the MOF/ZIF ratio was also studied by varying the number of layers of ZIF coatings. The integrated PSF-ZIF@MOF hybrid membrane (40 wt % loading) with optimized ZIF coating cycles showed improved hydrophobicity and excellent CO 2 separation performance by simultaneously increasing CO 2 permeability (CO 2 permeability of 45.2 barrer, 710% higher than PSF membrane) and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity (CO 2 /N 2 selectivity of 39, 50% higher than PSF membrane), which is superior to most reported hybrid PSF membranes. The strategy of using

Effect of Cross-Linking on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Poly(amidoamine Dendrimer/Poly(vinyl alcohol Hybrid Membranes for CO2 Separation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuhong Duan

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Poly(amidoamine (PAMAM dendrimers were incorporated into cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol (PVA matrix to improve carbon dioxide (CO2 separation performance at elevated pressures. In our previous studies, PAMAM/PVA hybrid membranes showed high CO2 separation properties from CO2/H2 mixed gases. In this study, three types of organic Ti metal compounds were selected as PVA cross-linkers that were used to prepare PAMAM/cross-linked PVA hybrid membranes. Characterization of the PAMAM/cross-linked PVA hybrid membranes was conducted using nanoindentation and thermogravimetric analyses. The effects of the cross-linker and CO2 partial pressure in the feed gas on CO2 separation performance were discussed. H2O and CO2 sorption of the PAMAM/PVA hybrid membranes were investigated to explain the obtained CO2 separation efficiencies.

First-Principles Modeling of Polaron Formation in TiO2 Polymorphs.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmaslmane, A R; Watkins, M B; McKenna, K P

2018-06-21

We present a computationally efficient and predictive methodology for modeling the formation and properties of electron and hole polarons in solids. Through a nonempirical and self-consistent optimization of the fraction of Hartree-Fock exchange (α) in a hybrid functional, we ensure the generalized Koopmans' condition is satisfied and self-interaction error is minimized. The approach is applied to model polaron formation in known stable and metastable phases of TiO 2 including anatase, rutile, brookite, TiO 2 (H), TiO 2 (R), and TiO 2 (B). Electron polarons are predicted to form in rutile, TiO 2 (H), and TiO 2 (R) (with trapping energies ranging from -0.02 eV to -0.35 eV). In rutile the electron localizes on a single Ti ion, whereas in TiO 2 (H) and TiO 2 (R) the electron is distributed across two neighboring Ti sites. Hole polarons are predicted to form in anatase, brookite, TiO 2 (H), TiO 2 (R), and TiO 2 (B) (with trapping energies ranging from -0.16 eV to -0.52 eV). In anatase, brookite, and TiO 2 (B) holes localize on a single O ion, whereas in TiO 2 (H) and TiO 2 (R) holes can also be distributed across two O sites. We find that the optimized α has a degree of transferability across the phases, with α = 0.115 describing all phases well. We also note the approach yields accurate band gaps, with anatase, rutile, and brookite within six percent of experimental values. We conclude our study with a comparison of the alignment of polaron charge transition levels across the different phases. Since the approach we describe is only two to three times more expensive than a standard density functional theory calculation, it is ideally suited to model charge trapping at complex defects (such as surfaces and interfaces) in a range of materials relevant for technological applications but previously inaccessible to predictive modeling.

Polymer-inorganic hybrid proton conductive membranes: Effect of the interfacial transfer pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Pingping; Hao, Lie; Wu, Wenjia; Li, Yifan; Wang, Jingtao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A series of hybrid membranes are prepared using fillers with different structures. • The fillers (0-D, 1-D, and 2-D) are sulfonated to ensure close surface component. • The effect of filler’s structure on microstructure of hydrid membrane is explored. • For single-kind filler series, 2-D filler has the strongest conduction promotion. • The synergy effect of different kinds of fillers is systematacially investigated. - Abstract: For hybrid membrane, the polymer-inorganic interface along filler surface can be facilely created to be distinctive and controllable pathway for mass transfer. Herein, three kinds of fillers are used as inorganic additives including zero-dimensional silica (0-D, SiO_2), one-dimensional halloysite nanotube (1-D, HNT), and two-dimensional graphene oxide (2-D, GO), which are functionalized by sulfonated polymer layer to ensure close surface component. Then the fillers are incorporated into two types of polymer matrixes (phase-separated sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) and non-phase-separated chitosan) to prepare three series of hybrid membranes with single-kind filler, double-kinds fillers, or triple-kinds fillers, respectively. The microstructures, physicochemical properties, and proton conduction properties (under hydrated and anhydrous conditions) of the membranes are extensively investigated. It is found that (i) for the single-kind filler-filled membranes, 2-D filler has the strongest promotion ability for proton conductivity of membrane due to the constructed wide and long-range pathways for proton transfer; (ii) while for the hybrid membranes with double-kinds fillers, instead of synergistic promotion effect, the fillers cause more tortuous transfer pathways within membranes and then decrease proton conductivity; (iii) the hybrid membranes with triple-kinds fillers exhibit similar behavior but a little higher conductivity than the membranes with double-kinds fillers.

Flexible Hybrid Membranes with Ni(OH)2 Nanoplatelets Vertically Grown on Electrospun Carbon Nanofibers for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Longsheng; Ding, Qianwei; Huang, Yunpeng; Gu, Huahao; Miao, Yue-E; Liu, Tianxi

2015-10-14

The practical applications of transition metal oxides and hydroxides for supercapacitors are restricted by their intrinsic poor conductivity, large volumetric expansion, and rapid capacitance fading upon cycling, which can be solved by optimizing these materials to nanostructures and confining them within conductive carbonaceous frameworks. In this work, flexible hybrid membranes with ultrathin Ni(OH)2 nanoplatelets vertically and uniformly anchored on the electrospun carbon nanofibers (CNF) have been facilely prepared as electrode materials for supercapacitors. The Ni(OH)2/CNF hybrid membranes with three-dimensional macroporous architectures as well as hierarchical nanostructures can provide open and continuous channels for rapid diffusion of electrolyte to access the electrochemically active Ni(OH)2 nanoplatelets. Moreover, the carbon nanofiber can act both as a conductive core to provide efficient transport of electrons for fast Faradaic redox reactions of the Ni(OH)2 sheath, and as a buffering matrix to mitigate the local volumetric expansion/contraction upon long-term cycling. As a consequence, the optimized Ni(OH)2/CNF hybrid membrane exhibits a high specific capacitance of 2523 F g(-1) (based on the mass of Ni(OH)2, that is 701 F g(-1) based on the total mass) at a scan rate of 5 mV s(-1). The Ni(OH)2/CNF hybrid membranes with high mechanical flexibility, superior electrical conductivity, and remarkably improved electrochemical capacitance are condsidered as promising flexible electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors.

Development and characterization of polyethersulfone/TiO2 mixed matrix membranes for CO2/CH4 separation

Science.gov (United States)

Galaleldin, S.; Mannan, H. A.; Mukhtar, H.

2017-12-01

In this study, mixed matrix membranes comprised of polyethersulfone as the bulk polymer phase and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles as the inorganic discontinuous phase were prepared for CO2/CH4 separation. Membranes were synthesized at filler loading of 0, 5, 10 and 15 wt % via dry phase inversion method. Morphology, chemical bonding and thermal characteristics of membranes were scrutinized utilizing different techniques, namely: Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectra and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) respectively. Membranes gas separation performance was evaluated for CO2 and CH4 gases at 4 bar feed pressure. The highest separation performance was achieved by mixed matrix membrane (MMM) at 5 % loading of TiO2.

Three-dimensional observation of TiO2 nanostructures by electron tomography

KAUST Repository

Suh, Young Joon; Lu, Ning; Park, Seong Yong; Lee, Tae Hun; Lee, Sang Hoon; Cha, Dong Kyu; Lee, Min Gun; Huang, Jie; Kim, Sung Soo; Sohn, Byeong Hyeok; Kim, Geung Ho; Ko, Min Jae; Kim, Jiyoung; Kim, Moon J.

2013-01-01

Three-dimensional nanostructures of TiO2 related materials including nanotubes, electron acceptor materials in hybrid polymer solar cells, and working electrodes of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were visualized by electron tomography as well

Hydrothermal stability of silica, hybrid silica and Zr-doped hybrid silica membranes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ten Hove, Marcel; Luiten-Olieman, Mieke W.J.; Huiskes, Cindy; Nijmeijer, Arian; Winnubst, Louis

2017-01-01

Hybrid silica membranes have demonstrated to possess a remarkable hydrothermal stability in pervaporation and gas separation processes allowing them to be used in industrial applications. In several publications the hydrothermal stability of pure silica or that of hybrid silica membranes are

Innovative hybrid biological reactors using membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diez, R.; Esteban-Garcia, A. L.; Florio, L. de; Rodriguez-Hernandez, L.; Tejero, I.

2011-01-01

In this paper we present two lines of research on hybrid reactors including the use of membranes, although with different functions: RBPM, biofilm reactors and membranes filtration RBSOM, supported biofilm reactors and oxygen membranes. (Author) 14 refs.

Structural and sensing characteristics of Gd2Ti2O7, Er2TiO5 and Lu2Ti2O7 sensing membrane electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor for bio-sensing applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, Tung-Ming; Liao, Pei-You; Chang, Kung-Yuan; Chi, Lifeng

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The structural and sensing properties of Gd 2 Ti 2 O 7 , Er 2 TiO 5 and Lu 2 Ti 2 O 7 sensing films grown on Si substrates by reactive co-sputtering. ► The EIS device incorporating a Lu 2 Ti 2 O 7 sensing film exhibited a higher sensitivity, a larger drift rate, a higher hysteresis voltage, and a larger hysteresis gap than other sensing films. ► The impedance effect of EIS sensors has been investigated using C–V method. -- Abstract: This paper describes the structural and sensing characteristics of Gd 2 Ti 2 O 7 , Er 2 TiO 5 , and Lu 2 Ti 2 O 7 sensing membranes deposited on Si substrates through reactive co-sputtering for electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor (EIS) pH sensors. In this work, the structural properties of Gd 2 Ti 2 O 7 , Er 2 TiO 5 , and Lu 2 Ti 2 O 7 membranes were investigated by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The observed structural properties were then correlated with the resulting pH sensing performances. The EIS device incorporating a Lu 2 Ti 2 O 7 sensing film exhibited a higher sensitivity (59.32 mV pH −1 ), a larger drift rate (0.55 mV h −1 ), a higher hysteresis voltage (5 mV), and a larger hysteresis gap (∼70 mV) compared to those of the other sensing films. This result is attributed to the higher surface roughness and the formation of a thicker interfacial layer at the oxide–Si interface. Furthermore, the impedance effect of EIS sensors has been investigated using capacitance–voltage (C–V) method (frequency-dependent C–V curves). From the impedance spectroscopy analysis, we find that the diameter of a semicircle of an EIS sensor becomes smaller due to a gradual decrease in the bulk resistance of the device with degree of pH value

Interaction of TiO2 nanoparticles with the marine microalga Nitzschia closterium: Growth inhibition, oxidative stress and internalization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia, Bin; Chen, Bijuan; Sun, Xuemei; Qu, Keming; Ma, Feifei; Du, Meirong

2015-01-01

The toxicity of TiO 2 engineered nanoparticles (NPs) to the marine microalga Nitzschia closterium was investigated by examining growth inhibition, oxidative stress and uptake. The results indicated that the toxicity of TiO 2 particles to algal cells significantly increased with decreasing nominal particle size, which was evidenced by the 96 EC 50 values of 88.78, 118.80 and 179.05 mg/L for 21 nm, 60 nm and 400 nm TiO 2 particles, respectively. The growth rate was significantly inhibited when the alga was exposed to 5 mg/L TiO 2 NPs (21 nm). Measurements of antioxidant enzyme activities showed that superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities were first induced and subsequently inhibited following exposure to 5 mg/L TiO 2 NPs. The depletion of antioxidant enzymes with a concomitant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and reactive oxygen species (ROS) posed a hazard to membrane integrity. A combination of flow cytometry analysis, transmission electron microscopy and Ti content measurement indicated that TiO 2 NPs were internalized in N. closterium cells. The level of extracellular ROS, which was induced by TiO 2 NPs under visible light, was negligible when compared with the intracellular ROS level (accounting for less than 6.0% of the total ROS level). These findings suggest that elevated TiO 2 nanotoxicity in marine environments is related to increased ROS levels caused by internalization of TiO 2 NPs. - Highlights: • Inhibition of marine microalgae by TiO 2 NPs and bulk particles was evaluated. • Aggregation of TiO 2 NPs and bulk particles was observed in marine algal test medium. • TiO 2 NPs induced damage to algal cell membranes as detected by flow cytometry. • Increased TiO 2 nanotoxicity to algal cells was caused by internalization of NPs

Titanium dioxide–cellulose hybrid nanocomposite and its glucose biosensor application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maniruzzaman, Mohammad; Jang, Sang-Dong; Kim, Jaehwan

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► An organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposite was fabricated by blending TiO 2 nanoparticles and cellulose solution. ► The hybrid nanocomposite has advantages of biodegradability and bio-compatibility of cellulose and physical properties of TiO 2 . ► Enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) was immobilized into the hybrid nanocomposite and covalent bonding between TiO 2 and GOx was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron analysis. ► Linear response of the glucose biosensor was obtained in the range of 1–10 mM. - Abstract: This paper investigates the fabrication of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 )–cellulose hybrid nanocomposite and its possibility for a conductometric glucose biosensor. TiO 2 nanoparticles were blended with cellulose solution prepared by dissolving cotton pulp with lithium chloride/N,N-dimethylacetamide solvent to fabricate TiO 2 –cellulose hybrid nanocomposite. The enzyme, glucose oxidase (GOx) was immobilized into this hybrid nanocomposite by physical adsorption method. The successful immobilization of glucose oxidase into TiO 2 –cellulose hybrid nanocomposite via covalent bonding between TiO 2 and GOx was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron analysis. The linear response of the glucose biosensor is obtained in the range of 1–10 mM. This study demonstrates that TiO 2 –cellulose hybrid nanocomposite can be a potential candidate for an inexpensive, flexible and disposable glucose biosensor.

First-principles study of Mn-S codoped anatase TiO2

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Senlin; Huang, Jinliang; Ning, Xiangmei; Chen, Yongcha; Shi, Qingkui

2018-04-01

In this work, the CASTEP program in Materials Studio 2017 software package was applied to calculate the electronic structures and optical properties of pure anatase TiO2, S-doped, Mn-doped and Mn-S co-doped anatase TiO2 by GGA + U methods based on the density function theory (DFT). The results indicate that the lattice is distorted and the lattice constant is reduce due to doping. The doping also introduces impurity energy levels into the forbidden band. After substitution of Mn for Ti atom, band gap narrowing of anatase TiO2 is caused by the impurity energy levels appearance in the near Fermi surface, which are contributed by Mn-3d orbital, Ti-3d orbital and O-2p orbital hybridization. After substitution of S for O atom, band gap narrowing is creited with the shallow accepter level under the conduction hand of S-3p orbital. The Mn-S co-doped anatase TiO2 could be a potential candidate for a photocatalyst because of tis enhanced absorption ability of visible light. The results can well explain the immanent cause of a band gap narrowing as well as a red shift in the spectrum for doped anatase TiO2.

Nanocomposites of TiO2/cyanoethylated cellulose with ultra high dielectric constants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madusanka, Nadeesh; Shivareddy, Sai G; Hiralal, Pritesh; Choi, Youngjin; Amaratunga, Gehan A J; Eddleston, Mark D; Oliver, Rachel A

2016-01-01

A novel dielectric nanocomposite containing a high permittivity polymer, cyanoethylated cellulose (CRS) and TiO 2 nanoparticles was successfully prepared with different weight percentages (10%, 20% and 30%) of TiO 2 . The intermolecular interactions and morphology within the polymer nanocomposites were analysed. TiO 2 /CRS nanofilms on SiO 2 /Si wafers were used to form metal–insulator–metal type capacitors. Capacitances and loss factors in the frequency range of 1 kHz–1 MHz were measured. At 1 kHz CRS-TiO 2 nanocomposites exhibited ultra high dielectric constants of 118, 176 and 207 for nanocomposites with 10%, 20% and 30% weight of TiO 2 respectively, significantly higher than reported values of pure CRS (21), TiO 2 (41) and other dielectric polymer-TiO 2 nanocomposite films. Furthermore, all three CRS-TiO 2 nanocomposites show a loss factor <0.3 at 1 kHz and low leakage current densities (10 −6 –10 −7 A cm −2 ). Leakage was studied using conductive atomic force microscopy and it was observed that the leakage is associated with TiO 2 nanoparticles embedded in the CRS polymer matrix. A new class of ultra high dielectric constant hybrids using nanoscale inorganic dielectrics dispersed in a high permittivity polymer suitable for energy management applications is reported. (paper)

SiO2-TiO2-P2O5 meso porous coatings for proton exchange membranes fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, Y.; Mosa, J.; Duran, A.

2014-01-01

The article describes the preparation of meso porous SiO 2 -TiO 2 -P 2 O 5 coatings by Sol-Gel process combined to EISA method for using as proton exchange membranes fuel cells. Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), methyl triethoxysilane (MTES), titanium tetrachloride (TiCl 4 ) and phosphorus trichloride (PCl 3 ) have used as precursors and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as porous generator agent. Films were deposited by immersion technique controlling the relative humidity at 40 and 20-70% and treated at 400 to 500 degree centigrade for 15, 30, 45 and 60 min. The variation of the refractive index and thickness have studied as a function of temperature and sintering time as well as the pore volume and density of the coatings by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Moreover, the hydrophobic/hydrophilic character of the coatings has been studied by Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and by contact angle measurements, following the loss of methyl groups with the temperature and sintering time. The results show that these parameters are crucial to obtain coatings with high porosity and low contact angle, important to obtain high proton conductivity conditions. The sintering conditions were fixed to 400 degree centigrade/60 min. Conductivity measurements at four points show high proton conductivity, 0,16 and 0,85 S/cm, up and down ramp, respectively, at 80 degree centigrade and 80 % of humidity. These coatings are good candidates for PEMFC membranes, if they are deposited onto electrodes. (Author)

Renewable energy powered membrane technology. 2. The effect of energy fluctuations on performance of a photovoltaic hybrid membrane system

OpenAIRE

Richards, B.S.; Capão, D.P.S.; Schäfer, Andrea

2008-01-01

This paper reports on the performance fluctuations during the operation of a batteryless hybrid ultrafiltration-nanofiltration/reverse osmosis (UF-NF/RO) membrane desalination system powered by photovoltaics treating brackish groundwater in outback Australia. The renewable energy powered membrane (RE-membrane) system is designed to supply clean drinking water to a remote community of about 50 inhabitants. The performance of the RE-membrane system over four different solar days is summarized u...

