Chemistry Commons^™

Specific Phosphate Sorption Mechanisms Of Unaltered And Altered Biochar, Kathryn D. Szerlag

Masters Theses

Biochar has been shown to act as an effective sorbent for many organic and inorganic contaminants (including phosphate) and can help to improve the quality of our fresh water resources by preventing eutrophication. Most of the high efficiency biochar phosphate-adsorbent feedstocks are modified with chemical pretreatment, phytoremediation or anaerobic digestion to accumulate desired elements. The main objectives of this project were to first engineer magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) altered biochar by chemical pretreatment followed by pyrolysis at either 350 or 550°C and evaluate their phosphate adsorption rate and potential as compared to their unaltered counterparts. Determination of surface physiochemical …

The Effects Of Phosphonic Acids In Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Keith Edward James

Dissertations and Theses

Novel methods for the construction of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were developed. A thin dense underlayer of TiO₂ was applied on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass using as a precursor Tyzor AA-105. Subsequently a mesoporous film of P-25 TiO₂ was applied by spreading a suspension uniformly over the surface of the underlayer and allowing the plate to slowly dry while resting on a level surface. After sintering at 500° C slides were treated with TCPP as a sensitizing dye and assembled into DSSCs. A novel method was used to seal the cells; strips of Parafilm® were used as …

Functionalization Of Metal Oxide Surfaces Through Chemical Reactions And Physical Adsorption, Gabriel C. Graffius

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The synthesis of high surface area metal oxides is an area of extensive research with potential applications in catalysis, adsorption, and materials chemistry. The functionalization of a material’s surface can dramatically change its physical and chemical properties. The research described herein is built on the foundation of traditional techniques used for synthesis, characterization, and functionalization of metal oxides and develops new mechanisms and materials for the functionalization of surfaces.

We began with Methyl-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxanes) (PDMSs), which are typically considered to be inert and not suitable for surface functionalization reactions because of the absence of readily hydrolysable groups. Nevertheless, these siloxanes …

Thermodynamics Of Short Chain Perfluoroalkanes Adsorbed On The Surfaces Of The Graphite Basal Plane And Mgo (100), Nathaniel Keenan Bass

Doctoral Dissertations

Molecular adsorption of short-chain linear perfluoroalkanes was studied by volumetric isotherm and by molecular dynamics simulation. Isotherms of perfluoroethane, perfluoropropane, and perfluorobutane gas were measured on clean surfaces of the graphite basal plane nanometer-scale cubic magnesium oxide (100). Each system was measured over a range of temperatures, and thermodynamic determinations of the entropies, enthalpies, and heats of adsorption were determined as a result. Potential phase transitions between the surface structures were identified, and the constant-coverage heats of adsorption for each system were determined. Comparisons to molecular dynamics simulations provided guidance in the assignment of phase diagrams, giving insights to the …

Rambling Between "Zhong Yong" And "Catalysis", Zi-Dong Wei

Journal of Electrochemistry

“Zhong Yong” represents a traditional Chinese wisdom, which was first proposed by Confucius and continuously richened by his followers. “Zhong Yong” pursues the balances among all kinds of contradictions, and insists that neither “too much” nor “not enough” is good. For a successful catalyst, on which the adsorption of reactants must be not so strong and not so weak either. On this point of view, there are the same pursuits for “Zhong Yong” and catalysis. In this paper, the author starts his story with a conversation between Confucius and his student, followed by 3 interesting stories happening in the ancient …

Adsorption Of Antibiotics By Vermiculite, Mosa J. Ferdous

Dissertations and Theses

The occurrence of residual antibiotics in the environment has been a worldwide issue and warrants the development of inexpensive yet effective methods for antibiotics removal from contaminated water. In this thesis work, the adsorption of four antibiotics, namely chlorotetracycline (CTC), oxytetracycline (OTC), ofloxacin (OFL), and enrofloxacin (ENR), onto natural vermiculite has been studied using batch (static) and column (dynamic) adsorption techniques. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were initially used to explain the adsorption processes. The separation factor (RL) values derived from the Langmuir model and the 1/n values derived from Freundlich model in the present investigation were less than …

Degradation And Exciton Energy Transfer Studies In Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundles, Abhishek Gottipati

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) due to their unique optical behavior, large surface area, robust mechanical strength and electrical properties make them one of the ideal candidates for sensing and opto-electronic applications. In this work, we explore the energy transfer (exciton energy transfer-EET) phenomena occurring between nanotubes in bundles, using resonance Raman spectroscopy.

