New Jersey Institute of Technology

Nanosepex Inc.

Other

US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Somenath Mitra

Sagar Roy

Zafar Iqbal

Zhiqian Wang

Gordon Albert Thomas

John F Federici

Haim Grebel

Hee C Lim

Yan Zhang

James Zunino

Chutarat Saridara

Ken Gethard

Sumona Paul

Kabir Mitra

Cheng Li

Daniel J Watts

Yuhong Chen

Laura Battista

Nelson Colon

Kamilah Hylton

Joseph Argento

A nanocarbon immobilized membrane (NCIM) is disclosed. The nanocarbon immobilized membrane is sized to purify different organic-water mixtures. The nanocarbon immobilized membrane can be used to purify solvents, fuels, and other organic compounds. Data using heptane-water, octane-water, fuel-water, and paint thinner-water show 99.9% separation efficiency. High organic flux is also seen at relatively low pressure. This approach has numerous applications, including fuel purification, oil spills clean-up, separation of commercial emulsions, and solvent purification.

Nanocarbon enhanced membrane for purification and dewatering of solvents and fuels

A membrane distillation (MD) system includes a sweep gas MD (SGMD) module and a knockout chamber. The MD module includes a feed inlet, a feed outlet, a condensing media inlet, and a condensing media outlet. The condensing media is sweep gas. The knockout chamber is positioned after the feed outlet. The knockout chamber includes a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, and a vapor outlet. Direct gas phase stripping within the SGMD module leads to additional water evaporation at the knockout chamber and contributes to enhanced water or VOCs removal of the MD system.

One step integration of membrane distillation with direct air-stripping

Development of a flexible battery based on periodate/iodate-zinc system is disclosed. HPO&#x2014;KCl dual quasi-solid electrolytes separated by an anion-exchange-membrane maintain the desired pH in electrodes and block unwanted ion movements. Poly(acrylic acid) fortifies the electrodes, enhances electrode flexibility, and avoids the free-flow of liquids. The NaMnIOshows a specific capacity of 650 mAg, approximately 81% of its theoretical capacity even when cells are bent. The overall technology is scalable by printing methods.

Methods and devices for high-capacity flexible, printable, and conformal periodate and iodate batteries

The development of a novel battery comprising of high-oxidation-state periodate complex cathode and zinc anode is disclosed. A periodate complex HFe(IO)Owas prepared by a precipitation reaction between Fe(NO)and NaIO, and was used in battery development for the first time. NaMnIOdouble periodate salts were also synthesized from MnSOand NaIOusing the same techniques. The HFe(IO)Oalone showed specific capacity of 300 mAh g; while NaMnIOshowed specific capacity as high as 750 mAh g. Compared to single-electron processes in conventional cathode reactions, the possibility to significantly enhance cathode specific capacity via a multi-electron process associated with valence change from I(VII) to Iis demonstrated. Novel 3D-printed reserve battery casing designs comprising replaceable electrodes also disclosed. Batteries featuring an ion-exchange membrane dual-electrolyte design are disclosed. Periodate based dry cell batteries utilizing polymer electrolytes are also disclosed.

High oxidation state periodate battery

Radiative heating and radiative feed modification systems and methods using microwave, radio frequency, magnetic field and ultrasound in membrane separation processes including membrane distillation (MD), reverse osmosis, forward osmosis and pervaporation are disclosed. Membrane distillation systems include at least one MD module, the MD module having at least one membrane, a feed inlet operable to receive a feed media and a feed outlet, and a radiative energy source operable to apply radiation to a feed media entering the feed inlet.

Radiative treatment of liquids in desalination and other membrane processes

Membrane distillation (MD) systems include at least two MD modules arranged in series, each of at least two MD modules including a condensing media inlet operable to receive a condensing media and a condensing media outlet, a feed inlet operable to receive a feed media and a feed outlet, and a first heating element positioned and operable to heat a feed prior to or upon introduction of the feed to a first of the at least two MD modules, wherein a stream exiting the feed outlet of the first of the at least two MD modules is introduced to the second of the at least two MD modules. Other MD systems include at least two MD modules arranged in parallel.