Proton Conductive Channel Optimization in Methanol Resistive Hybrid Hyperbranched Polyamide Proton Exchange Membrane

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liying Ma

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Based on a previously developed polyamide proton conductive macromolecule, the nano-scale structure of the self-assembled proton conductive channels (PCCs is adjusted via enlarging the nano-scale pore size within the macromolecules. Hyperbranched polyamide macromolecules with different size are synthesized from different monomers to tune the nano-scale pore size within the macromolecules, and a series of hybrid membranes are prepared from these two micromoles to optimize the PCC structure in the proton exchange membrane. The optimized membrane exhibits methanol permeability low to 2.2 × 10−7 cm2/s, while the proton conductivity of the hybrid membrane can reach 0.25 S/cm at 80 °C, which was much higher than the value of the Nafion 117 membrane (0.192 S/cm. By considering the mechanical, dimensional, and the thermal properties, the hybrid hyperbranched polyamide proton exchange membrane (PEM exhibits promising application potential in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC.

CO2 adsorption using TiO2 composite polymeric membranes: A kinetic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hafeez, Sarah; Fan, X; Hussain, Arshad; Martín, C F

2015-09-01

CO2 is the main greenhouse gas which causes global climatic changes on larger scale. Many techniques have been utilised to capture CO2. Membrane gas separation is a fast growing CO2 capture technique, particularly gas separation by composite membranes. The separation of CO2 by a membrane is not just a process to physically sieve out of CO2 through the controlled membrane pore size. It mainly depends upon diffusion and solubility of gases, particularly for composite dense membranes. The blended components in composite membranes have a high capability to adsorb CO2. The adsorption kinetics of the gases may directly affect diffusion and solubility. In this study, we have investigated the adsorption behaviour of CO2 in pure and composite membranes to explore the complete understanding of diffusion and solubility of CO2 through membranes. Pure cellulose acetate (CA) and cellulose acetate-titania nanoparticle (CA-TiO2) composite membranes were fabricated and characterised using SEM and FTIR analysis. The results indicated that the blended CA-TiO2 membrane adsorbed more quantity of CO2 gas as compared to pure CA membrane. The high CO2 adsorption capacity may enhance the diffusion and solubility of CO2 in the CA-TiO2 composite membrane, which results in a better CO2 separation. The experimental data was modelled by Pseudo first-order, pseudo second order and intra particle diffusion models. According to correlation factor R(2), the Pseudo second order model was fitted well with experimental data. The intra particle diffusion model revealed that adsorption in dense membranes was not solely consisting of intra particle diffusion. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Uniform Gold-Nanoparticle-Decorated {001}-Faceted Anatase TiO2 Nanosheets for Enhanced Solar-Light Photocatalytic Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Huimin; Zhang, Shi; Zhu, Xupeng; Liu, Yu; Wang, Tao; Jiang, Tian; Zhang, Guanhua; Duan, Huigao

2017-10-25

The {001}-faceted anatase TiO 2 micro-/nanocrystals have been widely investigated for enhancing the photocatalysis and photoelectrochemical performance of TiO 2 nanostructures, but their practical applications still require improved energy conversion efficiency under solar-light and enhanced cycling stability. In this work, we demonstrate the controlled growth of ultrathin {001}-faceted anatase TiO 2 nanosheets on flexible carbon cloth for enhancing the cycling stability, and the solar-light photocatalytic performance of the synthesized TiO 2 nanosheets can be significantly improved by decorating with vapor-phase-deposited uniformly distributed plasmonic gold nanoparticles. The fabricated Au-TiO 2 hybrid system shows an 8-fold solar-light photocatalysis enhancement factor in photodegrading Rhodamine B, a high photocurrent density of 300 μA cm -2 under the illumination of AM 1.5G, and 100% recyclability under a consecutive long-term cycling measurement. Combined with electromagnetic simulations and systematic control experiments, it is believed that the tandem-type separation and transition of plasmon-induced hot electrons from Au nanoparticles to the {001} facet of anatase TiO 2 , and then to the neighboring {101} facet, is responsible for the enhanced solar-light photochemical performance of the hybrid system. The Au-TiO 2 nanosheet system addresses well the problems of the limited solar-light response of anatase TiO 2 and fast recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, representing a promising high-performance recyclable solar-light-responding system for practical photocatalytic reactions.

A mixture of anatase and rutile TiO2 nanoparticles induces histamine secretion in mast cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Eric Y

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Histamine released from mast cells, through complex interactions involving the binding of IgE to FcεRI receptors and the subsequent intracellular Ca2+ signaling, can mediate many allergic/inflammatory responses. The possibility of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs, a nanomaterial pervasively used in nanotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, to directly induce histamine secretion without prior allergen sensitization has remained uncertain. Results TiO2 NP exposure increased both histamine secretion and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]C in a dose dependent manner in rat RBL-2H3 mast cells. The increase in intracellular Ca2+ levels resulted primarily from an extracellular Ca2+ influx via membrane L-type Ca2+ channels. Unspecific Ca2+ entry via TiO2 NP-instigated membrane disruption was demonstrated with the intracellular leakage of a fluorescent calcein dye. Oxidative stress induced by TiO2 NPs also contributed to cytosolic Ca2+ signaling. The PLC-IP3-IP3 receptor pathways and endoplasmic reticulum (ER were responsible for the sustained elevation of [Ca2+]C and histamine secretion. Conclusion Our data suggests that systemic circulation of NPs may prompt histamine release at different locales causing abnormal inflammatory diseases. This study provides a novel mechanistic link between environmental TiO2 NP exposure and allergen-independent histamine release that can exacerbate manifestations of multiple allergic responses.

Hybrid Filter Membrane

Science.gov (United States)

Laicer, Castro; Rasimick, Brian; Green, Zachary

2012-01-01

Cabin environmental control is an important issue for a successful Moon mission. Due to the unique environment of the Moon, lunar dust control is one of the main problems that significantly diminishes the air quality inside spacecraft cabins. Therefore, this innovation was motivated by NASA s need to minimize the negative health impact that air-suspended lunar dust particles have on astronauts in spacecraft cabins. It is based on fabrication of a hybrid filter comprising nanofiber nonwoven layers coated on porous polymer membranes with uniform cylindrical pores. This design results in a high-efficiency gas particulate filter with low pressure drop and the ability to be easily regenerated to restore filtration performance. A hybrid filter was developed consisting of a porous membrane with uniform, micron-sized, cylindrical pore channels coated with a thin nanofiber layer. Compared to conventional filter media such as a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, this filter is designed to provide high particle efficiency, low pressure drop, and the ability to be regenerated. These membranes have well-defined micron-sized pores and can be used independently as air filters with discreet particle size cut-off, or coated with nanofiber layers for filtration of ultrafine nanoscale particles. The filter consists of a thin design intended to facilitate filter regeneration by localized air pulsing. The two main features of this invention are the concept of combining a micro-engineered straight-pore membrane with nanofibers. The micro-engineered straight pore membrane can be prepared with extremely high precision. Because the resulting membrane pores are straight and not tortuous like those found in conventional filters, the pressure drop across the filter is significantly reduced. The nanofiber layer is applied as a very thin coating to enhance filtration efficiency for fine nanoscale particles. Additionally, the thin nanofiber coating is designed to promote capture of

Novel TiO2/C nanocomposites: synthesis, characterization, and application as a photocatalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants.

Science.gov (United States)

da Costa, Elias; Zamora, Patricio P; Zarbin, Aldo J G

2012-02-15

Novel TiO(2)/carbon nanocomposites were prepared through the pyrolysis of TiO(2)/poly(furfuryl alcohol) hybrid materials, which were obtained by the sol-gel method, starting from titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and furfuryl alcohol (FA) precursors. Six different TiO(2)/C samples were prepared based on different TiO(2) nanoparticle sizes and TiO(2)/FA ratios. All of the samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, infrared, and Raman spectroscopy. The results indicated effective FA polymerization onto the TiO(2) (anatase) nanoparticles, polymer conversion to disordered carbon following the pyrolysis, and a simultaneous TiO(2) anatase-rutile phase transition. The resulting TiO(2)/carbon composites were used as photocatalysts in the advanced oxidative process (AOP) for the degradation of reactive organic dyes in aqueous solution. The results indicate excellent photocatalytic performance (degradation of 99% of the dye after 60 min) with several advantages over traditional TiO(2)-based photocatalysts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hybrid ion-exchange membranes for fuel cells and separation processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez-Carretero, F.J.; Compan, V. [Departamento de Termodinamica Aplicada, ETSII, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, 46020 Valencia (Spain); Riande, E. [Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Polimeros (CSIC), 28006 Madrid (Spain)

2007-11-08

This work reports the preparation and characterization of hybrid membranes cast from dispersions of inorganic fillers in sulfonated polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene solutions. Silica gel, SBA-15 and sepiolite, all of them functionalized with phenylsulfonic acid groups, were used as fillers. For comparative purposes, the performance of composite membranes cast from dispersions of functionalized inorganic fillers in Nafion {sup registered} solutions was investigated. Inspection of the texture of the membranes by using SEM techniques shows that the fillers are better dispersed in sulfonated polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene than in Nafion {sup registered}. The value of the water uptake for the membranes prepared from the former polyelectrolyte is in most cases at least three times that measured for hybrid Nafion {sup registered} membranes. The conductivity of the membranes was measured at 80 C by impedance spectroscopy obtaining values of 3.44, 6.90 and 3.54 S m{sup -1} for the hybrid membranes based on the triblock copolymer containing functionalized silica gel, SBA-15 and sepiolite fillers, respectively. These results compare very favourably with those obtained at 80 C for Nafion {sup registered} hybrid membranes containing silica gel, SBA-15 and sepiolite, all of them fuctionalized with phenylsulfonic acid groups, whose conductivities are, 2.84, 6.75 and 3.31 S m{sup -1}, respectively. Resistance measurements carried out under controlled humidity conditions show that the conductivity of sulfonated triblock copolymer membranes containing functionalized SBA-15 filler undergoes a rather sharp increase when they are conditioned under an atmosphere of 75%, or larger, relative humidity. (author)

Fabrication of a TiO2-P25/(TiO2-P25+TiO2 nanotubes junction for dye sensitized solar cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nguyen Huy Hao

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC, which converts solar light into electric energy, is expected to be a promising renewable energy source for today's world. In this work, dye sensitized solar cells, one containing a single layer and one containing a double layer, were fabricated. In the double layer DSSC structure, the under-layer was TiO2-P25 film, and the top layer consisted of a mixture of TiO2-P25 and TiO2 nanotubes. The results indicated that the efficiency of the DSSC with the double layer structure was a significant improvement in comparison to the DSSC consisting of only a single film layer. The addition of TiO2-P25 in the top layer caused an improvement in the adsorption of dye molecules on the film rather than on the TiO2 nanotubes only. The presence of the TiO2 nanotubes together with TiO2-P25 in the top layer revealed the enhancement in harvesting the incident light and an improvement of electron transport through the film.

A large interconnecting network within hybrid MEH-PPV/TiO2 nanorod photovoltaic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, T-W; Lin, Y-Y; Lo, H-H; Chen, C-W; Chen, C-H; Liou, S-C; Huang, H-Y; Su, W-F

2006-01-01

This is a study of hybrid photovoltaic devices based on TiO 2 nanorods and poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV). We use TiO 2 nanorods as the electron acceptors and conduction pathways. Here we describe how to develop a large interconnecting network within the photovoltaic device fabricated by inserting a layer of TiO 2 nanorods between the MEH-PPV:TiO 2 nanorod hybrid active layer and the aluminium electrode. The formation of a large interconnecting network provides better connectivity to the electrode, leading to a 2.5-fold improvement in external quantum efficiency as compared to the reference device without the TiO 2 nanorod layer. A power conversion efficiency of 2.2% under illumination at 565 nm and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 24% at 430 nm are achieved. A power conversion efficiency of 0.49% is obtained under Air Mass 1.5 illumination

Hydrothermal solid-gas route to TiO2 nanoparticles/nanotube arrays for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Haowen; Zhang, He; Luo, Xiaolei; Liao, Maoying; Zhu, Xufei; Ma, Jing; Song, Ye

2017-07-01

Although TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) have shown great promise as supercapacitor materials, their specific capacitances are still not comparable with some typical materials. Here, TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs)/TNTAs hybrid structure has been derived from the anodized TNTAs by a facile hydrothermal solid-gas method (HSGM), which can avoid cracking or curling of the TNTAs from Ti substrate. The obtained NPs/TNTAs hybrid structure can exhibit a ∼4.90 times increase in surface area and a ∼5.49 times increase in areal specific capacitance compared to the TNTAs without HSGM treatment. Besides, the argon-atmosphere annealing can offer improved areal capacitance and cycling stability relative to the air-atmosphere annealing. The hydrothermal vapor pressure is a key factor for controlling microscopic morphologies of TNTAs, the morphology transformations of TNTAs during the HSGM treatment can be accelerated under enhanced vapor pressures. The highest areal capacitance of HSGM-treated TNTAs is up to 76.12 mF cm-2 at 0.5 mA cm-2, well above that of any TiO2 materials reported to date.

Microglial cells (BV-2) internalize titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles: toxicity and cellular responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Rihane, Naima; Nury, Thomas; M'rad, Imen; El Mir, Lassaad; Sakly, Mohsen; Amara, Salem; Lizard, Gérard

2016-05-01

Because of their whitening and photocatalytic effects, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) are widely used in daily life. These NPs can be found in paints, plastics, papers, sunscreens, foods, medicines (pills), toothpastes, and cosmetics. However, the biological effect of TiO2-NPs on the human body, especially on the central nervous system, is still unclear. Many studies have demonstrated that the brain is one of the target organs in acute or chronic TiO2-NPs toxicity. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of TiO2-NPs at different concentrations (0.1 to 200 μg/mL) on murine microglial cells (BV-2) to assess their activity on cell growth and viability, as well as their neurotoxicity. Different parameters were measured: cell viability, cell proliferation and DNA content (SubG1 peak), mitochondrial depolarization, overproduction of reactive oxygen species (especially superoxide anions), and ultrastructural changes. Results showed that TiO2-NPs induced some cytotoxic effects with a slight inhibition of cell growth. Thus, at high concentrations, TiO2-NPs were not only able to inhibit cell adhesion but also enhanced cytoplasmic membrane permeability to propidium iodide associated with a loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and an overproduction of superoxide anions. No induction of apoptosis based on the presence of a SubG1 peak was detected. The microscopic observations also indicated that small groups of nanosized particles and micron-sized aggregates were engulfed by the BV-2 cells and sequestered as intracytoplasmic aggregates after 24-h exposure to TiO2-NPs. Altogether, our data show that the accumulation TiO2-NPs in microglial BV-2 cells favors mitochondrial dysfunctions and oxidative stress.

Poly(Acrylic acid–Based Hybrid Inorganic–Organic Electrolytes Membrane for Electrical Double Layer Capacitors Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chiam-Wen Liew

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Nanocomposite polymer electrolyte membranes (NCPEMs based on poly(acrylic acid(PAA and titania (TiO2 are prepared by a solution casting technique. The ionic conductivity of NCPEMs increases with the weight ratio of TiO2.The highest ionic conductivity of (8.36 ± 0.01 × 10−4 S·cm−1 is obtained with addition of 6 wt % of TiO2 at ambient temperature. The complexation between PAA, LiTFSI and TiO2 is discussed in Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR studies. Electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs are fabricated using the filler-free polymer electrolyte or the most conducting NCPEM and carbon-based electrodes. The electrochemical performances of fabricated EDLCs are studied through cyclic voltammetry (CV and galvanostatic charge-discharge studies. EDLC comprising NCPEM shows the specific capacitance of 28.56 F·g−1 (or equivalent to 29.54 mF·cm−2 with excellent electrochemical stability.

Dye-sensitized solar cells based on anatase TiO2/multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite nanofibers photoanode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du, Pingfan; Song, Lixin; Xiong, Jie; Li, Ni; Wang, Lijun; Xi, Zhenqiang; Wang, Naiyan; Gao, Linhui; Zhu, Hongliang

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► TiO 2 /multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) hybrid nanofibers are prepared via electrospinning. ► Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are assembled using TiO 2 /MWCNTs nanofibers film as photoanode. ► Energy conversion efficiency of DSSCs is greatly dependent on the content of MWCNTs. ► Moderate MWCNTs incorporation can substantially enhance the performance of DSSCs. - Abstract: Anatase TiO 2 /multi-walled carbon nanotubes (TiO 2 /MWCNTs) hybrid nanofibers (NFs) film was prepared via a facile electrospinning method. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on TiO 2 /MWCNTs composite NFs photoanodes with different contents of MWCNTs (0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1 wt.%) were assembled using N719 dye as sensitizer. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and Raman spectrometer were used to characterize the TiO 2 /MWCNTs electrode films. The photocurrent–voltage (I–V) characteristic, incident photo-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) spectrum, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were carried out to evaluate the photoelectric properties of the DSSCs. The results reveal that the energy conversion efficiency is greatly dependent on the content of MWCNTs in the composite NFs film, and a moderate incorporation of MWCNTs can substantially enhance the performance of DSSCs. When the electrode contains 0.3 wt.% MWCNTs, the corresponding solar cell yield the highest efficiency of 5.63%. This efficiency value is approximately 26% larger than that of the unmodified counterpart.

Electrical properties of TiO2/SEO nanocomposites: From macro to nano

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gutierrez, Junkal; Tercjak, Agnieszka; Martin, Loli; Mondragon, Inaki

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: → Three electro-devices were fabricated based on TiO 2 -SEO hybrid nanocomposites. → TUNA-current maps determine local conductivity variations at the nanoscale level. → Semiconductor analyzer allows to calculate conductivity values of investigated samples. → ITO/1:PEDOT-PSS/1:TiO 2 -SEO system show the highest conductivity value, 0.16 S/cm. - Abstract: Tunneling atomic force microscopy (TUNA) was successfully used to confirm that electro-devices based on TiO 2 -SEO nanocomposites can find possible application in solar power conversion field. Investigated electro-devices show different current flow depending on the layer combination. The highest capacity was shown by the electro-devices with a PEDOT-PSS layer on the top, being the average current values ∼200 pA at 10 V applied voltage. The conductivity value measured by Keithley indicated that the system ITO/1:PEDOT-PSS/1:TiO 2 -SEO electro-device shows the highest conductivity level, 0.16 S/cm. Thus, these systems have high potential to find application as solar cell devices.