Preparation, Characterization, And Adsorption Studies Of Core@Shell Sio$_{2}$@Ceo$_{2}$ Nanoparticles: A New Candidate To Remove Hg(Ii) From Aqueous Solutions, Ali̇ İmran Vai̇zoğullar, Ahmet Balci, İbrahi̇m Kula, Mehmet Uğurlu

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

SiO$_{2}$ supported core@shell nanoparticles (CSNs) have recently attracted great attention due to their unique, tunable, optical, photocatalytic, and higher adsorption properties. In this study, SiO$_{2}$@CeO$_{2}$~CSNs were synthesized using a chemical precipitation technique and characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. XRD analysis showed that SiO$_{2\, }$particles were the core while CeO$_{2}$ particles were the shell. It was seen as a new band at 961 cm$^{-1}$ of the oxygen bridge between Si and Ce atoms from FT-IR results; SiO$_{2}$ and CSNs were spherical (0.5--0.6 $\mu $m) from SEM and …

Remediation Of Cr(Vi) Via Combined Self-Reduction And Adsorption Bychemically Modified Carbon Sorbents, Mohamed E. Mahmoud, Amr. A. Yakout, Asmaa M. Halbas, Maher M. Osman

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), is a highly toxic species, while trivalent chromium, Cr(III), is an essential trace element for humans and other organisms. In the present work, a simple, rapid, and efficient procedure for water treatment of Cr(VI) is described. Active carbon (AC) was chemically treated with HCl and NaOH for the formation of surface modified Acidic-AC and Basic-AC sorbents, respectively. In addition, AC sorbent was treated with HNO$_{3}$ as an oxidizing agent and sodium sulfite as a reducing agent for the formation of Ox-AC and Rd-AC sorbents, respectively. The modified AC sorbents were tested to identify their potential applications in …

Adsorptive Features Of Polyacrylamide--Aluminosilicate Composites For Methylene Blue, Demet Baybaş, Ulvi̇ Ulusoy

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Polyacrylamide--montmorillonite (PAAm-Mt) and polyacrylamide--clinoptilolite (PAAm-Z) composites were prepared by cross-linked polymerization of acrylamide in dispersions of Mt and Z. The composites were characterized by FT-IR, SEM, XRD, CEC, and PZC analysis. The adsorptive features of PAAm-Mt and PAAm-Z for methylene blue (MB) were investigated by their relevance to initial dye concentration, temperature, contact time, PZC, and pH. The monolayer adsorption capacities were 0.14 and 0.08 mol kg$^{-1}$ for PAAm-Z and PAAm-Mt, respectively. The changes in pH of MB solution had an insignificant influence on their adsorption capacities. The values of enthalpy and entropy changes were positive ($\Delta $H$_{PAAm-Mt}$ = 7.6 …

Adsorption Of Cellulase On Poly(2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate) Cryogels Containing Phenylalanine, Murat Yavuz, Oğuz Çakir, Zübeyde Baysal

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

The aim of this study was to prepare a supermacroporous cryogel that can be used for the adsorption of cellulase. The macroporous cryogel of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-N-methacryloyl-l-phenylalanine) [p(HEMA-MAPA)] was prepared by copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with a functional monomer of N-methacryloyl-l-phenylalanine (MAPA). The cryogel was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and swelling tests. The effects of several parameters such as medium pH, temperature, ionic strength, and flow rate on cellulase adsorption were also investigated. Maximum cellulase adsorption was observed at 25 $^{\circ}$C and pH 4.0. Furthermore, adsorbed cellulase was desorbed from the cryogel by using 1.0 …

Phosphorus Removal Using Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles In Wastewater Treatment, Suyoung Choi Mr.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Due to eutrophication caused by nutrients such as phosphorus (P), local surface water near military garrisons and camps has been deteriorated for several years in the Republic of Korea. Thus, in order to remove excessive P in local fresh water, various size of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) were used.

In the first investigation, TiO₂ mixed bulk powder (particle size > 5µm) showed maximum P removal with pH dependence (higher pH shows lower P removal), that was approximately 27%. To determine adsorption isotherms, Langmuir and Freudlich models were used. The experimental data was better fit by a Langmuir model compared …