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Bai S, Han J, Ao N, Ya R, Ding W. Scaling and cleaning of silica scales on reverse osmosis membrane: Effective removal and degradation mechanisms utilizing gallic acid. Chemosphere 2024; 352:141427. [PMID: 38368964 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Silica scaling on membranes represents one of the most important issues in industrial water systems because of its complex composition and difficulty in removal. However, there is a lack of understanding of the mechanisms for cleaning silica scales from reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. To address this research gap, this study investigated the scaling and cleaning behavior of silica on RO membrane processes, with a specific focus on the silica scale cleaning mechanism using gallic acid (GA). The membrane flux continuously decreased with operation time, even at the lowest initial silicic acid concentration, owing to silica scale blockage. The GA solution exhibited a strong efficacy in cleaning silica-scaling RO membranes. The membrane flux returned to 89.7% of the initial value by removing 81.87% of the silica scale within the first 30 min of the study period. The cleaning mechanism of GA involved its adsorption onto the surface of silica scale particles to form a surface complex and subsequently transition into a water-soluble 1:3 complex within the solution. This complex interaction facilitated the gradual decomposition of the silica scales that adhered to the membrane surface. This study has valuable implications for the development of efficient and effective silica scale cleaning solutions, providing insights into the complex interplay between GA and silica scaling mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuqin Bai
- Green Intelligence Environmental School, Yangtze Normal University, No. 16 Juxian Road, Fuling, Chongqing, 408100, PR China.
| | - Jue Han
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No.38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, PR China
| | - Niqi Ao
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, No. 500 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Ru Ya
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Waste Resource Recycle, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, No. 235 West University Road, Saihan District, Hohhot, 010021, PR China
| | - Wei Ding
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Waste Resource Recycle, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, No. 235 West University Road, Saihan District, Hohhot, 010021, PR China
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Yang Q, Zhang J, Zhang N, Wang D, Yuan X, Tang CY, Gao B, Wang Z. Impact of nanoplastics on membrane scaling and fouling in reverse osmosis desalination process. Water Res 2024; 249:120945. [PMID: 38043352 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Nanoplastics (NPs) are a prevalent type of emerging pollutant in marine environment. However, their fouling behavior and impact on reverse osmosis (RO) membrane performance remain unexplored. We investigated the relationship between polystyrene (PS), one of the most abundant NPs, with silica scaling and humic acid (HA) fouling in RO. The results demonstrated that the surface potential of NPs played an important role in the combined scaling and fouling process. Compared with the negatively charged NPs (original PS and carboxyl group modified PS, PS-COOH), the amino-functionalized PS (PS-NH2) with positive surface charge significantly accelerated membrane scaling/fouling and induced a synergistic water flux decline, due to the strong electrostatic attraction between PS-NH2, foulants, and the membrane surface. The amino groups acted as binding sites, which promoted the heterogeneous nucleation of silica and adsorption of HA, then formed stable composite pollutants. Thermodynamic analysis via isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) further confirmed the spontaneous formation of stable complexes between PS-NH2 and silicates/HA. Our study provides new insights into the combined NPs fouling with other scalants or foulants, and offers guidance for the accurate prediction of RO performance in the presence of NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinghao Yang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, PR China
| | - Jiaojiao Zhang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, PR China
| | - Na Zhang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, PR China.
| | - Dong Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, PR China
| | - Xianzheng Yuan
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, PR China
| | - Chuyang Y Tang
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong 999077, PR China
| | - Baoyu Gao
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, PR China
| | - Zhining Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, PR China.