Direct Z-scheme TiO2/CdS hierarchical photocatalyst for enhanced photocatalytic H2-production activity

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Aiyun; Zhu, Bicheng; Zhong, Bo; Zhang, Liuyang; Cheng, Bei

2017-11-01

Photocatalytic H2 evolution, which utilizes solar energy via water splitting, is a promising route to deal with concerns about energy and environment. Herein, a direct Z-scheme TiO2/CdS binary hierarchical photocatalyst was fabricated via a successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique, and photocatalytic H2 production was measured afterwards. The as-prepared TiO2/CdS hybrid photocatalyst exhibited noticeably promoted photocatalytic H2-production activity of 51.4 μmol h-1. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity was ascribed to the hierarchical structure, as well as the efficient charge separation and migration from TiO2 nanosheets to CdS nanoparticles (NPs) at their tight contact interfaces. Moreover, the direct Z-scheme photocatalytic reaction mechanism was demonstrated to elucidate the improved photocatalytic performance of TiO2/CdS composite photocatalyst. The photoluminescence (PL) analysis of hydroxyl radicals were conducted to provide clues for the direct Z-scheme mechanism. This work provides a facile route for the construction of redox mediator-free Z-scheme photocatalytic system for photocatalytic water splitting.

Formation of TiO2 domains in Poly (9-vinylcarbazole) thin film by hydrolysis-condensation of a metal alkoxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barlier, V.; Bounor-Legare, V.; Alcouffe, P.; Boiteux, G.; Davenas, J.

2007-01-01

New organic-inorganic hybrid thin films based on Poly (9-vinylcarbazole) (P9VK) and Dioxide titanium (TiO 2 ) bulk-heterojunction were obtained by a hydrolysis-condensation (H-C) process of titanium (IV) isopropoxide in thin film. The TiO 2 distribution in the film was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that homogeneous TiO 2 particles around 100 nm were formed on the surface of the polymer thin film. Photoluminescence spectroscopy has been used to study the charge transfer efficiency in the photoactive layer and results were compared with a simplest elaboration route, the dispersion of TiO 2 anatase in a P9VK solution before spin coating. Results showed that TiO 2 elaborated by H-C exhibits a competitive quenching effect with TiO 2 anatase

Synthesis and characterization of TiO2/Ag/polymer ternary nanoparticles via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jung Tae; Koh, Joo Hwan; Seo, Jin Ah; Cho, Yong Soo; Kim, Jong Hak

2011-01-01

We report on the novel ternary hybrid materials consisting of semiconductor (TiO 2 ), metal (Ag) and polymer (poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (POEM)). First, a hydrophilic polymer, i.e. POEM, was grafted from TiO 2 nanoparticles via the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) technique. These TiO 2 -POEM brush nanoparticles were used to template the formation of Ag nanoparticles by introduction of a AgCF 3 SO 3 precursor and a NaBH 4 aqueous solution for reduction process. Successful grafting of polymeric chains from the surface of TiO 2 nanoparticles and the in situ formation of Ag nanoparticles within the polymeric chains were confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). FT-IR spectroscopy also revealed the specific interaction of Ag nanoparticles with the C=O groups of POEM brushes. This study presents a simple route for the in situ synthesis of both metal and polymer confined within the semiconductor, producing ternary hybrid inorganic-organic nanomaterials.

TiO2-B Nanoribbons Anchored with NiO Nanosheets as Hybrid Anode Materials for Rechargeable Lithium ion Batteries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, J. Y.; Shen, J.X.; Wang, T.L.

2015-01-01

A new type of TiO2-B nanoribbon anchored with NiO nanosheets (TiO2@NiO) is synthesized via a hydrothermal process and a subsequent homogeneous precipitation method. XRD analysis indicates that TiO2-B and cubic NiO phases exist in the composites. According to SEM images, the morphology of the TiO2...

TiO2-TiO2 composite resistive humidity sensor: ethanol crosssensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghalamboran, Milad; Saedi, Yasin

2016-01-01

The fabrication method and characterization results of a TiO 2 -TiO 2 composite bead used for humidity sensing along with its negative cross-sensitivity to ethanol vapor are reported. The bead shaped resistive sample sensors are fabricated by the drop-casting of a TiO 2 slurry on two Pt wire segments. The dried bead is pre-fired at 750°C and subsequently impregnated with a Ti-based sol. The sample is ready for characterization after a thermal annealing at 600°C in air. Structurally, the bead is a composite of the micron-sized TiO 2 crystallites embedded in a matrix of nanometric TiO 2 particle aggregates. The performance of the beads as resistive humidity sensors is recorded at room temperature in standard humidity level chambers. Results evince the wide dynamic range of the sensors fabricated in the low relative humidity range. While the sensor conductance is not sensitive to ethanol vapor in dry air, in humid air, sensor's responses are negatively affected by the contaminant. (paper)

Ag-loaded TiO2/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasilaki, E.; Georgaki, I.; Vernardou, D.; Vamvakaki, M.; Katsarakis, N.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Ag nanoparticles were loaded on TiO 2 by chemical reduction. • TiO 2 /Ag and TiO 2 samples were deposited on reduced graphene oxide (rGO). • Their performance was evaluated via methylene blue removal under visible-light. • TiO 2 /Ag/rGO presented superior activity compared to TiO 2 , TiO 2 /Ag and TiO 2 /rGO. - Abstract: In this work, Ag nanoparticles were loaded by chemical reduction onto TiO 2 P25 under different loadings ranging from 1 up to 4 wt% and hydrothermally deposited on reduced graphene oxide sheets. Chemical reduction was determined to be an effective preparation approach for Ag attachment to titania, leading to the formation of small silver nanoparticles with an average diameter of 4.2 nm. The photocatalytic performance of the hybrid nanocomposite materials was evaluated via methylene blue (MB) dye removal under visible-light irradiation. The rate of dye decolorization was found to depend on the metal loading, showing an increase till a threshold value of 3 wt%, above which the rate drops. Next, the as prepared sample of TiO 2 /Ag of better photocatalytic response, i.e., at a 3 wt% loading value, was hydrothermally deposited on a platform of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) of tunable content (mass ratio). TiO 2 /Ag/rGO coupled nanocomposite presented significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to the TiO 2 /Ag, TiO 2 /rGO composites and bare P25 titania semiconductor photocatalysts. In particular, after 45 min of irradiation almost complete decolorization of the dye was observed for the TiO 2 /Ag/rGO nanocatalyst, while the respective removal efficiency was 92% for TiO 2 /Ag, 93% for TiO 2 /rGO and only 80% for the bare TiO 2 nanoparticles. This simple step by step preparation strategy allows for optimum exploitation of the advanced properties of metal plasmonic effect and reduced graphene oxide as the critical host for boosting the overall photocatalytic activity towards visible-light.

Sequential Dip-spin Coating Method: Fully Infiltration of MAPbI 3-x Cl x into Mesoporous TiO 2 for Stable Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Kim, Woochul

2017-05-31

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have reached a power conversion efficiency of 22.1% in a short period (∼7 years), which has been obtainable in silicon-based solar cells for decades. The high power conversion efficiency and simple fabrication process render perovskite solar cells as potential future power generators, after overcoming the lack of long-term stability, for which the deposition of void-free and pore-filled perovskite films on mesoporous TiO2 layers is the key pursuit. In this research, we developed a sequential dip-spin coating method in which the perovskite solution can easily infiltrate the pores within the TiO2 nanoparticulate layer, and the resultant film has large crystalline grains without voids between them. As a result, a higher short circuit current is achieved owing to the large interfacial area of TiO2/perovskite, along with enhanced power conversion efficiency, compared to the conventional spin coating method. The as-made pore-filled and void-free perovskite film avoids intrinsic moisture and air and can effectively protect the diffusion of degradation factors into the perovskite film, which is advantageous for the long-term stability of PSCs.

Nanostructured Polyelectrolytes Based on SPEEK/TiO2 for Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells (DEFCs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Carlos Dutra Filho

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Proton-conducting hybrid membranes consisting of poly(ether ether ketone sulfonated (SPEEK and titanium oxide (TiO2 were prepared using the sol-gel technique for application in direct ethanol fuel cells. The effect from TiO2 incorporation on membrane properties such as ethanol uptake, pervaporation and proton conductivity was investigated. The uptake and permeated flux decreased with increasing content of TiO2. The ethanol permeability was about one order of magnitude smaller than Nafion® 117. FTIR spectra indicated that PEEK was sulfonated and the second degradation temperature of SPEEK58 samples confirmed the titanium oxide incorporation. The proton conductivity in ethanol solution was of the order of 10-3 S cm-1 when 4 or 8 wt% TiO2 were added, and generally increased with addition of TiO2.

Development and characterisation of hybrid polysaccharide membranes for dehydration processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Meireles, Inês T; Huertas, Rosa M; Torres, Cristiana A V; Coelhoso, Isabel M; Crespo, João G

2018-07-01

The purpose of this work is the development and characterisation of new hybrid polysaccharide (FucoPol) membranes. These membranes were prepared by incorporation of a SiO 2 network homogeneously dispersed by using a sol-gel method with GPTMS as a crosslinker silica precursor. They were further crosslinked with CaCl 2 for reinforcement of mechanical properties and improvement of their permeation performance. They were characterised in terms of their structural, mechanical and thermal properties. They presented a dense and homogeneous structure, resistant to deformation, with a Tg of 43 °C and a thermal decomposition between 240 and 251 °C. The hybrid FucoPol membranes were tested for ethanol dehydration by pervaporation and also for nitrogen dehydration. They exhibited high water selectivity values, similar to PERVAP ® 4101, however they lost their stability when exposed to solutions of 10.0 wt.% water in ethanol. In contrast, these membranes were stable when applied in N 2 dehydration, leading to reproducible performance and very high water selectivities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Renewable energy powered membrane technology. 2. The effect of energy fluctuations on performance of a photovoltaic hybrid membrane system.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, B S; Capão, D P S; Schäfer, A I

2008-06-15

This paper reports on the performance fluctuations during the operation of a batteryless hybrid ultrafiltration--nanofiltration/reverse osmosis (UF-NF/RO) membrane desalination system powered by photovoltaics treating brackish groundwater in outback Australia. The renewable energy powered membrane (RE-membrane) system is designed to supply clean drinking water to a remote community of about 50 inhabitants. The performance of the RE-membrane system over four different solar days is summarized using four different NF membranes (BW30, NF90, ESPA4, TFC-S), and examined in more detail for the BW30 membrane. On an Australian spring day, the system produced 1.1 m3 of permeate with an average conductivity of 0.28 mS x cm(-1), recovering 28% of the brackish (8.29 mS x cm(-1) conductivity) feedwater with an average specific energy consumption of 2.3 kWh x m(-3). The RE-membrane system tolerated large fluctuations in solar irradiance (500--1200 W x m(-2)), resulting in only small increases in the permeate conductivity. When equipped with the NF90 (cloudy day) and ESPA4 (rainy day) membranes, the system was still able to produce 1.36 m(-3) and 0.85 m(-3) of good quality permeate, respectively. The TFC-S membrane was not able to produce adequate water quality from the bore water tested. It is concluded that batteryless operation is a simple and robust way to operate such systems under conditions ranging from clear skies to medium cloud cover.

Hyper-cross-linked, hybrid membranes via interfacial polymerization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raaijmakers, Michiel

2015-01-01

Hyper-cross-linked, hybrid membranes consist of covalent networks of alternating organic and inorganic, or biological groups. This thesis reports on the preparation of such hybrid networks via interfacial polymerization. The structure-property relationships of the hybrid networks depend strongly on

Constructing 2D layered MoS2 nanosheets-modified Z-scheme TiO2/WO3 nanofibers ternary nanojunction with enhanced photocatalytic activity

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jiangtao; Zhang, Peng; Fan, Jiajie; Hu, Junhua; Shao, Guosheng

2018-02-01

Advanced materials for photoelectrochemical H2 production are important to the field of renewable energy. Despite great efforts have been made, the present challenge in materials science is to explore highly active photocatalysts for splitting of water at low cost. In this work, we report a new composite material consisting of 2D layered MoS2 nanosheets grown on the presence of TiO2/WO3 nanofibers (TW) as a high-performance photocatalyst for H2 evolution. This composite material was prepared by a two-step simple process of electrospinning and hydrothermal. We found that the as-prepared TiO2/WO3@MoS2 (TWM) hybrid exhibited superior photocatalytic activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) even without the noble metal-cocatalyst. Importantly, the TiO2/WO3@MoS2 heterostructure with 60 wt% of MoS2 exhibits the highest hydrogen production rate. This great improvement is attributed to the positive synergetic effect between the WO3 and MoS2 components in this hybrid cocatalyst, which serve as hole collector and electron collector, respectively. Moreover, the effective charge separation was directly proved by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and photocurrent analysis.

Block copolymer directed synthesis of mesoporous TiO 2 for dye-sensitized solar cells

KAUST Repository

Nedelcu, Mihaela

2009-01-01

The morphology of TiO2 plays an important role in the operation of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. By using polyisoprene-block- ethyleneoxide (PI-b-PEO) copolymers as structure directing agents for a sol-gel based synthesis of mesoporous TiO2, we demonstrate a strategy for the detailed control of the semiconductor morphology on the 10 nm length scale. The careful adjustment of polymer molecular weight and titania precursor content is used to systematically vary the material structure and its influence upon solar cell performance is investigated. Furthermore, the use of a partially sp 2 hybridized structure directing polymer enables the crystallization of porous TiO2 networks at high temperatures without pore collapse, improving its performance in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. © 2009 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Identification of DNA viruses by membrane filter hybridization.

OpenAIRE

Stålhandske, P; Pettersson, U

1982-01-01

The use of membrane filter hybridization for the identification of DNA viruses is described. We designed and used a procedure for identification of herpes simplex virus. This method can discriminate between herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in a simple way.

Plasma-deposited hybrid silica membranes with a controlled retention of organic bridges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ngamou, P.H.T.; Creatore, M. [Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands); Overbeek, J.P.; Kreiter, R.; Van Veen, H.M.; Vente, J.F. [ECN, Energy research Centre of the Netherlands, Petten (Netherlands); Wienk, I.M.; Cuperus, P.F. [SolSep BV, Apeldoorn (Netherlands)

2013-03-05

Hybrid organically bridged silica membranes are suitable for energy-efficient molecular separations under harsh industrial conditions. Such membranes can be useful in organic solvent nanofiltration if they can be deposited on flexible, porous and large area supports. Here, we report the proof of concept for applying an expanding thermal plasma to the synthesis of perm-selective hybrid silica films from an organically bridged monomer, 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane. This membrane is the first in its class to be produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. By tuning the plasma and process parameters, the organic bridging groups could be retained in the separating layer. This way, a defect free film could be made with pervaporation performances of an n-butanol-water mixture comparable with those of conventional ceramic supported membranes made by sol-gel technology (i.e. a water flux of [similar]1.8 kg m'-{sup 2} h{sup -1}, a water concentration in the permeate higher than 98% and a separation factor of >1100). The obtained results show the suitability of expanding thermal plasma as a technology for the deposition of hybrid silica membranes for molecular separations.

In situ growth of lamellar ZnTiO3 nanosheets on TiO2 tubular array with enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yunyu; Ye, Yixing; Tian, Zhenfei; Liu, Jun; Liu, Yishu; Liang, Changhao

2013-12-14

We report a self-sacrificed in situ growth design toward preparation of ZnTiO3-TiO2 heterojunction structure. Highly reactive zinc oxide colloidal particles derived by laser ablation in liquids can react with TiO2 nanotubes to form a lamellar ZnTiO3 nanosheet structure in a hydrothermal-treatment process. Such hybrid structural product was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the hybrid structure toward degradation of methyl orange (MO) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) molecules was demonstrated and compared with single phase TiO2, as a result of the efficient separation of light excited electrons and holes at the hetero-interfaces in the two semiconductors.

Gold and TiO2 Nanostructure Surfaces for Assembling of Electrochemical Biosensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curulli, A.; Zane, D.

2008-01-01

Devices based on nano materials are emerging as a powerful and general class of ultrasensitive sensors for the direct detection of biological and chemical species. In this work, we report the preparation and the full characterization of nano materials such as gold nano wires and TiO 2 nano structured films to be used for assembling of electrochemical biosensors. Gold nano wires were prepared by electroless deposition within the pores of polycarbonate particle track-etched membranes (PMS). Glucose oxidase was deposited onto the nano wires using self-assembling monolayer as an anchor layer for the enzyme molecules. Finally, cyclic voltammetry was performed for different enzymes to test the applicability of gold nano wires as biosensors. Considering another interesting nano material, the realization of functionalized TiO 2 thin films on Si substrates for the immobilization of enzymes is reported. Glucose oxidase and horseradish peroxidase immobilized onto TiO 2 -based nano structured surfaces exhibited a pair of well-defined and quasi reversible voltammetric peaks. The electron exchange between the enzyme and the electrodes was greatly enhanced in the TiO 2 nano structured environment. The electrocatalytic activity of HRP and GOD embedded in TiO 2 electrodes toward H 2 O 2 and glucose, respectively, may have a potential perspective in the fabrication of third-generation biosensors based on direct electrochemistry of enzymes.

Copper doping enhanced the oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles in A549 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, J; Siddiqui, M A; Akhtar, M J; Alhadlaq, H A; Alshamsan, A; Khan, S T; Wahab, R; Al-Khedhairy, A A; Al-Salim, A; Musarrat, J; Saquib, Q; Fareed, M; Ahamed, M

2018-05-01

Physicochemical properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) can be tuned by doping with metals or nonmetals. Copper (Cu) doping improved the photocatalytic behavior of TiO 2 NPs that can be applied in various fields such as environmental remediation and nanomedicine. However, interaction of Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs with human cells is scarce. This study was designed to explore the role of Cu doping in cytotoxic response of TiO 2 NPs in human lung epithelial (A549) cells. Characterization data demonstrated the presence of both TiO 2 and Cu in Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs with high-quality lattice fringes without any distortion. The size of Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs (24 nm) was lower than pure TiO 2 NPs (30 nm). Biological results showed that both pure and Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. Low mitochondrial membrane potential and higher caspase-3 enzyme (apoptotic markers) activity were also observed in A549 cells exposed to pure and Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs. We further observed that cytotoxicity caused by Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs was higher than pure TiO 2 NPs. Moreover, antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine effectively prevented the reactive oxygen species generation, glutathione depletion, and cell viability reduction caused by Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs. This is the first report showing that Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in A549 cells. This study warranted further research to explore the role of Cu doping in toxicity mechanisms of TiO 2 NPs.

Formation of hydroxyl radicals and kinetic study of 2-chlorophenol photocatalytic oxidation using C-doped TiO2, N-doped TiO2, and C,N Co-doped TiO2 under visible light.

