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V N, Gopal R, C A, T P A, K K A, Praveen VK, Kizhakayil RN. p-Phenylenediamine-derived carbon nanodots for probing solvent interactions. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2024; 6:1535-1547. [PMID: 38419862 PMCID: PMC10898438 DOI: 10.1039/d3na00799e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Carbon nanodots, the luminescent nanoparticles of carbon with size restriction below 10 nm, have attracted inordinate attention in materials science due to their widespread applications in optoelectronic and biological fields. Low toxicity and facile synthesis pathways render them favourites in the above-mentioned areas in the context of green chemistry. This work presents fine applications of p-phenylenediamine-derived carbon nanodots (PD-CNDs) achieved via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method. Adequate characterization using X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic and microscopic studies confirmed spherical particles with an average particle size of 2.8 nm, functionalised with amino, carboxyl, and hydroxyl groups. The carbon framework was functionalised with pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogens. Upon 365 nm UV light illumination, an aqueous dispersion of PD-CNDs showed red-orange fluorescence. Detailed spectral analysis using UV-visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy identified edge states and surface groups as luminescent centres, with a significant contribution arising from the latter. The investigation conducted using a collection of solvents, categorized into polar and nonpolar, indicated the potential of the system for applications based on its solvatochromic nature. The feature enabled the determination of different polarity parameters of the solvents, as well as dielectric constants of solvents and solvent mixtures, with considerable accuracy. The system was potent for predicting the composition of a given pair of solvents. The service of the system is also extended for moisture sensing in organic solvents within an error percentage < 1. High quantum yield values (0.61) combined with solvent composition-dependent optical features ensure broader applications of the system to probe solvent interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhisha V
- Advanced Materials Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut Kerala 673635 India
| | - Ritu Gopal
- Advanced Materials Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut Kerala 673635 India
| | - Anjali C
- Advanced Materials Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut Kerala 673635 India
| | - Amrutha T P
- Advanced Materials Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut Kerala 673635 India
| | - Arunima K K
- Advanced Materials Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut Kerala 673635 India
| | - Vakayil K Praveen
- Photosciences and Photonics Section, Chemical Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) Thiruvananthapuram Kerala 695019 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) Ghaziabad 201002 India
| | - Renuka Neeroli Kizhakayil
- Advanced Materials Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut Kerala 673635 India
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Bora P, Bhuyan C, Borah AR, Hazarika S. Carbon nanomaterials for designing next-generation membranes and their emerging applications. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:11320-11336. [PMID: 37671435 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc03490a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Carbon nanomaterials have enormous applications in various fields, such as adsorption, membrane separation, catalysis, electronics, capacitors, batteries, and medical sciences. Owing to their exceptional properties, such as large specific surface area, carrier mobility, flexibility, electrical conductivity, and optical pellucidity, the family of carbon nanomaterials is considered as one of the most studied group of materials to date. They are abundantly used in membrane science for multiple applications, such as the separation of organics, enantiomeric separation, gas separation, biomolecule separation, heavy metal separation, and wastewater treatment. This study provides an overview of the significant studies on carbon nanomaterial-based membranes and their emerging applications in our membrane research journey. The types of carbon nanomaterials, their utilization in membrane-based separations, and the mechanism involved are summarized in this study. Techniques for the fabrication of different nanocomposite membranes are also highlighted. Lastly, we have provided an overview of the existing issues and future scopes of carbon nanomaterial-based membranes for technological perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prarthana Bora
- Chemical Engineering Group and Centre for Petroleum Research CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat - 785006, Assam, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Chinmoy Bhuyan
- Chemical Engineering Group and Centre for Petroleum Research CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat - 785006, Assam, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Akhil Ranjan Borah
- Chemical Engineering Group and Centre for Petroleum Research CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat - 785006, Assam, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Swapnali Hazarika
- Chemical Engineering Group and Centre for Petroleum Research CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat - 785006, Assam, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
