Singapore University of Technology and Design

Fuming Chen

Hui Ying Yang

The invention generally relates to a carbon-based boron removal medium with hydroxyl group and amine group, and in particular, to a method for forming the carbon-based boron removal medium. In various embodiments, nitrogen-doped ('N-doped') graphene oxide is synthesized by a simple two-step process: (1) oxidation of graphite to graphene oxide, and (2) nitrogen-doping ('N-doping') the graphene oxide to form the amine group. The resultant N-doped graphene oxide can efficiently remove boron from aqueous solutions. The invention also generally relates to a boron sensing medium and its use in conductometric measurement techniques to detect and measure the amount of boron present in aqueous solutions.

Method of removing boric acid from an aqueous solution

In one embodiment, the invention relates to a carbon-based boron removal medium with hydroxyl groups and amine group, and in particular, to a method for forming the carbon-based boron removal medium. In a specific embodiment, nitrogen-doped ('N-doped') graphene oxide is synthesized by a simple two-step process: (1) oxidation of graphite to graphene oxide, and (2) nitrogen-doping ('N-doping') the graphene oxide to form the amine group. The resultant N-doped graphene oxide can efficiently remove boron from aqueous solutions. In another embodiment, a method of sensing or detecting the presence of boron in an aqueous solution by using a boron sensing medium comprises at least two hydroxyl groups and at least one pyridinic nitrogen or pyrrolic nitrogen or quaternary nitrogen (i.e. pyridoxine, in particular vitamin B6). The boron ions in the solution would form a highly ionized complex, which can cause significant increase in electrical conductivity of the solution, which can then be used to measure the concentration of boron in said solution.

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Singapore, Singapore

Fuming Chen