Science.gov (United States)

Ananpattarachai, Jirapat; Seraphin, Supapan; Kajitvichyanukul, Puangrat

2016-02-01

This work reports on synthesis, characterization, adsorption ability, formation rate of hydroxyl radicals (OH(•)), photocatalytic oxidation kinetics, and mineralization ability of C-doped titanium dioxide (TiO2), N-doped TiO2, and C,N co-doped TiO2 prepared by the sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-visible spectroscopy were used to analyze the titania. The rate of formation of OH(•) for each type of titania was determined, and the OH-index was calculated. The kinetics of as-synthesized TiO2 catalysts in photocatalytic oxidation of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) under visible light irradiation were evaluated. Results revealed that nitrogen was incorporated into the lattice of titania with the structure of O-Ti-N linkages in N-doped TiO2 and C,N co-doped TiO2. Carbon was joined to the Ti-O-C bond in the C-doped TiO2 and C,N co-doped TiO2. The 2-CP adsorption ability of C,N co-doped TiO2 and C-doped TiO2 originated from a layer composed of a complex carbonaceous mixture at the surface of TiO2. C,N co-doped TiO2 had highest formation rate of OH(•) and photocatalytic activity due to a synergistic effect of carbon and nitrogen co-doping. The order of photocatalytic activity per unit surface area was the same as that of the formation rate of OH(•) unit surface area in the following order: C,N co-doped TiO2 > C-doped TiO2 > N-doped TiO2 > undoped TiO2.

Screened coulomb hybrid DFT study on electronic structure and optical properties of anionic and cationic Te-doped anatase TiO2

KAUST Repository

Harb, Moussab

2013-06-27

The origin of the enhanced visible-light optical absorption in Te-doped bulk anatase TiO2 is investigated in the framework of DFT and DFPT within HSE06 in order to ensure accurate electronic structure and optical transition predictions. Various oxidation states of Te species are considered based on their structural location in bulk TiO2. In fact, TiO (2-x)Tex (with isolated Te2- species at Te-Te distance of 8.28 Å), TiO2Tex (with isolated TeO 2- species at Te-Te distance of 8.28 Å), TiO2Te 2x (with two concomitant TeO2- species at Te-Te distance of 4.11 Å), and Ti(1-2x)O2Te2x (with two neighboring Te4+ species at nearest-neighbor Te-Te distance of 3.05 Å) show improved optical absorption responses in the visible range similarly as it is experimentally observed in Te-doped TiO2 powders. The optical absorption edges of TiO(2-x)Tex, TiO 2Tex, and TiO2Te2x are found to be red-shifted by 400 nm compared with undoped TiO2 whereas that of Ti(1-2x)O2Te2x is red-shifted by 150 nm. On the basis of calculated valence and conduction band edge positions of Te-doped TiO2, only TiO(2-x)Tex and Ti (1-2x)O2Te2x show suitable potentials for overall water splitting under visible-light irradiation. The electronic structure analysis revealed narrower band gaps of 1.12 and 1.17 eV with respect to undoped TiO2, respectively, resulting from the appearance of new occupied electronic states in the gap of TiO2. A delocalized nature of the gap states is found to be much more pronounced in TiO (2-x)Tex than that with Ti(1-2x)O 2Te2x due to the important contribution of numerous O 2p orbitals together with Te 5p orbitals. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Enhancement of photoelectric catalytic activity of TiO2 film via Polyaniline hybridization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yajun; Xu Jing; Zong Weizheng; Zhu Yongfa

2011-01-01

A Polyaniline (PANI)/TiO 2 film coated on titanium foil was successfully prepared using the sol-gel method followed by a facile chemisorption. Compared with pristine TiO 2 , the photocatalytic (PC) and photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation rates of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) with the PANI/TiO 2 film were enhanced by 22.2% and 57.5%, respectively. 2,4-DCP can be mineralized more effectively in the presence of PANI/TiO 2 film. The best PEC degradation efficiency of 2,4-DCP with the PANI/TiO 2 film was acquired at an external potential of 1.5 V with a layer of 1 nm thick PANI. The PANI/TiO 2 film was characterized by Raman spectra, Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and electrochemical analysis. These results indicated that there was a chemical interaction on the interface of PANI and TiO 2 . This interaction may be of significance to promote the migration efficiency of carriers and induce a synergetic effect to enhance the PC and PEC activities. - Graphical abstract: The effect of PANI content on 2,4-DCP degradation with initial concentration of 50 mg/L, external potential=1.5 V. Inset: degradation rate constants of various PANI/TiO 2 films. Highlights: → Polyaniline/TiO 2 film was prepared using the sol-gel method followed by chemisorption. → Photoelectrocatalytic degradation rate of 2,4-dichlorophenol was enhanced by 57.5%. → The modification of Polyaniline to TiO 2 film caused a rapid charge separation. → Best degradation efficiency was acquired at 1.5 V with 1 nm thick PANI.

Advanced, Energy-Efficient Hybrid Membrane System for Industrial Water Reuse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toy, Lora [RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Choi, Young Chul [RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Hendren, Zachary [RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Kim, Gyu Dong [RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)

2017-03-31

In the U.S. manufacturing sector, current industrial water use practices are energy-intensive and utilize and discharge high volumes of waters, rendering them not sustainable especially in light of the growing scarcity of suitable water supplies. To help address this problem, the goal of this project was to develop an advanced, cost-effective, hybrid membrane-based water treatment system that can improve the energy efficiency of industrial wastewater treatment while allowing at least 50% water reuse efficiency. This hybrid process would combine emerging Forward Osmosis (FO) and Membrane Distillation (MD) technology components into an integrated FO-MD system that can beneficially utilize low-grade waste heat (i.e., T < 450 °F) in industrial facilities to produce distilled-quality product water for reuse. In this project, laboratory-, bench-, and pilot-scale experiments on the hybrid FO-MD system were conducted for industrial wastewater treatment. It was demonstrated at laboratory, bench, and pilot scales that FO-MD membrane technology can concentrate brine to very high total dissolved solids (TDS) levels (>200,000 ppm) that are at least 2.5 times higher than the TDS level to which RO can achieve. In laboratory testing, currently available FO and MD membranes were tested to select for high-performing membranes with high salt rejection and high water flux. Multiple FO membrane/draw-salt solution combinations that gave high water flux with higher than 98% salt rejection were also identified. Reverse draw-salt fluxes were observed to be much lower for divalent salts than for monovalent salts. MD membranes were identified that had 99.9+% salt rejection and water flux as high as 50-90 L/(m²·h) for flat-sheet membranes and >20 L/(m²·h) for hollow fibers. In bench-scale testing, a single unit of commercially available FO and MD membrane modules were evaluated for continuous, integrated operation. Using the laboratory- and bench-scale test data

Nafion-TiO{sub 2} hybrid membranes for medium temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sacca, A.; Carbone, A.; Passalacqua, E. [CNR-ITAE, Via Salita S. Lucia Sopra Contesse, 98126 Messina (Italy); D' Epifanio, A.; Licoccia, S.; Traversa, E. [Department of Chemical Science and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome (Italy); Sala, E.; Traini, F.; Ornelas, R. [Nuvera Fuel Cells, Via Bistolfi 35, 20134 Milan (Italy)

2005-12-01

A nanocomposite re-cast Nafion hybrid membrane containing titanium oxide calcined at T=400{sup o}C as an inorganic filler was developed in order to work at medium temperature in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) maintaining a suitable membrane hydration under fuel cell operative critical conditions. Nanometre TiO{sub 2} powder was synthesized via a sol-gel procedure by a rapid hydrolysis of Ti(OiPr){sub 4}. The membrane was prepared by mixing a Nafion-dimethylacetammide (DMAc) dispersion with a 3wt% of TiO{sub 2} powder and casting the mixture by Doctor Blade technique. The resulting film was characterised in terms of water uptake and ion exchange capacity (IEC). The membrane was tested in a single cell from 80 to 130{sup o}C in humidified H{sub 2}/air. The obtained results were compared with the commercial Nafion115 and a home-made recast Nafion membrane. Power density values of 0.514 and 0.256Wcm{sup -2} at 0.56V were obtained at 110 and 130{sup o}C, respectively, for the composite Nafion-Titania membrane. Preliminary tests carried out using steam reforming (SR) synthetic fuel at about 110{sup o}C have highlighted the benefit of the inorganic filler introduction when PEFC operates at medium temperature and with processed hydrogen. (author)

Hybrid TiO2 Solar Cells Produced from Aerosolized Nanoparticles of Water-Soluble Polythiophene Electron Donor Layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marshall L. Sweet

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Hybrid solar cells (HSCs with water soluble polythiophene sodium poly[2-(3-thienyl-ethyloxy-4-butylsulfonate] (PTEBS thin films produced using electrospray deposition (ESD were fabricated, tested, and modeled and compared to devices produced using conventional spin coating. A single device structure of FTO/TiO2/PTEBS/Au was used to study the effects of ESD of the PTEBS layer on device performance. ESD was found to increase the short circuit current density (Jsc by a factor of 2 while decreasing the open circuit voltage (Voc by half compared to spin coated PTEBS films. Comparable efficiencies of 0.009% were achieved from both device construction types. Current-voltage curves were modeled using the characteristic solar cell equation and showed a similar increase in generated photocurrent with an increase by two orders of magnitude in the saturation current in devices from ESD films. Increases in Jsc are attributed to an increase in the interfacial contact area between the TiO2 and PTEBS layers, while decreases in Voc are attributed to incomplete film formation from ESD.

A DFT-D study of structural and energetic properties of TiO2 modifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moellmann, Jonas; Ehrlich, Stephan; Tonner, Ralf; Grimme, Stefan

2012-01-01

The structures and relative energies of the three naturally occurring modifications of titanium dioxide (rutile, brookite and anatase) were investigated. For an accurate description, atom-pairwise dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT-D) was applied. The DFT-D3 scheme was extended non-empirically to improve the description of Ti atoms in bulk systems. New dispersion coefficients were derived from TDDFT calculations for electrostatically embedded TiO 2 clusters. The dispersion coefficient C 6 TiTi is reduced by a factor of 18 compared to the free atom. The three TiO 2 modifications were optimized in periodic plane-wave calculations with dispersion-corrected GGA (PBE, revPBE) and hybrid density functionals (PBE0, revPBE0). The calculated lattice parameters are in good agreement with experimental data, in particular the dispersion-corrected PBE0 and revPBE0 hybrid functionals. Although the observed relative stabilities could not be reproduced in all cases, dispersion corrections improve the results. For an accurate description of bulk metal oxides, London dispersion is a prominent force that should not be neglected when energies and structures are computed with DFT. Additionally, the influence of dispersion interactions on the relaxation of the TiO 2 (110) surface is investigated.

SnS2 nanosheets arrays sandwiched by N-doped carbon and TiO2 for high-performance Na-ion storage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weina Ren

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, SnS2 nanosheets arrays sandwiched by porous N-doped carbon and TiO2 (TiO2@SnS2@N-C on flexible carbon cloth are prepared and tested as a free-standing anode for high-performance sodium ion batteries. The as-obtained TiO2@SnS2@N-C composite delivers a remarkable capacity performance (840 mA h g−1 at a current density of 200 mA g−1, excellent rate capability and long-cycling life stability (293 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 600 cycles. The excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of each component of the unique hybrid structure, in which the SnS2 nanosheets with open framworks offer high capacity, while the porous N-doped carbon nanoplates arrays on flexible carbon cloth are able to improve the conductivity and the TiO2 passivation layer can keep the structure integrity of SnS2 nanosheets.

Enhanced Optoelectronic Properties of PFO/Fluorol 7GA Hybrid Light Emitting Diodes via Additions of TiO2 Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The effect of TiO2 nanoparticle (NP content on the improvement of poly(9,9′-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl (PFO/Fluorol 7GA organic light emitting diode (OLED performance is demonstrated here. The PFO/Fluorol 7GA blend with specific ratios of TiO2 NPs was prepared via a solution blending method before being spin-coated onto an indium tin oxide (ITO substrate to act as an emissive layer in OLEDs. A thin aluminum layer as top electrode was deposited onto the emissive layer using the electron beam chamber. Improvement electron injection from the cathode was achieved upon incorporation of TiO2 NPs into the PFO/Fluorol 7GA blend, thus producing devices with intense luminance and lower turn-on voltage. The ITO/(PFO/Fluorol 7GA/TiO2/Al OLED device exhibited maximum electroluminescence intensity and luminance at 25 wt % of TiO2 NPs, while maximum luminance efficiency was achieved with 15 wt % TiO2 NP content. In addition, this work proved that the performance of the devices was strongly affected by the surface morphology, which in turn depended on the TiO2 NP content.

Functionalized TiO2 nanoparticle containing isocyanate groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ou, Baoli; Li, Duxin; Liu, Qingquan; Zhou, Zhihua; Liao, Bo

2012-01-01

Functionalized TiO 2 nanoparticle containing isocyanate groups can extend the TiO 2 nanoparticle chemistry, and may promote their many potential applications such as in polymer composites and coatings. This paper describes a facile method to prepare functionalized TiO 2 nanoparticle with highly reactive isocyanate groups on its surface, via the reaction between toluene-2, 4-diisocyanate (TDI) and hydroxyl on TiO 2 nanoparticle surface. The main effect factors on the reaction of TiO 2 with TDI were studied by determining the reaction extent of hydroxyl groups on TiO 2 surface. Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed that reactive isocyanate groups were covalently attached to the TiO 2 nanoparticle surface. The dispersion of the TDI-functionalized TiO 2 nanoparticle was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Owing to the TDI molecules covalently bonded on TiO 2 nanoparticle surface, it was established that the TiO 2 nanoparticle can be uniformly dispersed in toluene, thus indicating that this functionalization method can prevent TiO 2 nanoparticle from agglomerating. -- Highlights: ► TiO 2 nanoparticle was functionalized with toluene-2, 4-diisocyanate. ► Functionalized TiO 2 nanoparticle can be uniformly dispersed in xylene. ► Compatibility of TiO 2 nanoparticle and organic solvent is significantly improved. ► TiO 2 containing isocyanate groups can extend the TiO 2 nanoparticle chemistry.

Hybrid capacitive deionization with anion-exchange membranes for lithium extraction

OpenAIRE

Siekierka Anna; Bryjak Marek

2017-01-01

Lithium is considered to be a critical material for various industrial fields. We present our studies on extraction lithium from diluted aqueous solution by novel hybrid system based on a membrane capacitive deionization and batteries desalination. Hybrid CDI is comprised by a lithium selective adsorbent, activated carbon electrode and anion-exchange membranes. Here, we demonstrated implication of various type of anion-exchange membranes and influence their properties on effective capacity an...

Síntese e caracterização de nanopartículas de TiO2 Synthesis and characterization of TiO2 nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. C. F. M. Costa

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Vários métodos de síntese química têm sido desenvolvidos e utilizados na obtenção de pós para fabricação de membranas cerâmicas. Dentre os métodos alternativos utilizados em escala de laboratório, o método Pechini tem sido empregado com sucesso para a obtenção de diversos tipos de materiais. Este trabalho tem como objetivo sintetizar e caracterizar nanopós de TiO2 obtidos por este método, visando à preparação de membranas cerâmicas de ultrafiltração. Os pós resultantes foram caracterizados por análise térmica gravimétrica e diferencial, difração de raios X, espectrofotometria de absorção no infravermelho, adsorção de nitrogênio e microscopia eletrônica de varredura. A análise de difração de raios X do pó mostrou a presença da fase cristalina anatásio, com tamanho de cristalito 15 nm. O tamanho de partículas calculado a partir da área superficial pelo método BET foi 19 nm e a morfologia apresentou-se constituída de nanopartículas e presença de aglomerados moles. Os resultados evidenciam que o método Pechini é promissor para produção de TiO2 nanométrico, adequado para a preparação de membranas cerâmicas.Several methods of chemical synthesis have been developed and used to obtain powder for production of ceramic membranes. Amongst the alternative methods used in laboratory scale, the Pechini method has been used successfully for the preparation of several types of materials. The objective of this work is to synthesize and characterize TiO2 powders obtained by this method, aiming the preparation of ultra-filtration ceramic membranes. The powder has been characterized by gravimetric and differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption by BET, and scanning electron microscopy. The X-ray diffraction of the powders showed the presence of the anatase crystalline phase, with crystallite size 15 nm. The particle size calculated from the surface area was 19

Preparation and characterization of phase-pure anatase and rutile TiO2 powder by new chemistry route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, E. A.; Montanhera, M.A.; Paula, F.R.; Spada, E.R.

2014-01-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) is used in a wire range applications such as photocatalysis and sensor device. In this work is shown a new and effective method for the preparation of TiO 2 nanocrystalline in the crystallographic forms, anatase and rutile. The method involves dissolving the TiOSO 4 powder in H 2 O 2 solution and thermal treatment of amorphous precipitate. The technique of X-ray diffraction was used to follow the structure evolution of amorphous precipitate. Pure anatase structure and rutile are obtained at 600 deg C and 1000 deg C with a grain size estimated 24 and 55 nm respectively. TiO 2 nanoparticles is a promising alternative of the low cost whose potential for solar cells deserve a careful evaluation, especially in hybrid solar cells that employs TiO 2 as electron acceptor and as transport channels. (author)

TiO2 nanoparticles for enhancing the refractive index of hydrogels for ophthalmological applications

Science.gov (United States)

Hampp, Norbert; Dams, Christian; Badur, Thorben; Reinhardt, Hendrik

2017-02-01

Intraocular lenses (IOL) are currently the only treatment for cataract dependent vision impairment and blindness [1]. A polymer suitable for IOL manufacture needs to meet a plurality of properties, biocompatibility, excellent transmission in the visible range, a high flexibility for micro invasive surgery, a high refractive index as well as a good ABBE-number, just to mention the most important ones [2]. We present the use of in situ generated TiO2-nanoparticles to enhance the refractive index of poly-HEMA hydrogels - with are suitable polymers for IOL manufacture[3] - from 1.44 to 1.527 at 589.3 nm combined with an excellent ABBE-number of 54. The nanoparticles were prepared using titaniumdiisopropoxide- bis(acetylacetonate) as a precursor. First the titanium salt was diffused into the poly-HEMA matrix and then it was transformed into TiO2 in boiling water. The resulting pHEMA [TiO2] hydrogel was dried for 10 days under ambient conditions. By lathing these polymers were machined into lens precursors, the so-called Saturn-rings. After reswelling in physiological saline solutions flexible polymer lenses with high surface quality, shape memory and superior optical properties were obtained. The crystal structure of the formed TiO2 nanoparticles was identified as anatase via Xray. No release of titanium ions or TiO2 nanoparticles was observe under physiological conditions. Such hybrid materials of TiO2 nanoparticles and poly-HEMA like hydrogels are promising materials for IOL.

Flexible free-standing TiO2/graphene/PVdF films as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren, H.M.; Ding, Y.H.; Chang, F.H.; He, X.; Feng, J.Q.; Wang, C.F.; Jiang, Y.; Zhang, P.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Flexible TiO 2 /graphene electrode was prepared by a solvent evaporation technique. ► PVdF was used as substance to support the TiO 2 /graphene active materials. ► The flexible films can be employed as anode materials for Li-ion battery. - Abstract: Graphene composites were prepared by hydrothermal method using titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) adsorbed graphene oxide (GO) sheets as precursors. Free-standing hybrid films for lithium-ion batteries were prepared by adding TiO 2 /graphene composites to the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF)/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solution, followed by a solvent evaporation technique. These films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and various electrochemical techniques. Flexible films show an excellent cycling performance, which was attributed to the interconnected graphene conducting network, which depressed the increasing of electric resistance during the cycling.

Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of hybrid membrane Nafion-SiO2 for application as polymer electrolyte in PEM fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dresch, Mauro Andre

2009-01-01

In this work, the effect of sol-gel synthesis parameters on the preparation and polarization response of Nafion-SiO 2 hybrids as electrolytes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) operating at high temperatures (130 degree C) was evaluated. The inorganic phase was incorporated in a Nafion matrix with the following purposes: to improve the Nafion water uptake at high temperatures (> 100 degree C); to increase the mechanical strength of Nafion and; to accelerate the electrode reactions. The hybrids were prepared by an in-situ incorporation of silica into commercial Nafion membranes using an acid-catalyzed sol-gel route. The effects of synthesis parameters, such as catalyst concentration, sol-gel solvent, temperature and time of both hydrolysis and condensation reactions, and silicon precursor concentration (Tetraethyl orthosilicate - TEOS), were evaluated as a function on the incorporation degree and polarization response. Nafion-SiO 2 hybrids were characterized by gravimetry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy and X-ray dispersive energy (SEM-EDS), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and X-ray small angle scattering (SAXS). The hybrids were tested as electrolyte in single H 2 /O 2 fuel cells in the temperature range of 80 - 130 degree C and at 130 degree C and reduced relative humidity (75% and 50%). Summarily, the hybrid performance showed to be strongly dependent on the synthesis parameters, mainly, the type of alcohol and the TEOS concentration. (author)

Synthesis and properties of imidazole-grafted hybrid inorganic-organic polymer membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Siwen; Zhou Zhen; Liu Meilin; Li Wen; Ukai, Junzo; Hase, Kohei; Nakanishi, Masatsugu

2006-01-01

Imidazole rings were grafted on alkoxysilane with a simple nucleophilic substitute reaction to form hybrid inorganic-organic polymers with imidazole rings. Proton exchange membranes (PEM) based on these hybrid inorganic-organic polymers and H 3 PO 4 exhibit high proton conductivity and high thermal stability in an atmosphere of low relative humidity. The grafted imidazole rings improved the proton conductivity of the membranes in the high temperature range. It is found that the proton conductivities increase with H 3 PO 4 content and temperature, reaching 3.2 x 10 -3 S/cm at 110 deg. C in a dry atmosphere for a membrane with 1 mole of imidazole ring and 7 moles of H 3 PO 4 . The proton conductivity increases with relative humidity (RH) as well, reaching 4.3 x 10 -2 S/cm at 110 deg. C when the RH is increased to about 20%. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates that these membranes are thermally stable up to 250 deg. C in dry air, implying that they have a good potential to be used as the membranes for high-temperature PEM fuel cells

Synergistic effects between TiO2 and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a TiO2/CNTs system under visible light irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Chung-Hsin; Kuo, Chao-Yin; Chen, Shih-Ting

2013-01-01

This study synthesized a TiO2/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite via the sol-gel method. The surface characteristics of the TiO2/CNTs composite were determined by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, specific surface area analyser, ultraviolent (UV)-vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectrometer. The photocatalytic activity ofthe TiO2/CNTs composite was evaluated by decolourizing C.I. Reactive Red 2 (RR2) under visible light irradiation. Furthermore, the effects of calcination temperature, pH, RR2 concentration, and the TiO2/CNTs composite dosage on RR2 decolourization were determined simultaneously. The optimal calcination temperature to generate TiO2 and the TiO2/CNTs composite was 673 K, as the percentage of anatase crystallization at this temperature was highest. The specific surface area of the TiO2/CNTs composite and TiO2 were 45 and 42 m2/g, respectively. The band gap of TiO2 and the TiO2/CNTs composite was 2.97 and 2.71 eV by UV-vis measurements, respectively. Experimental data indicate that the Ti-O-C bond formed in the TiO2/CNTs composite. The RR2 decolourization rates can be approximated by pseudo-first-order kinetics; moreover, only the TiO2/CNTs composite had photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. At pH 7, the RR2 decolourization rate constant of 0.5, 1 and 2 g/L TiO2/CNTs addition was 0.005, 0.0015, and 0.0047 min(-1), respectively. Decolourization rate increased as pH and the RR2 concentration decreased. The CNTs functioned as electron acceptors, promoting separation of photoinduced electron-hole pairs to retard their recombination; thus, photocatalytic activity of the TiO2/CNTs composite exceeded that of TiO2.

Novel acid-base hybrid membrane based on amine-functionalized reduced graphene oxide and sulfonated polyimide for vanadium redox flow battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Li; Sun, Qingqing; Gao, Yahui; Liu, Luntao; Shi, Haifeng

2015-01-01

A series of novel acid-base hybrid membranes (SPI/PEI-rGO) based on sulfonated polyimide (SPI) with polyethyleneimine-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (PEI-rGO) are prepared by a solution-casting method for vanadium redox flow battery (VRB). FT-IR and XPS results prove the successful fabrication of PEI-rGO and SPI/PEI-rGO hybrid membranes, which show a dense and homogeneous structure observed by SEM. The physicochemical properties such as water uptake, swelling ratio, ion exchange capacity, proton conductivity and vanadium ion permeability are well controlled by the incorporated PEI-rGO fillers. The interfacial-formed acid-base pairs between PEI-rGO and SPI matrix effectively reduce the swelling ratio and vanadium ion permeability, increasing the stability performance of the hybrid membranes. SPI/PEI-rGO-2 hybrid membrane exhibits a higher coulombic efficiency (CE, 95%) and energy efficiency (EE, 75.6%) at 40 mA cm −2 , as compared with Nafion 117 membrane (CE, 91% and EE, 66.8%). The self-discharge time of the VRB with SPI/PEI-rGO-2 hybrid membrane (80 h) is longer than that of Nafion 117 membrane (26 h), demonstrating the excellent blocking ability for vanadium ion. After 100 charge-discharge cycles, SPI/PEI-rGO-2 membrane exhibits the good stability under strong oxidizing and acid condition, proving that SPI/PEI-rGO acid-base hybrid membranes could be used as the promising candidates for VRB applications

Nanostructured Ceramic Photocatalytic Membrane Modified with a Polymer Template for Textile Wastewater Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rizwan Ahmad

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Photocatalytic ceramic membranes have attracted considerable attention for industrial wastewater treatment. However, morphological control of the membrane surface to improve its photocatalytic reactivity for the degradation of organic pollutants remains a challenge. Herein, we report a new nanostructured TiO2/Al2O3 composite ceramic membrane prepared from a poly(oxyethylene methacrylate (POEM template through a sol–gel method and its photocatalytic performance in the treatment of a model dye compound. The POEM polymeric template allowed the homogeneous distribution of catalytic sites, i.e., the TiO2 layer, on the Al2O3 membrane surface, resulting in improved organic dye degradation along with effective fouling mitigation. The immobilization of a TiO2 layer on the Al2O3 membrane support also significantly enhanced the membrane adsorption capacity toward dye organic compounds. An organic removal efficiency of over 96% was achieved with the TiO2/Al2O3 composite membrane under Ultraviolet (UV irradiation. In addition, the self-cleaning efficiency of the TiO2/Al2O3 composite membrane was remarkably improved by the degradation of organic foulants on the membrane under UV illumination.

High-performance hybrid pervaporation membranes with superior hydrothermal and acid stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castricum, H.L. [Inorganic Materials Science, MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Blank, D.H.A.; Ten Elshof, J.E. [Van ' t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Kreiter, R.; Van Veen, H.M.; Vente, J.F. [ECN Efficiency and Infrastructure, Petten (Netherlands)

2009-05-15

A new organic-inorganic hybrid membrane has been prepared with exceptional performance in dewatering applications. The only precursor used in the sol-gel synthesis of the selective layer was organically linked 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTESE). The microporous structure of this layer enables selective molecular sieving of small molecules from larger ones. In the dehydration of n-butanol with 5% of water, the membrane shows a high separation factor of over 4000 and ultra-fast water transport at a rate of more than 20 kg m{sup -2} h{sup -1} at 150C. This can be related to the high adsorption capacity of the material and the sub-micron thickness of the selective layer. The selectivity has now remained constant over almost one and a half years under continuous process testing conditions. Apart from the hydrothermal stability, the membrane exhibits a high tolerance for acid contamination. A slow performance decline in flux and separation factor is only observed at a pH lower than 2. The high stability and effective separation indicate a broad industrial application potential of the hybrid membrane material.

Sol-gel synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles and photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange in aqueous TiO2 suspensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Huaming; Zhang Ke; Shi Rongrong; Li Xianwei; Dong Xiaodan; Yu Yongmei

2006-01-01

Anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles of about 16 nm in crystal size have been successfully synthesized via a sol-gel method. Thermal treatment of the precursor at 500-600 deg. C results in the formation of different TiO 2 phase compositions. The samples were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Effects of the pH value of the solution, H 2 O 2 addition, TiO 2 phase composition and recycled TiO 2 on the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MeO) in TiO 2 suspensions under ultraviolet (UV) illumination were primarily investigated. The results indicate that a low pH value, proper amount of H 2 O 2 and pure anatase TiO 2 will facilitate the photocatalytic oxidation of the MeO solution. The photodegradation degree decreases with increasing the pH value of the solution and varies with different amounts of H 2 O 2 . Pure anatase TiO 2 shows better photocatalytic activity for MeO decolorization than biphase TiO 2 . The photocatalytic mechanism of the as-synthesized TiO 2 nanoparticles was discussed

Synthesis of Fe2O3/TiO2 nanorod-nanotube arrays by filling TiO2 nanotubes with Fe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohapatra, Susanta K; Banerjee, Subarna; Misra, Mano

2008-01-01

Synthesis of hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) nanostructures on a titania (TiO 2 ) nanotubular template is carried out using a pulsed electrodeposition technique. The TiO 2 nanotubes are prepared by the sonoelectrochemical anodization method and are filled with iron (Fe) by pulsed electrodeposition. The Fe/TiO 2 composite is then annealed in an O 2 atmosphere to convert it to Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 nanorod-nanotube arrays. The length of the Fe 2 O 3 inside the TiO 2 nanotubes can be tuned from 50 to 550 nm by changing the deposition time. The composite material is characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible studies to confirm the formation of one-dimensional Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 nanorod-nanotube arrays. The present approach can be used for designing variable one-dimensional metal oxide heterostructures

Organic-inorganic hybrid membranes in separation processes: a 10-year review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. C. Souza

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In relation to some inorganic membranes, polymeric membranes have relatively low separation performance. However, the processing flexibility and low cost of polymers still make them highly attractive for many industrial separation applications. Polymer-inorganic hybrid membranes constitute an emerging research field and have been recently developed to improve the separation properties of polymer membranes because they possess properties of both organic and inorganic membranes such as good hydrophilicity, selectivity, permeability, mechanical strength, and thermal and chemical stability. The structures and processing of polymer-inorganic nanocomposite hybrid membranes, as well as their use in the fields of ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, pervaporation, gas separation and separation mechanism are reviewed.

Mesoporous TiO2 : an alternative material for PEM fuel cells catalyst support

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Do, T.B. [Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Dept. of Materials Science; Ruthkosky, M.; Cai, M. [General Motors, Warren, MI (United States). Research and Development Center

2008-07-01

This paper discussed the feasibility of using an alternative catalyst support material to replace carbon in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The alternative catalyst support material requires a high surface area with a large porosity but must have comparable conductivity with carbon. A mesoporous titanium oxide (TiO2) material produced by coprecipitation was introduced. The conductivity of the material is about one order of that of carbon. The 8 mole per cent Nb-doped TiO2 was formed and deposited on the surface of a nano polystyrene (PS) template via the hydrolysis of a co-solution of Ti(OC4H9)4 and Nb(OC2H5)5. The removal of PS by heat treatment produced porous structure of TiO2 with the appearance of 3 different pore types, notably open pore, ink-pot pores and closed pores. TiO2 formed from the rutile phase, allowing a lower activation temperature at 850 degrees C in a hydrogen atmosphere. The pore structures were retained after this heat treatment. The BET surface area was 116 m{sup 2}/g, porosity was 22 per cent and the average pore size was 159 angstrom. The conductivity improved considerably from almost non-conductive to one order of that of carbon.

Effect of TiO2 on the Gas Sensing Features of TiO2/PANi Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duong Ngoc Huyen

2011-02-01

Full Text Available A nanocomposite of titanium dioxide (TiO2 and polyaniline (PANi was synthesized by in-situ chemical polymerization using aniline (ANi monomer and TiCl4 as precursors. SEM pictures show that the nanocomposite was created in the form of long PANi chains decorated with TiO2 nanoparticles. FTIR, Raman and UV-Vis spectra reveal that the PANi component undergoes an electronic structure modification as a result of the TiO2 and PANi interaction. The electrical resistor of the nanocomposite is highly sensitive to oxygen and NH3 gas, accounting for the physical adsorption of these gases. A nanocomposite with around 55% TiO2 shows an oxygen sensitivity of 600–700%, 20–25 times higher than that of neat PANi. The n-p contacts between TiO2 nanoparticles and PANi matrix give rise to variety of shallow donors and acceptor levels in the PANi band gap which enhance the physical adsorption of gas molecules.

Highly uniform bipolar resistive switching characteristics in TiO2/BaTiO3/TiO2 multilayer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, W. J.; Zhang, X. Y.; Wang, Ying; Zheng, Yue; Lin, S. P.; Luo, J. M.; Wang, B.; Li, Z. X.

2013-01-01

Nanoscale multilayer structure TiO 2 /BaTiO 3 /TiO 2 has been fabricated on Pt/Ti/SiO 2 /Si substrate by chemical solution deposition method. Highly uniform bipolar resistive switching (BRS) characteristics have been observed in Pt/TiO 2 /BaTiO 3 /TiO 2 /Pt cells. Analysis of the current-voltage relationship demonstrates that the space-charge-limited current conduction controlled by the localized oxygen vacancies should be important to the resistive switching behavior. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicated that oxygen vacancies in TiO 2 play a crucial role in the resistive switching phenomenon and the introduced TiO 2 /BaTiO 3 interfaces result in the high uniformity of bipolar resistive switching characteristics

Synthesis and characterization of insulin/zirconium phosphate@TiO2 hybrid composites for enhanced oral insulin delivery applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Safari, Mostafa; Kamari, Younes; Ghiaci, Mehran; Sadeghi-Aliabadi, Hojjat; Mirian, Mina

2017-05-01

In this work, a series of composites of insulin (Ins)/zirconium phosphate (ZrP) were synthesized by intercalation method, then, these composites were coated with TiO 2 by sol-gel method to prepare Ins/ZrP@TiO 2 hybrid composites and the drug release of the composites was investigated by using UV-Vis spectroscopy. Ins/ZrP (10, 30, 60 wt%) composites were prepared by intercalation of insulin into the ZrP layers in water. Then Ins/ZrP composites were coated with different amounts of TiO 2 (30, 50, 100 wt %) by using titanium tetra n-butoxide, as precursor. Formation of intercalated Ins/ZrP and Ins/ZrP@TiO 2 hybrid composites was characterized by FT-IR, FE-SEM, BET and XRD analysis. Zeta potential of the optimized Ins/ZrP@TiO 2 hybrid composite was determined -27.2 mV. Cytotoxic effects of the optimized Ins/ZrP@TiO 2 hybrid composite against HeLa and Hek293T cell lines were evaluated using MTT assay and the results showed that designed drug delivery system was not toxic in biological environment. Compared to the Ins/ZrP composites, incorporation of TiO 2 coating enhanced the drug entrapment considerably, and reduced the drug release. The Ins/ZrP composites without TiO 2 coating released the whole drug after 30 min in pH 7.4 (phosphate buffer solution) while the TiO 2 -coated composites released the entrapped drug after 20 h. In addition to increasing the shelf life of hormone, this nanoencapsulation and nanocoating method can convert the insulin utilization from injection to oral and present a painless and more comfortable treatment for diabetics.

Chemical dynamics of the first proton-coupled electron transfer of water oxidation on TiO2 anatase.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jia; Li, Ye-Fei; Sit, Patrick; Selloni, Annabella

2013-12-18

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a prototype, water-splitting (photo)catalyst, but its performance is limited by the large overpotential for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). We report here a first-principles density functional theory study of the chemical dynamics of the first proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET), which is considered responsible for the large OER overpotential on TiO2. We use a periodic model of the TiO2/water interface that includes a slab of anatase TiO2 and explicit water molecules, sample the solvent configurations by first principles molecular dynamics, and determine the energy profiles of the two electronic states involved in the electron transfer (ET) by hybrid functional calculations. Our results suggest that the first PCET is sequential, with the ET following the proton transfer. The ET occurs via an inner sphere process, which is facilitated by a state in which one electronic hole is shared by the two oxygen ions involved in the transfer.

Photocatalytic properties and selective antimicrobial activity of TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposite

Science.gov (United States)

Michal, Robert; Dworniczek, Ewa; Caplovicova, Maria; Monfort, Olivier; Lianos, Panagiotis; Caplovic, Lubomir; Plesch, Gustav

2016-05-01

TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by precipitation method. The anatase nanocrystallites with a size of 26 nm exhibited well crystallized and characteristical dipyramidal morphology and {1 0 1} and {0 0 1} faceting. Transmission electron microscopy photographs with atomic resolution showed that the Eu(III) dopants were bounded on surface of titania. In the composites, the CuO nanocrystals exhibiting a monoclinic tenorite structure with a size in the range from 2 to 5 nm were grafted to the surface of titania. The influence of copper(II) oxide led to distinct selectivity in the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the investigated TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites. While the presence of CuO nanocrystals strongly increased the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by ethanol reforming, it decreased the activity in photoinduced total mineralization of phenol comparing with non-modified TiO2(Eu). In investigated TiO2(Eu)/CuO powders, the photoinduced antimicrobial activity against membranes of Enterococcus species was influenced by the selective binding of CuO to the surface of the microorganism leading to distinct selectivity in their action. The activity against Enterococcus faecalis was higher than against Enterococcus faecium.

Cattaneo-Christov based study of {TiO}_2 -CuO/EG Casson hybrid nanofluid flow over a stretching surface with entropy generation

Science.gov (United States)

Jamshed, Wasim; Aziz, Asim

2018-06-01

In the present research, a simplified mathematical model is presented to study the heat transfer and entropy generation analysis of thermal system containing hybrid nanofluid. Nanofluid occupies the space over an infinite horizontal surface and the flow is induced by the non-linear stretching of surface. A uniform transverse magnetic field, Cattaneo-Christov heat flux model and thermal radiation effects are also included in the present study. The similarity technique is employed to reduce the governing non-linear partial differential equations to a set of ordinary differential equation. Keller Box numerical scheme is then used to approximate the solutions for the thermal analysis. Results are presented for conventional copper oxide-ethylene glycol (CuO-EG) and hybrid titanium-copper oxide/ethylene glycol ({TiO}_2 -CuO/EG) nanofluids. The spherical, hexahedron, tetrahedron, cylindrical, and lamina-shaped nanoparticles are considered in the present analysis. The significant findings of the study is the enhanced heat transfer capability of hybrid nanofluids over the conventional nanofluids, greatest heat transfer rate for the smallest value of the shape factor parameter and the increase in Reynolds number and Brinkman number increases the overall entropy of the system.