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Yao Y, Ge X, Yin Y, Minjarez R, Tong T. Antiscalants for mitigating silica scaling in membrane desalination: Effects of molecular structure and membrane process. Water Res 2023; 246:120701. [PMID: 37837901 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Silica scaling is a major type of mineral scaling that significantly constrains the performance and efficiency of membrane desalination. While antiscalants have been commonly used to control mineral scaling formed via crystallization, there is a lack of antiscalants for silica scaling due to its unique formation mechanism of polymerization. In this study, we performed a systematic study that investigated and compared antiscalants with different functional groups and molecular weights for mitigating silica scaling in membrane distillation (MD) and reverse osmosis (RO). The efficiencies of these antiscalants were tested in both static experiments (for hindering silicic acid polymerization) as well as crossflow, dynamic MD and RO experiments (for reducing water flux decline). Our results show that antiscalants enriched with strong H-accepters and H-donors were both able to hinder silicic acid polymerization efficiently in static experiments, with their antiscaling performance being a function of both molecular functionality and weight. Although poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with abundant H-accepters exhibited high antiscaling efficiencies during static experiments, it displayed limited performance of mitigating silica scaling during MD and RO. Poly (ethylene glycol) diamine (PEGD), which has a PEG backbone but is terminated by two amino groups, was efficient to both hinder silicic acid polymerization and reduce water flux decline in MD and RO. Antiscalants enriched with H-donors, such as poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) and poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM), were effective of extending the water recovery of MD but conversely facilitated water flux decline of RO in the presence of supersaturated silica. Further analyses of silica scales formed on the membrane surfaces confirmed that the antiscalants interacted with silica via hydrogen bonding and showed that the presence of antiscalants governed the silica morphology. Our work indicates that discrepancy in antiscalant efficiency exists between static experiments and dynamic membrane filtration as well as between different membrane processes associated with silica scaling, providing valuable insights on the design principle and mechanisms of antiscalants tailored to silica scaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Yao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Xijia Ge
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Yiming Yin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Ronny Minjarez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Tiezheng Tong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States.
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Fareed H, Jang K, Lee W, Kim IS, Han S. Sulfonated graphene oxide-based pervaporation membranes inspired by a tortuous brick and mortar structure for enhanced resilience against silica scaling and organic fouling. Chemosphere 2023; 326:138461. [PMID: 36948259 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A novel tortuous brick-and-mortar structure utilizing intercalation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO) membranes was specifically tailored for brine treatment by pervaporation to ensure excessive resistance to silica scaling and organic fouling, as well as ultrafast water transport without compromising salt rejection. The synthesized SGO membrane showed a smoother surface morphology, improved zeta potential, and a higher hydration capacity than the graphene oxide (GO) membrane. Further intercalation of PVA through glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinking, confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis, conferred increased cohesiveness, and the SGO-PVA-GA membrane was therefore able to withstand ultrasonication tests without any erosion of the coating layer. According to a pervaporative desalination test, the SGO-PVA-GA membrane exhibited 62 kg m-2 h-1 of permeate flux, with an extraordinary salt rejection of 99.99% for a 10 wt% NaCl feed solution at 65 °C. The 72 h organic fouling, silica scaling, and combined fouling and scaling tests proved that the SGO-PVA-GA membrane sustains a stable flux with less scaling and fouling than the GO-PVA-GA membrane, attributable to dense surface negative charges and great hydration capacities caused by sulfonic acid. Thus, the SGO-PVA-GA membrane offers superlative advantages for long-term brine treatment by pervaporation, related to its ability to withstand silica scaling and organic fouling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Fareed
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Innovative Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for Chemicals (Inn-ECOSysChem), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyunghoon Jang
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea; Global Desalination Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Woojin Lee
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Ave., Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - In S Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea; Global Desalination Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seunghee Han
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Innovative Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for Chemicals (Inn-ECOSysChem), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea.
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Zhu X, Tian T, Li D, Hei S, Chen L, Song G, Lin W, Huang X. Interface interaction between silica and organic macromolecule conditioned forward osmosis membranes: Insights into quantitative thermodynamics and dynamics. Water Res 2023; 232:119721. [PMID: 36780747 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Silica scaling is a rising concern in forward osmosis membrane-based water treatment process. The coexistence of ubiquitous organic macromolecules causes complex silica scaling. The silica scaling mechanism on the surface of the organic conditioned membrane remains unclear. An integrated multi scale thermodynamic and dynamic approach was used in this study to provide in-depth insights into the binding effect at the interface between the silica and the organic conditioned membrane at the molecular level. Sodium alginate (SA) was used as the model polysaccharide, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme (LYZ) were chosen as two oppositely charged proteins. The results show that the silica scaling degree of different organic conditioned membranes follows the order LYZ > BSA > SA. The binding strength between silica and organic macromolecules and the membrane surface charge are the major factors governing the degree of silica scaling. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) model analyses were conducted to quantify the binding capacity of silica to the organic conditioned membrane. The LYZ conditioned membrane exhibits the highest affinity for silica adsorption, and electrostatic interaction was the main molecular interaction force. This study provides fresh insights into how silica and an organic conditioned membrane interact and induce silica scaling, providing new information on potential mechanisms and control strategies to prevent membrane scaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzheng Zhu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Tuo Tian