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Wong KC, Goh PS, Ismail AF, Kang HS, Guo Q, Jiang X, Ma J. The State-of-the-Art Functionalized Nanomaterials for Carbon Dioxide Separation Membrane. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:186. [PMID: 35207107 PMCID: PMC8879035 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12020186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Nanocomposite membrane (NCM) is deemed as a practical and green separation solution which has found application in various fields, due to its potential to delivery excellent separation performance economically. NCM is enabled by nanofiller, which comes in a wide range of geometries and chemical features. Despite numerous advantages offered by nanofiller incorporation, fabrication of NCM often met processing issues arising from incompatibility between inorganic nanofiller and polymeric membrane. Contemporary, functionalization of nanofiller which modify the surface properties of inorganic material using chemical agents is a viable approach and vigorously pursued to refine NCM processing and improve the odds of obtaining a defect-free high-performance membrane. This review highlights the recent progress on nanofiller functionalization employed in the fabrication of gas-separative NCMs. Apart from the different approaches used to obtain functionalized nanofiller (FN) with good dispersion in solvent and polymer matrix, this review discusses the implication of functionalization in altering the structure and chemical properties of nanofiller which favor interaction with specific gas species. These changes eventually led to the enhancement in the gas separation efficiency of NCMs. The most frequently used chemical agents are identified for each type of gas. Finally, the future perspective of gas-separative NCMs are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kar Chun Wong
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru 81310, Malaysia;
| | - Pei Sean Goh
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru 81310, Malaysia;
| | - Ahmad Fauzi Ismail
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru 81310, Malaysia;
| | - Hooi Siang Kang
- Marine Technology Centre, Institute for Vehicle System & Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru 81310, Malaysia;
| | - Qingjie Guo
- State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China; (Q.G.); (X.J.); (J.M.)
| | - Xiaoxia Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China; (Q.G.); (X.J.); (J.M.)
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Jingjing Ma
- State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China; (Q.G.); (X.J.); (J.M.)
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Vakkada Ramachandran A, Zorzano MP, Martín-Torres J. Experimental Investigation of the Atmosphere-Regolith Water Cycle on Present-Day Mars. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:7421. [PMID: 34770727 PMCID: PMC8588207 DOI: 10.3390/s21217421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The water content of the upper layers of the surface of Mars is not yet quantified. Laboratory simulations are the only feasible way to investigate this in a controlled way on Earth, and then compare it with remote and in situ observations of spacecrafts on Mars. Describing the processes that may induce changes in the water content of the surface is critical to determine the present-day habitability of the Martian surface, to understand the atmospheric water cycle, and to estimate the efficiency of future water extraction procedures from the regolith for In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). This paper illustrates the application of the SpaceQ facility to simulate the near-surface water cycle under Martian conditions. Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) observations at Gale crater show a non-equilibrium situation in the atmospheric H2O volume mixing ratio (VMR) at night-time, and there is a decrease in the atmospheric water content by up to 15 g/m2 within a few hours. This reduction suggests that the ground may act at night as a cold sink scavenging atmospheric water. Here, we use an experimental approach to investigate the thermodynamic and kinetics of water exchange between the atmosphere, a non-porous surface (LN2-chilled metal), various salts, Martian regolith simulant, and mixtures of salts and simulant within an environment which is close to saturation. We have conducted three experiments: the stability of pure liquid water around the vicinity of the triple point is studied in experiment 1, as well as observing the interchange of water between the atmosphere and the salts when the surface is saturated; in experiment 2, the salts were mixed with Mojave Martian Simulant (MMS) to observe changes in the texture of the regolith caused by the interaction with hydrates and liquid brines, and to quantify the potential of the Martian regolith to absorb and retain water; and experiment 3 investigates the evaporation of pure liquid water away from the triple point temperature when both the air and ground are at the same temperature and the relative humidity is near saturation. We show experimentally that frost can form spontaneously on a surface when saturation is reached and that, when the temperature is above 273.15 K (0 °C), this frost can transform into liquid water, which can persist for up to 3.5 to 4.5 h at Martian surface conditions. For comparison, we study the behavior of certain deliquescent salts that exist on the Martian surface, which can increase their mass between 32% and 85% by absorption of atmospheric water within a few hours. A mixture of these salts in a 10% concentration with simulant produces an aggregated granular structure with a water gain of approximately 18- to 50-wt%. Up to 53% of the atmospheric water was captured by the simulated ground, as pure liquid water, hydrate, or brine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhilash Vakkada Ramachandran
- Group of Atmospheric Science, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - María-Paz Zorzano
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain;