Visible light activated TiO2/microcrystalline cellulose nanocatalyst to destroy organic contaminants in water.

Science.gov (United States)

Hybrid TiO2/microcrystalline cellulose (MC) nanophotocatalyst was prepared in situ by a facile and simple synthesis utilizing benign precursors such as MC and TiCl4. The as-prepared nanocomposite was characterized by XRD, XPS, BET surface area analyzer, UV–vis DRS and TGA. Surfac...

Toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles to Escherichia coli: effects of particle size, crystal phase and water chemistry.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiuchun Lin

Full Text Available Controversial and inconsistent results on the eco-toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs are commonly found in recorded studies and more experimental works are therefore warranted to elucidate the nanotoxicity and its underlying precise mechanisms. Toxicities of five types of TiO2 NPs with different particle sizes (10∼50 nm and crystal phases were investigated using Escherichia coli as a test organism. The effect of water chemistry on the nanotoxicity was also examined. The antibacterial effects of TiO2 NPs as revealed by dose-effect experiments decreased with increasing particle size and rutile content of the TiO2 NPs. More bacteria could survive at higher solution pH (5.0-10.0 and ionic strength (50-200 mg L(-1 NaCl as affected by the anatase TiO2 NPs. The TiO2 NPs with anatase crystal structure and smaller particle size produced higher content of intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, in line with their greater antibacterial effect. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed the concentration buildup of the anatase TiO2 NPs especially those with smaller particle sizes on the cell surfaces, leading to membrane damage and internalization. These research results will shed new light on the understanding of ecological effects of TiO2 NPs.

Toxicity of TiO2 Nanoparticles to Escherichia coli: Effects of Particle Size, Crystal Phase and Water Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Xiuchun; Li, Jingyi; Ma, Si; Liu, Gesheng; Yang, Kun; Tong, Meiping; Lin, Daohui

2014-01-01

Controversial and inconsistent results on the eco-toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) are commonly found in recorded studies and more experimental works are therefore warranted to elucidate the nanotoxicity and its underlying precise mechanisms. Toxicities of five types of TiO2 NPs with different particle sizes (10∼50 nm) and crystal phases were investigated using Escherichia coli as a test organism. The effect of water chemistry on the nanotoxicity was also examined. The antibacterial effects of TiO2 NPs as revealed by dose-effect experiments decreased with increasing particle size and rutile content of the TiO2 NPs. More bacteria could survive at higher solution pH (5.0–10.0) and ionic strength (50–200 mg L−1 NaCl) as affected by the anatase TiO2 NPs. The TiO2 NPs with anatase crystal structure and smaller particle size produced higher content of intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, in line with their greater antibacterial effect. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed the concentration buildup of the anatase TiO2 NPs especially those with smaller particle sizes on the cell surfaces, leading to membrane damage and internalization. These research results will shed new light on the understanding of ecological effects of TiO2 NPs. PMID:25310452

Spin Speed and Duration Dependence of TiO2 Thin Films pH Sensing Behavior

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad AlHadi Zulkefle

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Titanium dioxide (TiO2 thin films were applied as the sensing membrane of an extended-gate field-effect transistor (EGFET pH sensor. TiO2 thin films were deposited by spin coating method and the influences of the spin speed and spin duration on the pH sensing behavior of TiO2 thin films were investigated. The spin coated TiO2 thin films were connected to commercial metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET to form the extended gates and the MOSFET was integrated in a readout interfacing circuit to complete the EGFET pH sensor system. For the spin speed parameter investigation, the highest sensitivity was obtained for the sample spun at 3000 rpm at a fixed spinning time of 60 s, which was 60.3 mV/pH. The sensitivity was further improved to achieve 68 mV/pH with good linearity of 0.9943 when the spin time was 75 s at the speed of 3000 rpm.

TiO2-ITO and TiO2-ZnO nanocomposites: application on water treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bessais B.

2012-06-01

Full Text Available One of the most promising ideas to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of the TiO2 is to couple this photocatalyst with other semiconductors. In this work, we report on the development of photo-catalytic properties of two types of composites based on TiO2 – ITO (Indium Tin Oxide and TiO2 – ZnO deposited on conventional ceramic substrates. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD and transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM. The photo-catalytic test was carried out under UV light in order to reduce/oxidize a typical textile dye (Cibacron Yellow. The experiment was carried out in a bench scale reactor using a solution having a known initial dye concentration. After optimization, we found that both nanocomposites exhibit better photocatalytic activity compared to the standard photocatalyst P25 TiO2.

PDMS/PVDF hybrid electrospun membrane with superhydrophobic property and drop impact dynamics for dyeing wastewater treatment using membrane distillation

KAUST Repository

An, Alicia Kyoungjin

2016-10-21

Fouling in membrane distillation (MD) results in an increase in operation costs and deterioration in a water quality. In this work, a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) (PVDF-HFP) electrospun (E-PH) membrane was fabricated by hybridizing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymeric microspheres with superhydrophobicity onto the E-PH membrane via electrospinning. The resulting hybrid PDMS with E-PH (E-PDMS) membrane showed a significant enhancement in surface hydrophobicity (contact angle, CA = 155.4°) and roughness (Ra = 1,285mm). The zeta potential of E-PDMS membrane surface showed a higher negative value than that of a commercial PVDF (C-PVDF) membrane. These properties of E-PDMS membrane provided an antifouling in treating of differently-charged dyes and generated a flake-like dye–dye (loosely bound foulant) structure on the membrane surface rather than in the membrane pores. This also led to a high productivity of E-PDMS membrane (34 Lm-2h-1, 50% higher than that of C-PVDF membrane) without fouling or wetting. In addition, complete color removal and pure water production were achieved during a long-term operation. An application of intermittent water flushing (WF) in direct contact MD (DCMD) operation led to a 99% CA recovery of E-PDMS membrane indicating its sustainability. Therefore, the E-PDMS membrane is a promising candidate for MD application in dyeing wastewater treatment.

TiO2 beads and TiO2-chitosan beads for urease immobilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ispirli Doğaç, Yasemin; Deveci, İlyas; Teke, Mustafa; Mercimek, Bedrettin

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study is to synthesize TiO 2 beads for urease immobilization. Two different strategies were used to immobilize the urease on TiO 2 beads. In the first method (A), urease enzyme was immobilized onto TiO 2 beads by adsorption and then crosslinking. In the second method (B), TiO 2 beads were coated with chitosan-urease mixture. To determine optimum conditions of immobilization, different parameters were investigated. The parameters of optimization were initial enzyme concentration (0.5; 1; 1.5; 2 mg/ml), alginate concentration (1; 2; 3%), glutaraldehyde concentration (1; 2; 3% v/v) and chitosan concentration (2; 3; 4 mg/ml). The optimum enzyme concentrations were determined as 1.5 mg/ml for A and 1.0 mg/ml for B. The other optimum conditions were found 2.0% (w/v) for alginate concentration (both A and B); 3.0 mg/ml for chitosan concentration (B) and 2.0% (v/v) for glutaraldehyde concentration (A). The optimum temperature (20-60 °C), optimum pH (3.0-10.0), kinetic parameters, thermal stability (4–70 °C), pH stability (4.0-9.0), operational stability (0-230 min) and reusability (20 times) were investigated for characterization. The optimum temperatures were 30 °C (A), 40 °C (B) and 35 °C (soluble). The temperature profiles of the immobilized ureases were spread over a large area. The optimum pH values for the soluble urease and immobilized urease prepared by using methods (A) and (B) were found to be 7.5, 7.0, 7.0, respectively. The thermal stabilities of immobilized enzyme sets were studied and they maintained 50% activity at 65 °C. However, at this temperature free urease protected only 15% activity. - Highlights: • TiO 2 and TiO 2 -chitosan beads for urease immobilization have been prepared and characterized. • The beads used in this work are good matrices for the immobilization of urease. • The immobilized urease was shown to have good properties and stabilities (pH and thermal stability, operational stability). • The 50

Photocatalytic activity of TiO2/Nb2O5/PANI and TiO2/Nb2O5/RGO as new nanocomposites for degradation of organic pollutants.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarrin, Saviz; Heshmatpour, Felora

2018-06-05

In this study, highly active titanium dioxide modified by niobium oxide (Nb 2 O 5 ), polymer (PANI) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) were successfully prepared. The morphology, structure, surface area and light absorption properties of the present nanocomposites for removal of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) were investigated and compared with those of TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 and TiO 2 nanoparticles. The characterization techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, UV-vis, SEM, EDX, BET and TEM were employed in order to identify the nanocomposites. Also, photocatalytic properties of TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 /PANI and TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 /RGO nanocomposites under visible light irradiation were studied. In this way, the obtained results were compared to each other and also compared to TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 and TiO 2 nanoparticles. In this context, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal follows the photodegradation in observed performance. The results indicate that reduced TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 nanocomposite is effectively modified by graphene oxide to give TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 /RGO composite. The TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 /RGO exhibits significantly higher photocatalytic activity in degradation of organic dyes under visible light rather than that of TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 /PANI, TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 and pure TiO 2 . Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Magnetic properties of the magnetic hybrid membranes based on various polymer matrices and inorganic fillers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rybak, Aleksandra; Kaszuwara, Waldemar

2015-01-01

Magnetic hybrid membranes based on ethylcellulose (EC), poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) and various magnetic praseodymium and neodymium powder microparticles as fillers were obtained. Permeability, diffusion and sorption coefficients of O 2 , N 2 and synthetic air components were estimated for homogeneous and heterogeneous membranes using the Time Lag method based on constant pressure permeation technique. The microstructure studies and the phase analysis of magnetic membranes were also performed using SEM and XRD. The influence of magnetic parameters, like coercivity, remanence and saturation magnetization of created membranes on the gas transport properties was studied. The results showed that their coercivity depended on composition and microstructure of the magnetic powder. On the other hand, remanence and saturation magnetization increased with the increase of the powder addition in the membrane. It was found that the magnetic membrane's gas transport properties were improved with the increase of membrane's remanence, saturation magnetization and magnetic particle filling. The decrease in powder particle size and associated increase of the membrane's coercivity also positively influenced the gas transport and separation properties of investigated membranes. It was observed that the magnetic ethylcellulose and poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) membranes had higher gas permeability, while their permselectivity and solubility coefficient values were rather maintained or slightly increased. The results also showed that the magnetic powder content enhanced significantly gas diffusivity in EC and PPO membranes. It was also analyzed the dependence of the drift coefficient w on the magnetic parameters of investigated membranes. The correlation between the membrane selectivity, permeability and magnetic properties with their XRD characteristics was stated. - Highlights: • Membrane's production consisting of EC or PPO polymers and

Magnetic properties of the magnetic hybrid membranes based on various polymer matrices and inorganic fillers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rybak, Aleksandra, E-mail: Aleksandra.Rybak@polsl.pl [Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, Strzody 9, 44-100 Gliwice (Poland); Kaszuwara, Waldemar [Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Woloska 141, 02-507 Warszawa (Poland)

2015-11-05

Magnetic hybrid membranes based on ethylcellulose (EC), poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) and various magnetic praseodymium and neodymium powder microparticles as fillers were obtained. Permeability, diffusion and sorption coefficients of O{sub 2}, N{sub 2} and synthetic air components were estimated for homogeneous and heterogeneous membranes using the Time Lag method based on constant pressure permeation technique. The microstructure studies and the phase analysis of magnetic membranes were also performed using SEM and XRD. The influence of magnetic parameters, like coercivity, remanence and saturation magnetization of created membranes on the gas transport properties was studied. The results showed that their coercivity depended on composition and microstructure of the magnetic powder. On the other hand, remanence and saturation magnetization increased with the increase of the powder addition in the membrane. It was found that the magnetic membrane's gas transport properties were improved with the increase of membrane's remanence, saturation magnetization and magnetic particle filling. The decrease in powder particle size and associated increase of the membrane's coercivity also positively influenced the gas transport and separation properties of investigated membranes. It was observed that the magnetic ethylcellulose and poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) membranes had higher gas permeability, while their permselectivity and solubility coefficient values were rather maintained or slightly increased. The results also showed that the magnetic powder content enhanced significantly gas diffusivity in EC and PPO membranes. It was also analyzed the dependence of the drift coefficient w on the magnetic parameters of investigated membranes. The correlation between the membrane selectivity, permeability and magnetic properties with their XRD characteristics was stated. - Highlights: • Membrane's production consisting of EC or PPO

TiO2/bone composite materials for the separation of heavy metal impurities from waste water solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Dakroury, G.; Labib, Sh.; Abou El-Nour, F. H.

2012-09-01

Pure bone material obtained from cow meat, as apatite-rich material, and TiO2-bone composite materials are prepared and studied to be used for heavy metal ions separation from waste water solutions. Meat wastes are chemically and thermally treated to control their microstructure in order to prepare the composite materials that fulfill all the requirements to be used as selective membranes with high performance, stability and mechanical strength. The prepared materials are analyzed using Hg-porosimetry for surface characterization, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) for elemental analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for chemical composition investigation. Structural studies are performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Microstructural properties are studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and specific surface area studies are performed using Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) method. XRD studies show that multiphase structures are obtained as a result of 1h sintering at 700-1200 °C for both pure bone and TiO2-bone composite materials. The factors affecting the transport of different heavy metal ions through the selected membranes are determined from permeation flux measurements. It is found that membrane pore size, membrane surface roughness and membrane surface charge are the key parameters that control the transport or rejection of heavy metal ions through the selected membranes.

Characteristics of TiO_2/ZnO bilayer film towards pH sensitivity prepared by different spin coating deposition process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, Rohanieza Abdul; Zulkefle, Muhammad Al Hadi; Abdullah, Wan Fazlida Hanim; Rusop, M.; Herman, Sukreen Hana

2016-01-01

In this study, titanium dioxide (TiO_2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) bilayer film for pH sensing application will be presented. TiO_2/ZnO bilayer film with different speed of spin-coating process was deposited on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), prepared by sol-gel method. This fabricated bilayer film was used as sensing membrane for Extended Gate Field-Effect Transistor (EGFET) for pH sensing application. Experimental results indicated that the sensor is able to detect the sensitivity towards pH buffer solution. In order to obtained the result, sensitivity measurement was done by using the EGFET setup equipment with constant-current (100 µA) and constant-voltage (0.3 V) biasing interfacing circuit. TiO_2/ZnO bilayer film which the working electrode, act as the pH-sensitive membrane was connected to a commercial metal-oxide semiconductor FET (MOSFET). This MOSFET then was connected to the interfacing circuit. The sensitivity of the TiO2 thin film towards pH buffer solution was measured by dipping the sensing membrane in pH4, pH7 and pH10 buffer solution. These thin films were characterized by using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) to obtain the surface morphology of the composite bilayer films. In addition, I-V measurement was done in order to determine the electrical properties of the bilayer films. According to the result obtained in this experiment, bilayer film that spin at 4000 rpm, gave highest sensitivity which is 52.1 mV/pH. Relating the I-V characteristic of the thin films and sensitivity, the sensing membrane with higher conductivity gave better sensitivity.

The Effects of Anchor Groups on (1) TiO2-Catalyzed Photooxidation and (2) Linker-Assisted Assembly on TiO2

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Ian Mark

Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) are a popular target for research due to their potential for highly efficient, easily tuned absorption. Typically, light is absorbed by quantum dots attached to a semiconductor substrate, such as TiO2, via bifunctional linker molecules. This research aims to create a patterned monolayer of linker molecules on a TiO2 film, which would in turn allow the attachment of a patterned layer of quantum dots. One method for the creation of a patterned monolayer is the functionalization of a TiO2 film with a linker molecule, followed by illumination with a laser at 355 nm. This initiates a TiO 2-catalyzed oxidation reaction, causing loss of surface coverage. A second linker molecule can then be adsorbed onto the TiO2 surface in the illuminated area. Towards that end, the behaviors of carboxylic and phosphonic acids adsorbed on TiO2 have been studied. TiO2 films were functionalized by immersion in solutions a single adsorbate and surface coverage was determined by IR spectroscopy. It is shown that phosphonic acids attain higher surface coverage than carboxylic acids, and will displace them from TiO2 when in a polar solvent. Alkyl chain lengths, which can influence stabilities of monolayers, are shown not to have an effect on this relationship. Equilibrium binding data for the adsorption of n-hexadecanoic acid to TiO2 from a THF solution are presented. It is shown that solvent polarity can affect monolayer stability; carboxylates and phosphonates undergo more desorption into polar solvents than nonpolar. Through illumination, it was possible to remove nearly all adsorbed linkers from TiO2. However, the illuminated areas were found not to be receptive to attachment by a second adsorbate. A possible reason for this behavior is presented. I also report on the synthesis and characterization of a straight-chain, thiol-terminated phosphonic acid. Initial experiments involving monolayer formation and quantum dot attachment are presented

Hybrid capacitive deionization with anion-exchange membranes for lithium extraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siekierka Anna

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Lithium is considered to be a critical material for various industrial fields. We present our studies on extraction lithium from diluted aqueous solution by novel hybrid system based on a membrane capacitive deionization and batteries desalination. Hybrid CDI is comprised by a lithium selective adsorbent, activated carbon electrode and anion-exchange membranes. Here, we demonstrated implication of various type of anion-exchange membranes and influence their properties on effective capacity and energy requirements in charge/discharge steps. We described a configuration with anion-exchange membrane characterized by adsorption capacity of 35 mg/g of Li+ with 0.08Wh/g and removal efficiency of 60 % of lithium ions, using novel selective desalination technique.

Hybrid capacitive deionization with anion-exchange membranes for lithium extraction

Science.gov (United States)

Siekierka, Anna; Bryjak, Marek

2017-11-01

Lithium is considered to be a critical material for various industrial fields. We present our studies on extraction lithium from diluted aqueous solution by novel hybrid system based on a membrane capacitive deionization and batteries desalination. Hybrid CDI is comprised by a lithium selective adsorbent, activated carbon electrode and anion-exchange membranes. Here, we demonstrated implication of various type of anion-exchange membranes and influence their properties on effective capacity and energy requirements in charge/discharge steps. We described a configuration with anion-exchange membrane characterized by adsorption capacity of 35 mg/g of Li+ with 0.08Wh/g and removal efficiency of 60 % of lithium ions, using novel selective desalination technique.