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Danyang Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shengqiang Hei
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Lu Chen
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Guangqing Song
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Weichen Lin
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Xia Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research and Application Center for Membrane Technology, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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Wang H, Dai R, Wang L, Wang X, Wang Z. Membrane fouling behaviors in a full-scale zero liquid discharge system for cold-rolling wastewater brine treatment: A comprehensive analysis on multiple membrane processes. Water Res 2022; 226:119221. [PMID: 36242936 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The challenge of water scarcity drives zero liquid discharge (ZLD) treatment to maximize reuse of industrial wastewater. Deciphering the characteristics and mechanisms of membrane fouling in the membrane-based ZLD system is crucial for the development of effective fouling control strategies. However, current studies only focused on the membrane fouling of single step, lacking in-depth understanding on the ZLD systems using multiple membrane processes. Herein, membrane fouling characteristics and mechanisms in a full-scale ZLD system for cold-rolling wastewater brine treatment were investigated via a comprehensive analysis on multiple nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane processes. The membrane fouling behaviors showed distinct characteristics along the wastewater flow direction in the ZLD system. Increasing amounts of foulants were deposited on the membrane surfaces with the sequence of the 1st pass RO, 1st stage NF, and 2nd stage NF processes. The organic fouling and silica scaling were more intensive in the 1st stage NF and 2nd stage NF for treating the brine of the 1st pass RO, as the foulants were rejected and concentrated by previous membrane processes. Severe inorganic fouling, containing amorphous SiO2, Al2O3, and Al2SiO5, occurred on the membrane surface of the 2nd pass RO membrane, due to the recirculated high-concentration silica, high water recovery, and concentration polarization. For the 3rd pass RO process, both the amounts of organic and inorganic foulants decreased dramatically, due to the low foulant concentration in its influent. This work provides a comprehensive understanding of membrane fouling in a membrane-based ZLD system, facilitating the development of membrane fouling control strategies for multiple membrane processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Ruobin Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Lingna Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xueye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zhiwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
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Lu KG, Huang H. Dependence of initial silica scaling on the surface physicochemical properties of reverse osmosis membranes during bench-scale brackish water desalination. Water Res 2019; 150:358-367. [PMID: 30550866 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.11.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Silica scaling of reverse osmosis membranes in brackish water desalination is less understood than hardness scaling due to the complex silica behaviors at the membrane/water interface. In this study, -COOH, -SO3H, -NH2 and -OH functional groups were introduced onto polyamide membranes to create distinct surface physicochemical properties. The resulting membranes were further studied under similar scaling conditions to yield temporal flux loss data that were empirically interpreted by a logistic growth model. The scaled membranes were also characterized by complementary analytical techniques. It was found that permeate flux loss was strongly correlated to the initial silica layer formed by direct interaction between reactive silanol (Si-OH) and reciprocal groups on the membrane surface, rather than the entire scaling layer. Importantly, membrane surface properties dictated the initial silica layer formation through three possible mechanisms, i.e., electrostatic repulsion, competitive adsorption, and interfacial energy change. Of these, electrostatic repulsion was identified as the primary one. Therefore, by modifying the membrane surface properties, the three aforementioned mechanisms may be enhanced to favor the formation of a loose, disordered initial silica scaling layer. Accordingly, membrane flux loss may be mitigated. This finding provided important insights into the design heuristics of scaling-resistant reverse osmosis membrane for brackish water desalination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Ge Lu
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Haiou Huang
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China; Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The John Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, MD, 21205, USA.
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Xie M, Gray SR. Silica scaling in forward osmosis: From solution to membrane interface. Water Res 2017; 108:232-239. [PMID: 27836176 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2016.10.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Membrane silica scaling hinders sustainable water production. Understanding silica scaling mechanisms provides options for better membrane process management. In this study, we elucidated silica scaling mechanisms on an asymmetric cellulose triacetate (CTA) membrane and polyamide thin-film composite (TFC) membrane. Scaling filtration showed that TFC membrane was subjected to more severe water flux decline in comparison with the CTA membrane, together with different scaling layer morphology. To elucidate the silica scaling mechanisms, silica species in the aqueous solution were characterised by mass spectrometry as well as light scattering. Key thermodynamic parameters of silica surface nucleation on the CTA and TFC membranes were estimated to compare the surface nucleation energy barrier. In addition, high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy resolved the chemical origin of the silica-membrane interaction via identifying the specific silicon bonds. These results strongly support that silica scaling in the CTA membrane was driven by the aggregation of mono-silicic acid into large silica aggregates, followed by the deposition from bulk solution onto the membrane surface; by contrast, silica polymerised on the TFC membrane surface where mono-silicic acid interacted with TFC membrane surface, which was followed by silica surface polymerisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Xie
- Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria 8001, Australia.
| | - Stephen R Gray
- Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria 8001, Australia
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