Systems and methods for maximizing recovery in membrane distillation

Carbon nanotube (CNT) immobilized membranes for harvesting pure water from air include CNTs incorporated into a layer of super-absorbing polymer. The super-absorbing polymer may be cast over a porous substrate. The super-absorbing polymer binds strongly to water and generates water clusters while the CNTs are operable to interrupt the specific water-polymer and water-water interactions to generate more free water which permeates more easily through the membrane. Methods of forming the CNT immobilized membranes are provided. The CNT immobilized membranes disclosed herein exhibit improved water vapor extraction efficiency, water vapor removal and mass transfer coefficient.

Carbon nanotube immobilized super-absorbing membranes

Organic and organic/inorganic hybrid bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices with improved efficiencies are disclosed. The organic photovoltaic device comprises a photoactive polymer:fullerene C-carbon nanotube (polymer:C-CNT) composite as a component of the active layer. Under light irradiation, photoinduced charge separation at the polymer:Cinterface is followed by electron transfer from Conto CNTs for efficient electron transport towards an electrode. The organic/inorganic hybrid photovoltaic device comprises quantum dots and carbon nanotubes. Power conversion efficiency enhancement methods of polymer-CNT based photovoltaics are also provided.

Carbon nanotubes as charge carriers in organic and hybrid solar cells

The invention is directed to a method of forming, producing or manufacturing functionalized nanomaterials, and, specifically, soluble functionalized nanomaterials. The presently described invention also relates to nanomaterial-based composites consisting of a target material, which can include ceramic, polymer, or metallic matrices incorporated into or grown on nanomaterials, as well as a method or synthesis technique for the formation, production, or manufacture of nanomaterial-based composites through microwave-induced reaction.

Microwave induced functionalization of single wall carbon nanotubes and composites prepared therefrom

The present disclosure provides an improved membrane or substrate having carbon nanotubes introduced and/or immobilized therein, and an improved method for introducing and/or immobilizing carbon nanotubes in membranes or substrates. More particularly, the present disclosure provides for improved systems and methods for fabricating membranes or substrates having carbon nanotubes immobilized therein. In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides for systems and methods for introducing and/or immobilizing functionalized carbon nanotubes into the pore structure of a polymeric membrane or substrate, thereby dramatically improving the performance of the polymeric membrane or substrate. In exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides for systems and methods for the fabrication of nanotube immobilized membranes by incorporating CNTs in a membrane or substrate.

Carbon nanotube mediated membrane extraction

A microtrap assembly includes a carbon nanotube sorbent. The microtrap assembly may be employed as a preconcentrator operable to deliver a sample to an analytical device to measure the concentrations of greenhouse gases. A system includes a microtrap having a carbon nanotube sorbent for measuring the concentrations of greenhouse gases in a sample.

Microtrap assembly for greenhouse gas and air pollution monitoring

Membranes for membrane distillation include at least one hollow fiber porous hydrophobic membrane, the at least one membrane including carbon nanotubes incorporated into the pore structure of the membrane. Membrane distillation systems may include a heat exchanger operably connected to a hollow fiber membrane module with one or more membranes including carbon nanotubes. Methods of solvent removal, sample preconcentration and desalination employing hollow fiber porous hydrophobic membranes with carbon nanotubes are disclosed.

Membrane distillation apparatus and methods

A novel microwave-assisted process is described for the rapid removal of catalytic metal and non-desirable carbon impurities in fullerene, single wall, and multiple wall carbon nanotube preparations. The purification process is carried out at various programmed pressures, power levels and reaction times in a suspension of the nanocarbon moieties in the presence of strong acids (for example, a mixture of sulfuric acid and nitric acid), in weak acids (for example, acetic acid) and in the presence of chelating agents (for example, EDTA&#x2014;ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). In one embodiment, high metal removal efficiency of 70 to 90% is observed.

Rapid microwave process for purification of nanocarbon preparations

An active coating system capable of collecting, analyzing, managing and adapting to data and/or its environment in real time. An exemplary embodiment of our inventive active coating system is corrosion resistant and includes a flexible sensor layer, a switch layer and a visual display layer. Operationally, the flexible sensor layer senses particular environmental conditions and the visual display layer provides visual indication of the condition(s) sensed.

Growing community of inventors

Bridgewater, NJ, United States of America

Somenath Mitra