Development of robust fluorinated TiO2/PVDF composite hollow fiber membrane for CO2 capture in gas-liquid membrane contactor

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yuqing; Xu, Yilin; Loh, Chun Heng; Wang, Rong

2018-04-01

Gas-liquid membrane contactor (GLMC) is a promising method to attain high efficiency for CO2 capture from flue gas, biogas and natural gas. However, membranes used in GLMC are prone to pore wetting due to insufficient hydrophobicity and low chemical resistance, resulting in significant increase in mass transfer resistance. To mitigate this issue, inorganic-organic fluorinated titania/polyvinylidene fluoride (fTiO2/PVDF) composite hollow fiber (HF) membranes was prepared via facile in-situ vapor induced hydrolyzation method, followed by hydrophobic modification. The proposed composite membranes were expected to couple the superb chemical stability of inorganic and high permeability/low cost of organic materials. The continuous fTiO2 layer deposited on top of PVDF substrate was found to possess a tighter microstructure and better hydrophobicity, which effectively prevented the membrane from wetting and lead to a high CO2 absorption flux (12.7 × 10-3 mol m-2 s-1). In a stability test with 21-day operation of GLMC using 1M monoethanolamine (MEA) as the absorbent, the fTiO2/PVDF membrane remained to be intact with a CO2 absorption flux decline of ∼16%, while the pristine PVDF membrane suffered from a flux decline of ∼80% due to membrane damage. Overall, this work provides an insight into the preparation of high-quality inorganic/organic composite HF membranes for CO2 capture in GLMC application.

Preparation of Novel Thin-Film Composite Nanofiltration Membranes for Separation of Amoxicillin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Akbari

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Several novel composite membranes were prepared to separate and recycle amoxicillin from pharmaceutical wastewater via nanofiltration process. The synthesis of these membranes included three stages: 1- preparation of polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes as a support via phase separation process, 2- modification of its surface by interfacial polymerization as a selective layer (polyamide, and 3- self-assembly of TiO2 nanoparticles on the selective layer as an anti-fouling agent. The rejection of all nanofiltration membranes was more than 99% and only its flux was changed proportional to different conditions. In the presence and absence of TiO2 nanoparticles, the pure water flux of polyamide thin-film membrane also obtained 44.4 and 38.4 L/h.m2 at 4 bar pressure, respectively. These were equal to 34 L/h.m2 for amoxicillin solutions. The results showed that TiO2 nanoparticles increased hydrophilicity of polyamide selective layer and therefore, nanoparticles decreased the fouling level. SEM images illustrated the excellent establishment of polyamide layer and distribution of TiO2 nanoparticles on the selective layer. The properties of membrane surface were taken into consideration by using AFM, indicating the increment of surface roughness with interfacial polymerization and TiO2 nanoparticles self-assembly. The pore size of membranes was in the nanoscale (2.653 and 2.604 nm without and with TiO2 nanoparticles self-assembly, respectively

Investigation of E. coli bacteria inactivation by photocatalytic activity of TiO2 coated expanded polystyrene foam

Science.gov (United States)

Varnagiris, S.; Sakalauskaite, S.; Tuckute, S.; Lelis, M.; Daugelavicius, R.; Milcius, D.

2017-03-01

Photocatalytic properties of anatase and other TiO2 polymorphs are widely researched and applied in practical application. In current study TiO2 films on the plasma pre-treated expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam were deposited using magnetron sputtering technique. Main properties of the films were characterised using combination of XRD, XPS and SEM techniques. Photocatalytic properties of the observed crystalline anatase phase were tested by investigating bleaching of the methylene blue (MB) aqueous solution and by testing Escherichia coli (E. coli) viability after incubation under UV-B irradiation. E. coli viability experiments indicated that there are two mechanisms of E. coli bacteria inactivation. UV irradiation alone causes rapid damage to the outer membrane of E. coli bacteria. The second mechanism of E. coli inactivation is invoked only with synergistic combination of TiO2 and UV. Acting as photocatalyst TiO2 generates active radicals who initiate the chain peroxidation of organic molecules and within 45 min reduce E. coli bacteria viability by nearly 90%.

Photo-thermal characteristics of hybrid nanofluids based on Therminol-55 oil for concentrating solar collectors

Science.gov (United States)

Gulzar, Ovais; Qayoum, Adnan; Gupta, Rajat

2018-03-01

Hybrid nanofluids are the new generation efficient heat transfer fluids allowing greater control over the properties of base fluid as compared to mono-nanofluids. In this study, attempt has been made for increasing the efficiency for photo-thermal conversion by heat transfer fluid for high temperature solar collectors. Therminol-55, a high temperature heat transfer fluid is doped with Al2O3 and TiO2 nanoparticles with an aim to improve the thermal and optical properties. Effects of concentration and type of nanoparticle on photo-thermal conversion properties and absorbance in Therminol-55 have been studied. Spectrophotometric analysis has been carried for all nanofluids, namely, Al2O3-Therminol-55, TiO2-Therminol-55 and hybrid (Al2O3-TiO2)-Therminol-55 nanofluids with varying concentrations of 0.05, 0.075, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 wt%. It was found that TiO2 nanofluids possess the maximum absorbance with minimal effect of nanoparticle concentration above 0.1 wt% followed by hybrid (Al2O3-TiO2) nanofluid (HNF) with strong dependence of concentration. Al2O3-Therminol-55 nanofluids exhibited least absorbance. The peak values of absorbance are 0.47, 2.15 and 2.144 in the visible region for Al2O3-Therminol-55, TiO2-Therminol-55 and hybrid (Al2O3-TiO2)-Therminol-55 nanofluids, respectively. It was observed that hybrid nanofluids show both bathochromic and hyperchromic shifts. Further, performance testing has been carried out using artificial source of light and it has been observed that hybrid nanofluids provide efficient photo-thermal conversion as compared to TiO2 and Al2O3-Therminol-55 nanofluids. Maximum temperatures of 152.9, 149.6, 158.6 °C were observed for 0.5 wt% Al2O3-Therminol-55, 0.1 wt% TiO2-Therminol-55, and 0.5 wt% hybrid (Al2O3-TiO2) nanofluid, respectively, against 125.8 °C of Therminol-55. Hybrid nanofluids based on Therminol-55 could be a potential candidate for high temperature concentrating collectors based on the superior properties over mono-nanofluids and

Effect of membrane properties on the performance of a hybrid GAC and ultrafiltration process for water treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Tiejun; Wu, Guangxue; Zhang, Xihui; Au, Doris W T; Zhang, Jinsong

2012-06-01

The performance of a hybrid granular activated carbon (GAC) and ultrafiltration (UF) process for water treatment was investigated using five types of UF membranes. The removal percentages for chemical oxygen demand (COD(Mn)), particles (> or = 2 microm) and total bacteria by the hybrid process were 30-40%, 98-99% and 76-92%, respectively. No invertebrates were detected in the hybrid process effluent. Transmembrane pressure and specific permeate flux (SPF) of the five types of membranes varied. With decreasing membrane pore sizes, removal of COD(Mn) and particles increased, whereas SPF firstly decreased and then increased. Hydrophilic membranes had a relatively high COD(Mn) removal potential, but did not obviously affect particle removal or SPF.

Chemically Stable Covalent Organic Framework (COF)-Polybenzimidazole Hybrid Membranes: Enhanced Gas Separation through Pore Modulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswal, Bishnu P; Chaudhari, Harshal D; Banerjee, Rahul; Kharul, Ulhas K

2016-03-24

Highly flexible, TpPa-1@PBI-BuI and TpBD@PBI-BuI hybrid membranes based on chemically stable covalent organic frameworks (COFs) could be obtained with the polymer. The loading obtained was substantially higher (50 %) than generally observed with MOFs. These hybrid membranes show an exciting enhancement in permeability (about sevenfold) with appreciable separation factors for CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4. Further, we found that with COF pore modulation, the gas permeability can be systematically enhanced. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of Ce-doped TiO2 and TiO2 nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arruda, L.B.; Pereira, E.A.; Paula, F.R.; Lisboa Filho, P.N.

2016-01-01

Full text: One-dimensional nanostructures have been intensively studied, from the point of view of their synthesis and mechanisms of formation, as well as their applications in photonics, solar energy conversion, environmental and photocatalysis, since their properties due high surface area, electrical conductivity and light dispersion effects. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles have been demonstrated to be an effective multifunctional material especially when the particle size is less than 50 nm exhibit photoinduced activities that originate from the semiconductor band gap. TiO2 is semiconductor more used in photocatalysis, for this reason various properties have been thoroughly investigated in order to show that the photocatalytic activity and TiO2 reaction mechanism are influenced by structure, defects and impurities, surface morphology. and interfaces in addition to the concentration of dopants, such as rare-earth elements. Cerium ions, for example, vary between Ce4+ and Ce3 + oxidation state making the cerium oxide appear as CeO2 and Ce2O3 under oxidation and reduction conditions. These different electronic structures of Ce3+ (4f15d0) and Ce4+ (4f05d0) provide different catalytic and optical properties at the TiO2. In this work, samples of Ce-doped TiO2 and TiO2 were synthesized by alkali route, and its photocatalytic activity analyzed in order to create a relationship between the response obtained and the structure and morphology of each sample. Alkali route consists in submitting TiO2 (anatase) powder directly in medium of the NaOH (10M) and maintained at 120°C/20 hours by a glycerin bath with subsequent washed with water and HCl (0.1M) until reaching the desired pH. The synthesized samples were then studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic decomposition of rhodamine B (Rh.B) it was performed under UV irradiation and visible light in air. For the obtained

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of Ce-doped TiO2 and TiO2 nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arruda, L.B.; Pereira, E.A.; Paula, F.R.; Lisboa Filho, P.N. [Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), SP (Brazil)

2016-07-01

Full text: One-dimensional nanostructures have been intensively studied, from the point of view of their synthesis and mechanisms of formation, as well as their applications in photonics, solar energy conversion, environmental and photocatalysis, since their properties due high surface area, electrical conductivity and light dispersion effects. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles have been demonstrated to be an effective multifunctional material especially when the particle size is less than 50 nm exhibit photoinduced activities that originate from the semiconductor band gap. TiO2 is semiconductor more used in photocatalysis, for this reason various properties have been thoroughly investigated in order to show that the photocatalytic activity and TiO2 reaction mechanism are influenced by structure, defects and impurities, surface morphology. and interfaces in addition to the concentration of dopants, such as rare-earth elements. Cerium ions, for example, vary between Ce4+ and Ce3 + oxidation state making the cerium oxide appear as CeO2 and Ce2O3 under oxidation and reduction conditions. These different electronic structures of Ce3+ (4f15d0) and Ce4+ (4f05d0) provide different catalytic and optical properties at the TiO2. In this work, samples of Ce-doped TiO2 and TiO2 were synthesized by alkali route, and its photocatalytic activity analyzed in order to create a relationship between the response obtained and the structure and morphology of each sample. Alkali route consists in submitting TiO2 (anatase) powder directly in medium of the NaOH (10M) and maintained at 120°C/20 hours by a glycerin bath with subsequent washed with water and HCl (0.1M) until reaching the desired pH. The synthesized samples were then studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic decomposition of rhodamine B (Rh.B) it was performed under UV irradiation and visible light in air. For the obtained

The Comparative Study on Vapor-Polymerization and Pressure-dependent Conductance Behavior in Polypyrrole-hybridized Membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanif, Zahid; Lee, Seyeong; Arsalani, Nasir; Geckeler, Kurt E.; Hong, Sukwon; Yoon, Myung-Han [Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

2016-02-15

In this study, commercially available cellulose membranes were hybridized with conjugated polymer via vapor-phase polymerization using pyrrole and iron chloride as a monomer and oxidant, respectively. The iron (III) chloride layer dip-coated on the hydrophilic cell ulose surface oxidized the vaporized pyrrole monomer leading to the polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane. The conductivity of hybrid membrane was optimized by varying the oxidant concentration and the monomer vapor exposure time. The various surface characterizations of polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane show that the conductive polypyrrole layer was uniformly deposited onto the surface of cellulose fibrous networks unlike the polypyrrole-nylonhybrid membrane prepared in the similar way. The polypyrrole-incorporated cellulose networks exhibits steeper electrical conductance increase over the vertical pressure than its nylon counterpart. Our result suggests that the polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane can be applicable for a disposable high-load pressure sensor.

The Comparative Study on Vapor-Polymerization and Pressure-dependent Conductance Behavior in Polypyrrole-hybridized Membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanif, Zahid; Lee, Seyeong; Arsalani, Nasir; Geckeler, Kurt E.; Hong, Sukwon; Yoon, Myung-Han

2016-01-01

In this study, commercially available cellulose membranes were hybridized with conjugated polymer via vapor-phase polymerization using pyrrole and iron chloride as a monomer and oxidant, respectively. The iron (III) chloride layer dip-coated on the hydrophilic cell ulose surface oxidized the vaporized pyrrole monomer leading to the polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane. The conductivity of hybrid membrane was optimized by varying the oxidant concentration and the monomer vapor exposure time. The various surface characterizations of polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane show that the conductive polypyrrole layer was uniformly deposited onto the surface of cellulose fibrous networks unlike the polypyrrole-nylonhybrid membrane prepared in the similar way. The polypyrrole-incorporated cellulose networks exhibits steeper electrical conductance increase over the vertical pressure than its nylon counterpart. Our result suggests that the polypyrrole-cellulose hybrid membrane can be applicable for a disposable high-load pressure sensor.

Well-defined copolymers synthesized by RAFT polymerization as effective modifiers to enhance the photocatalytic performance of TiO_2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasilaki, E.; Kaliva, M.; Katsarakis, N.; Vamvakaki, M.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Well-defined, random functional copolymers were synthesized by RAFT polymerization. • Novel TiO_2 particles in-situ modified with copolymers were synthesized. • The hybrid catalysts exhibited reduced aggregation and particle size. • The photocatalytic removal of methylene blue was higher for the hybrid catalysts. - Αbstract: The enhancement of the photocatalytic performance of anatase TiO_2 nanoparticles is demonstrated by a facile route, involving their in-situ surface modification with preformed polymer chains. Random copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate-co-methacrylic acid (PEGA-co-MAA) or poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate-co-dopamine methacrylamide (PEGA-co-DMA) were synthesized by reversible addition−fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization and were bound onto the surface of anatase titania nanoparticles via the “grafting to” method. The hybrid nanocatalysts were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta-potential measurements, X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Their photocatalytic performance was evaluated by the decoloration of methylene blue (MB) dye in aqueous media under UV–vis light irradiation. The enhanced photoactivity and reusability of the polymer modified photocatalysts compared to that of bare TiO_2 nanoparticles was attributed to their improved dispersability and colloidal stability, the smaller particle size that leads to a larger surface area and the increased adsorption capacity of the dye onto the polymer modified nanoparticles.

Surface modification of polyamide reverse osmosis membrane with organic-inorganic hybrid material for antifouling

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yang; Wan, Ying; Pan, Guoyuan; Yan, Hao; Yao, Xuerong; Shi, Hongwei; Tang, Yujing; Wei, Xiangrong; Liu, Yiqun

2018-03-01

A series of thin-film composite reverse osmosis membranes based on polyamide have been modified by coating the polyvinyl alcohol and 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane aqueous solution prepared by a sol-gel process on the membrane surface, followed by thermal crosslinking treatment. In order to improve the hydrophilicity of the modified TFC membranes, the membranes were then immersed into H2O2 aqueous solution to convert -SH into -SO3H. The resulting TFC membranes were characterized by SEM, AFM, ATR-FTIR, streaming potential, XPS as well as static contact angle. After surface modification with the organic-inorganic hybrid material, the TFC membranes show increased NaCl rejection and decreased water flux with increasing 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane content in coating solution. The optimal modification membrane (PA-SMPTES-0.8) exhibits a NaCl rejection of 99.29%, higher than that (97.20%) of the virgin PA membrane, and a comparable water flux to virgin PA membrane (41.7 L/m2 h vs 47.9 L/m2 h). More importantly, PA-SMPTES-0.8 membrane shows much more improved fouling resistance to BSA than virgin PA and PVA modified PA (PA-PVA-1.0) membranes. PA-SMPTES-0.8 membrane loses about 13% of the initial flux after BSA fouling for 12 h, which is lower than that of virgin PA and PA-PVA-1.0 membranes (42% and 18%). Furthermore, the flux recovery of PA-SMPTES-0.8 membrane reaches 94% after cleaning. Thus the TFC membranes modified by this organic-inorganic hybrid technology show potential applications as antifouling RO membrane for desalination and purification.

Superhydrophobic hybrid membranes by grafting arc-like macromolecular bridges on graphene sheets: Synthesis, characterization and properties

Science.gov (United States)

Mo, Zhao-Hua; Luo, Zheng; Huang, Qiang; Deng, Jian-Ping; Wu, Yi-Xian

2018-05-01

Grafting single end-tethered polymer chains on the surface of graphene is a conventional way to modify the surface properties of graphene oxide. However, grafting arc-like macromolecular bridges on graphene surfaces has been barely reported. Herein, a novel arc-like polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) macromolecular bridges grafted graphene sheets (GO-g-Arc PDMS) was successfully synthesized via a confined interface reaction at 90 °C. Both the hydrophilic α- and ω-amino groups of linear hydrophobic NH2-PDMS-NH2 macromolecular chains rapidly reacted with epoxy and carboxyl groups on the surfaces of graphene oxide in water suspension to form arc-like PDMS macromolecular bridges on graphene sheets. The grafting density of arc-like PDMS bridges on graphene sheets can reach up to 0.80 mmol g-1 or 1.32 arc-like bridges per nm2 by this confined interface reaction. The water contact angle (WCA) of the hybrid membrane could be increased with increasing both the grafting density and content of covalent arc-like bridges architecture. The superhydrophobic hybrid membrane with a WCA of 153.4° was prepared by grinding of the above arc-like PDMS bridges grafted graphene hybrid, dispersing in ethanol and filtrating by organic filter membrane. This superhydrophobic hybrid membrane shows good self-cleaning and complete oil-water separation properties, which provides potential applications in anticontamination coating and oil-water separation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the synthesis of functional hybrid membranes by grafting arc-like PDMS macromolecular bridges on graphene sheets via a confined interface reaction.

Antifouling enhancement of polysulfone/TiO2 nanocomposite separation membrane by plasma etching

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Z.; Yin, C.; Wang, S.; Ito, K.; Fu, Q. M.; Deng, Q. R.; Fu, P.; Lin, Z. D.; Zhang, Y.

2017-01-01

A polysulfone/TiO2 nanocomposite membrane was prepared via casting method, followed by the plasma etching of the membrane surface. Doppler broadened energy spectra vs. positron incident energy were employed to elucidate depth profiles of the nanostructure for the as-prepared and treated membranes. The results confirmed that the near-surface of the membrane was modified by the plasma treatment. The antifouling characteristics for the membranes, evaluated using the degradation of Rhodamin B, indicated that the plasma treatment enhances the photo catalytic ability of the membrane, suggesting that more TiO2 nanoparticles are exposed at the membrane surface after the plasma treatment as supported by the positron result.