- School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK;
| | - Javier Martín-Torres
- School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK;
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), 18100 Granada, Spain
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Goh PS, Wong KC, Ismail AF. Nanocomposite Membranes for Liquid and Gas Separations from the Perspective of Nanostructure Dimensions. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:E297. [PMID: 33096685 PMCID: PMC7589584 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10100297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
One of the critical aspects in the design of nanocomposite membrane is the selection of a well-matched pair of nanomaterials and a polymer matrix that suits their intended application. By making use of the fascinating flexibility of nanoscale materials, the functionalities of the resultant nanocomposite membranes can be tailored. The unique features demonstrated by nanomaterials are closely related to their dimensions, hence a greater attention is deserved for this critical aspect. Recognizing the impressive research efforts devoted to fine-tuning the nanocomposite membranes for a broad range of applications including gas and liquid separation, this review intends to discuss the selection criteria of nanostructured materials from the perspective of their dimensions for the production of high-performing nanocomposite membranes. Based on their dimension classifications, an overview of the characteristics of nanomaterials used for the development of nanocomposite membranes is presented. The advantages and roles of these nanomaterials in advancing the performance of the resultant nanocomposite membranes for gas and liquid separation are reviewed. By highlighting the importance of dimensions of nanomaterials that account for their intriguing structural and physical properties, the potential of these nanomaterials in the development of nanocomposite membranes can be fully harnessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Sean Goh
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru 81310, Malaysia; (K.C.W.); (A.F.I.)
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Vakkada Ramachandran A, Nazarious MI, Mathanlal T, Zorzano MP, Martín-Torres J. Space Environmental Chamber for Planetary Studies. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 20:E3996. [PMID: 32708384 PMCID: PMC7412122 DOI: 10.3390/s20143996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We describe a versatile simulation chamber that operates under representative space conditions (pressures from < 10-5 mbar to ambient and temperatures from 163 to 423 K), the SpaceQ chamber. This chamber allows to test instrumentation, procedures, and materials and evaluate their performance when exposed to outgassing, thermal vacuum, low temperatures, baking, dry heat microbial reduction (DHMR) sterilization protocols, and water. The SpaceQ is a cubical stainless-steel chamber of 27,000 cm3 with a door of aluminum. The chamber has a table which can be cooled using liquid nitrogen. The chamber walls can be heated (for outgassing, thermal vacuum, or dry heat applications) using an outer jacket. The chamber walls include two viewports and 12 utility ports (KF, CF, and Swagelok connectors). It has sensors for temperature, relative humidity, and pressure, a UV-VIS-NIR spectrometer, a UV irradiation lamp that operates within the chamber as well as a stainless-steel syringe for water vapor injection, and USB, DB-25 ports to read the data from the instruments while being tested inside. This facility has been specifically designed for investigating the effect of water on the Martian surface. The core novelties of this chamber are: (1) its ability to simulate the Martian near-surface water cycle by injecting water multiple times into the chamber through a syringe which allows to control and monitor precisely the initial relative humidity inside with a sensor that can operate from vacuum to Martian pressures and (2) the availability of a high-intensity UV lamp, operating from vacuum to Martian pressures, within the chamber, which can be used to test material curation, the role of the production of atmospheric radicals, and the degradation of certain products like polymers and organics. For illustration, here we present some applications of the SpaceQ chamber at simulated Martian conditions with and without atmospheric water to (i) calibrate the ground temperature sensor of the Engineering Qualification Model of HABIT (HabitAbility: Brines, Irradiation and Temperature) instrument, which is a part of ExoMars 2022 mission. These tests demonstrate that the overall accuracy of the temperature retrieval at a temperature between -50 and 10 °C is within 1.3 °C and (ii) investigate the curation of composite materials of Martian soil simulant and binders, with added water, under Martian surface conditions under dry and humid conditions. Our studies have demonstrated that the regolith, when mixed with super absorbent polymer (SAP), water, and binders exposed to Martian conditions, can form a solid block and retain more than 80% of the added water, which may be of interest to screen radiation while maintaining a low weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhilash Vakkada Ramachandran
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Miracle Israel Nazarious
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Thasshwin Mathanlal
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - María-Paz Zorzano
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
- School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, UK
| | - Javier Martín-Torres
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
- School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, UK
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), 18100 Granada, Spain
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