Antifouling enhancement of polysulfone/TiO2 nanocomposite separation membrane by plasma etching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Z; Yin, C; Wang, S; Fu, Q M; Deng, Q R; Fu, P; Lin, Z D; Zhang, Y; Ito, K

2017-01-01

A polysulfone/TiO 2 nanocomposite membrane was prepared via casting method, followed by the plasma etching of the membrane surface. Doppler broadened energy spectra vs. positron incident energy were employed to elucidate depth profiles of the nanostructure for the as-prepared and treated membranes. The results confirmed that the near-surface of the membrane was modified by the plasma treatment. The antifouling characteristics for the membranes, evaluated using the degradation of Rhodamin B, indicated that the plasma treatment enhances the photo catalytic ability of the membrane, suggesting that more TiO 2 nanoparticles are exposed at the membrane surface after the plasma treatment as supported by the positron result. (paper)

Surface modification of polyamide thin film composite membrane by coating of titanium dioxide nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thu Hong Anh Ngo

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the coating of TiO2 nanoparticles onto the surface of a polyamide thin film composite nanofiltration membrane has been studied. Changes in the properties and separation performance of the modified membranes were systematically characterized. The experimental results indicated that the membrane surface hydrophilicity was significantly improved by the presence of the coated TiO2 nanoparticles with subsequent UV irradiation. The separation performance of the UV-irradiated TiO2-coated membranes was improved with a great enhancement of flux and a very high retention for removal of residual dye in an aqueous feed solution. The antifouling property of the UV-irradiated TiO2-coated membranes was enhanced with higher maintained flux ratios and lower irreversible fouling factors compared with an uncoated membrane.

Nanoporous Aluminum Oxide Membranes Coated with Atomic Layer Deposition-Grown Titanium Dioxide for Biomedical Applications: An In Vitro Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrochenko, Peter E; Kumar, Girish; Fu, Wujun; Zhang, Qin; Zheng, Jiwen; Liang, Chengdu; Goering, Peter L; Narayan, Roger J

2015-12-01

The surface topographies of nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) membranes have been shown to modulate cell response in orthopedic and skin wound repair applications. In this study, we: (1) demonstrate an improved atomic layer deposition (ALD) method for coating the porous structures of 20, 100, and 200 nm pore diameter AAO with nanometer-thick layers of TiO2 and (2) evaluate the effects of uncoated AAO and TiO2-coated AAO on cellular responses. The TiO2 coatings were deposited on the AAO membranes without compromising the openings of the nanoscale pores. The 20 nm TiO2-coated membranes showed the highest amount of initial protein adsorption via the micro bicinchoninic acid (micro-BCA) assay; all of the TiO2-coated membranes showed slightly higher protein adsorption than the uncoated control materials. Cell viability, proliferation, and inflammatory responses on the TiO2-coated AAO membranes showed no adverse outcomes. For all of the tested surfaces, normal increases in proliferation (DNA content) of L929 fibroblasts were observed over from 4 hours to 72 hours. No increases in TNF-alpha production were seen in RAW 264.7 macrophages grown on TiO2-coated AAO membranes compared to uncoated AAO membranes and tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) surfaces. Both uncoated AAO membranes and TiO2-coated AAO membranes showed no significant effects on cell growth and inflammatory responses. The results suggest that TiO2-coated AAO may serve as a reasonable prototype material for the development of nanostructured wound repair devices and orthopedic implants.

Hybrid Membrane System for Industrial Water Reuse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2016-08-01

This factsheet describes a project that developed and demonstrated a new hybrid system for industrial wastewater treatment that synergistically combines a forward osmosis system with a membrane distillation technology and is powered by waste heat.

A New Microextraction Technique for the Assay of Alkaloids in Chinese Compound Formula-Based Polyether Sulfone Membrane Fiber Decorated by TiO2 Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xinjie; Wei, Yingqin; Hou, Baojuan; Zhou, Guowei

2017-03-01

A new nanocomposite membrane was used to clean up impurities from complex samples and the obvious synergy was obtained in this paper. The nanocomposite membrane was prepared by dispersing TiO2 nanoparticles in chloroform and filled in the pores and lumen of polyether sulfone membrane fiber. The novel microextraction method showed the ideal selective extraction effect for alkaloids in the formulae composed of Rhizoma coptidis and the excellent clean-up efficiency compared with the single membrane method. The optimum extraction conditions were as follows: chloroform as accepted phase; the number of nanocomposite membrane fiber bars, 7; extraction time, 30 min; pH of the sample solution, 10.55; desorption solvent, methanol. The limit of detection for the described alkaloids was estimated at 0.122 μg mL-1. The recovery of the four alkaloids in complex samples ranged from 93.24% to 97.94% with relative standard deviation of <4.99 (n = 5). The validated method had been successfully applied to study the transfer rate of alkaloids in the producing process of Qihuang capsule and the ideal transfer rate of alkaloids was obtained in this paper. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Internalization of Consumed TiO2 Nanoparticles by a Model Invertebrate Organism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Novak

2012-01-01

Full Text Available There is little in vivo data concerning the fate of ingested TiO2 nanoparticles (nano-TiO2. We report here experiments aimed at assessing if ingested nano-TiO2 accumulates in the digestive gland epithelium or are internalized elsewhere in the body of the terrestrial isopod crustaceans. The animals (Porcellio scaber, Isopoda, Crustacea fed for 3, 7, or 14 days on food dosed with 100 or 1000 μg nano-TiO2 showed no evidence of internalization of Ti measured by microparticle-induced X-ray emission method. The effect of ingested nanoparticles was measured by conventional toxicity measures such as feeding rate, weight change, and mortality and did not indicate any toxicity. However, cell membrane of digestive glands, measured with a modified method for assessing cell membrane stability, was affected already after 3 days of exposure to 1000 μg nano-TiO2 per gram dry weight of food indicating cytotoxic potential of ingested nanoparticles. Our results confirmed hypothesis on low toxic potential and no internalization of consumed TiO2 nanoparticles by a model invertebrate organism. However, cytological marker unequivocally indicated adverse effect of ingested nano-TiO2. We conclude that the isopod model system could be used for studying the fate and effect of ingested nanoparticles.

Photo-Catalytic Properties of TiO2 Supported on MWCNTs, SBA-15 and Silica-Coated MWCNTs Nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramoraswi, Nteseng O; Ndungu, Patrick G

2015-12-01

Mesoporous silica, specifically SBA-15, acid-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes and a hybrid nanocomposite of SBA-15 coated onto the sidewalls acid-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared and used as supports for anatase TiO2. Sol-gel methods were adapted for the synthesis of selected supports and for coating the materials with selected wt% loading of titania. Physical and chemical properties of the supports and catalyst composite materials were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The photo-activity of the catalyst composites were evaluated on the decolorisation of methylene blue as a model pollutant. Coating CNTs with SBA-15 improved the thermal stability and textural properties of the nanotubes. All supported titania composites had high surface areas (207-301 m(2)/g), altered band gap energies and reduced TiO2 crystallite sizes. The TiO2/SBA-CNT composite showed enhanced photo-catalytic properties and activity than the TiO2/SBA-15 and TiO2/CNT composites. In addition, an interesting observation was noted with the TiO2/SBA-15 nanocomposites, which had a significantly greater photo-catalytic activity than the TiO2/CNT nanocomposites in spite of the high electron-hole recombination phenomena observed with the photoluminescence results. Discussions in terms of morphological, textural and physical-chemical aspects to account for the result are presented.

Composite materials with ionic conductivity: from inorganic composites to hybrid membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yaroslavtsev, Andrei B [N.S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2009-11-30

Information on composite materials with ionic conductivity including inorganic composites and hybrid polymeric ion exchange membranes containing inorganic or polymeric nanoparticles is generalized. The nature of the effect of increase in the ionic conductivity in this type of materials and the key approaches used for theoretical estimation of the conductivity are considered. Data on the ionic conductivity and some other important properties of composites and membrane materials are presented. Prospects for utilization of composite materials and hybrid membranes in hydrogen power engineering are briefly outlined.

Novel Water Treatment Processes Based on Hybrid Membrane-Ozonation Systems: A Novel Ceramic Membrane Contactor for Bubbleless Ozonation of Emerging Micropollutants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stylianos K. Stylianou

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is the presentation of novel water treatment systems based on ozonation combined with ceramic membranes for the treatment of refractory organic compounds found in natural water sources such as groundwater. This includes, firstly, a short review of possible membrane based hybrid processes for water treatment from various sources. Several practical and theoretical aspects for the application of hybrid membrane-ozonation systems are discussed, along with theoretical background regarding the transformation of target organic pollutants by ozone. Next, a novel ceramic membrane contactor, bringing into contact the gas phase (ozone and water phase without the creation of bubbles (bubbleless ozonation, is presented. Experimental data showing the membrane contactor efficiency for oxidation of atrazine, endosulfan, and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE are shown and discussed. Almost complete endosulfan degradation was achieved with the use of the ceramic contactor, whereas atrazine degradation higher than 50% could not be achieved even after 60 min of reaction time. Single ozonation of water containing MTBE could not result in a significant MTBE degradation. MTBE mineralization by O3/H2O2 combination increased at higher pH values and O3/H2O2 molar ratio of 0.2 reaching a maximum of around 65%.

Fate of pristine TiO2 nanoparticles and aged paint-containing TiO2 nanoparticles in lettuce crop after foliar exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Larue, Camille; Castillo-Michel, Hiram; Sobanska, Sophie; Trcera, Nicolas; Sorieul, Stéphanie; Cécillon, Lauric; Ouerdane, Laurent; Legros, Samuel; Sarret, Géraldine

2014-05-30

Engineered TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) are present in a large variety of consumer products, and are produced in largest amount. The building industry is a major sector using TiO2-NPs, especially in paints. The fate of NPs after their release in the environment is still largely unknown, and their possible transfer in plants and subsequent impacts have not been studied in detail. The foliar transfer pathway is even less understood than the root pathway. In this study, lettuces were exposed to pristine TiO2-NPs and aged paint leachate containing TiO2-NPs and microparticles (TiO2-MPs). Internalization and in situ speciation of Ti were investigated by a combination of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Not only TiO2-NPs pristine and from aged paints, but also TiO2-MPs were internalized in lettuce leaves, and observed in all types of tissues. No change in speciation was noticed, but an organic coating of TiO2-NPs is likely. Phytotoxicity markers were tested for plants exposed to pristine TiO2-NPs. No acute phytotoxicity was observed; variations were only observed in glutathione and phytochelatin levels but remained low as compared to typical values. These results obtained on the foliar uptake mechanisms of nano- and microparticles are important in the perspective of risk assessment of atmospheric contaminations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Favorable recycling photocatalyst TiO2/CFA: Effects of loading percent of TiO2 on the structural property and photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Jianwen; Chen Shaohua; Ye Zhilong; Wang Shumei; Wu Peng

2010-01-01

A series of photocatalysts TiO 2 /CFA were prepared using coal fly ash (CFA), waste discharged from coal-fired power plant, as substrate, and then these photocatalysts were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction analysis, nitrogen adsorption test and ultraviolet-visible absorption analysis. The effects of loading percent of TiO 2 on the photocatalytic activity and re-use property of TiO 2 /CFA were evaluated by the photocatalytic decoloration and mineralization of methyl orange solution. The results show that the pore volume and the specific surface area of the TiO 2 /CFA both increased with the increase in the loading percent of TiO 2 , which improved the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 /CFA. However, when the loading percent of TiO 2 was too high (up to 54.51%), superfluous TiO 2 was easy to break away from CFA in the course of water treatment, which was disadvantaged to the recycling property of TiO 2 /CFA. In this study, the optimal loading percent of TiO 2 was 49.97%, and the efficiencies of photocatalytic decoloration and mineralization could be maintained above 99% and 90%, respectively, when the photocatalyst was used repeatedly, without any decline, even at the sixth cycle.

Synthesis of titanate, TiO2 (B), and anatase TiO2 nanofibers from natural rutile sand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavasupree, Sorapong; Suzuki, Yoshikazu; Yoshikawa, Susumu; Kawahata, Ryoji

2005-01-01

Titanate nanofibers were synthesized by hydrothermal method (150 deg. C for 72 h) using natural rutile sand as the starting materials. TiO 2 (B) and anatase TiO 2 (high crystallinity) nanofibers with the diameters of 20-100 nm and the lengths of 10-100 μm were obtained by calcined titanate nanofibers for 4 h at 400 and 700 deg. C (in air), respectively. The samples characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, SAED, HRTEM, and BET surface area. This synthesis method provides a simple route to fabricate one-dimensional nanostructured TiO 2 from low cost material. -- Graphical abstract: Titanate nanofibers (b) were synthesized by hydrothermal method (150 deg. C for 72 h) using natural rutile sand (a) as the starting materials. TiO 2 (B) (c) and anatase TiO 2 (d) nanofibers with the diameters of 20-50 nm and the lengths of 10-100 μm were obtained by calcined titanate nanofibers for 4 h at 400 deg. C and 700 deg. C (in air), respectively

Toxicity of TiO2, in nanoparticle or bulk form to freshwater and marine microalgae under visible light and UV-A radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sendra, M; Moreno-Garrido, I; Yeste, M P; Gatica, J M; Blasco, J

2017-08-01

Use of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) has become a part of our daily life and the high environmental concentrations predicted to accumulate in aquatic ecosystems are cause for concern. Although TiO 2 has only limited reactivity, at the nanoscale level its physico-chemical properties and toxicity are different compared with bulk material. Phytoplankton is a key trophic level in fresh and marine ecosystems, and the toxicity provoked by these nanoparticles can affect the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Two microalgae species, one freshwater (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) and the other marine (Phaeodactylum tricornutum), have been selected for testing the toxicity of TiO 2 in NP and conventional bulk form and, given its photo-catalytic properties, the effect of UV-A was also checked. Growth inhibition, quantum yield reduction, increase of intracellular ROS production, membrane cell damage and production of exo-polymeric substances (EPS) were selected as variables to measure. TiO 2 NPs and bulk TiO 2 show a relationship between the size of agglomerates and time in freshwater and saltwater, but not in ultrapure water. Under two treatments, UV-A (6 h per day) and no UV-A exposure, NPs triggered stronger cytotoxic responses than bulk material. TiO 2 NPs were also associated with greater production of reactive oxygen species and damage to membrane. However, microalgae exposed to TiO 2 NPs and bulk TiO 2 under UV-A were found to be more sensitive than in the visible light condition. The marine species (P. tricornutum) was more sensitive than the freshwater species, and higher Ti internalization was measured. Exopolymeric substances (EPS) were released from microalgae in the culture media, in the presence of TiO 2 in both forms. This may be a possible defense mechanism by these cells, which would enhance processes of homoagglomeration and settling, and thus reduce bioavailability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Semiconducting polymer-incorporated nanocrystalline TiO2 particles for photovoltaic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Fuguo; Wu Jihuai; Li Qingbei; Wang Yue; Yue Gentian; Xiao Yaoming; Li Qinghua; Lan Zhang; Fan Leqing; Lin Jianming; Huang Miaoliang

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A P3HT-PCBM/TiO 2 trinary hybrid solar cell has been fabricated. → P3HT-PCBM heterojunction replaces the dye and electrolyte in dye-sensitized cell, → Which simplifies preparation procedure and decreases the device cost. → The hybrid cell achieves a light-to-electric conversion efficiency of 2.61%. - Abstract: In this work, we study hybrid solar cells based on blends of the semiconducting polymer poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5-diyl)(P3OT) and [6,6]-phenyl C 61 butyric acid methyl (PCBM) coated titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanocrystal film. The Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), UV-vis absorption spectra and PL quenching researches show that the films had a stronger absorption in visible light range. The influence of the PCBM:P3OT ratio were researched and the optimized ratio of PCBM to P3OT (1:1.5) exhibit a short circuit current of 4.42 mA cm -2 , an open circuit voltage of 0.81 V, a fill factor of 0.73 and a light-to-electric conversion efficiency of 2.61% under a simulated solar light irradiation of 100 mW cm -2 .

Properties of phases in HfO2-TiO2 system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Red'ko, V.P.; Terekhovskij, P.B.; Majster, I.M.; Shevchenko, A.V.; Lopato, L.M.; Dvernyakova, A.A.

1990-01-01

A study was made on axial and linear coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) of HfO 2 -TiO 2 system samples in concentration range of 25-50 mol% TiO 2 . Samples, containing 35 and 37 mol% TiO 2 , are characterized by the lowest values of linear CTE. Dispersion of the basic substances doesn't affect CTE value. Correlation with axial and linear CTE of samples in ZrO 2 -TiO 2 system was conducted. Presence of anisotropy of change of lattice parameters was supported for samples, containing 37.5 and 40 mol% TiO 2 . Polymorphous transformations for hafnium titanate were not revealed

Complex impedance study on nano-CeO2 coating TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Mei; Wang Honglian; Wang Xidong; Li Wenchao

2006-01-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles and cerium dioxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles coated titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles (CeO 2 -TiO 2 nanoparticles) have been successfully synthesized by sol-gel method. The complex impedance of the materials was investigated. The grain resistance, boundary resistance and activation energy of the nanoparticles were calculated according to Arrhenius equation. According to calculating results, the active capacity of pure TiO 2 nanoparticles has been improved because of nano-CeO 2 coating. An optimal CeO 2 content of 4.9 mol% was achieved. The high resolution electron microscopy images of CeO 2 -TiO 2 nanoparticles showed that TiO 2 nanoparticles, as a core, were covered by CeO 2 nanoparticles. The average size of CeO 2 coating TiO 2 nanoparticles was about 70 nm. Scanning electron microscopy observation indicted that CeO 2 nanoparticle coating improved the separation, insulation, and stability the CeO 2 -TiO 2 nanoparticles, which was benefit to the activity of materials

Pure rotational spectra of TiO and TiO2 in VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Kamiński, T.; Gottlieb, C. A.; Menten, K. M.; Patel, N. A.; Young, K. H.; Brünken, S.; Müller, H. S. P.; McCarthy, M. C.; Winters, J. M.; Decin, L.

2013-03-01

We report the first detection of pure rotational transitions of TiO and TiO2 at (sub-)millimeter wavelengths towards the red supergiant VY CMa. A rotational temperature, Trot, of about 250 K was derived for TiO2. Although Trot was not well constrained for TiO, it is likely somewhat higher than that of TiO2. The detection of the Ti oxides confirms that they are formed in the circumstellar envelopes of cool oxygen-rich stars and may be the "seeds" of inorganic-dust formation, but alternative explanations for our observation of TiO and TiO2 in the cooler regions of the envelope cannot be ruled out at this time. The observations suggest that a significant fraction of the oxides is not converted to dust, but instead remains in the gas phase throughout the outflow. Based on observations carried out with the Submillimeter Array and IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer.Plateau de Bure data (FITS file) is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/551/A113