University of Kentucky Research Foundation

The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

University of Cincinnati

Subhas K Sikdar

Dibakar Bhattacharyya

Rajender S Varma

Leonidas G Bachas

Jamie A Hestekin

Stephen M Ritchie

Enrico Drioli

John O Burckle

Vasile Smuleac

Lawrence Cullen

Binay K Dutta

Alberto Figoli

Yuhong Ju

Pratim Biswas

Timothy C Keener

Endalkachew Sahle-Demessie

Valerii Kukhar

Vladislav Kyselov

Joo Youp Lee

Yurii Besugly

Zhong-Min Wang

Yurii Kyselov

Michale A Gonzalez

Sun-tak Wang

Wenchang Ji

Volodymir Kashkovski

A nanocomposite membrane includes a macroporous polymer membrane having a plurality of pores. A plurality of metal nanoparticles are synthesized and immobilized within those plurality of pores. The nanoparticles are reduced and capped with a green reducing and capping agent such as green tea extract.

Green synthesis nanocomposite membranes

Method for deep desulphurization of hydrocarbon fuels includes following steps: (1) treatment of a hydrocarbon fuel under the condition of its mixing with gaseous oxidant selected from the group consisting nitrogen monoxide, dry air, ozone and a mixture of at least two of said reagents in order to oxidize sulfur-containing compounds presented in said fuel, and with a fine-dispersed adsorbent based on montmorillonite in order to adsorb oxidized sulfur-containing compounds, and (2) separation of spent adsorbent together with adsorbed oxidized sulfur-containing compounds from refined fuel.

Method for deep desulphurization of hydrocarbon fuels

Hydrophobic, asymmetric membranes are formed integrally from elastomeric polymers. The membranes have a dense, discriminating layer and a thick, porous support layer and require no other support. The membranes of the invention provide an economic advantage over prior art composite membranes used for separating target organics from a mixture. Using the methods of the invention it is possible to separate two or more organic components wherein discrimination is made on the basis of molecular size.

Method for fabrication of elastomeric asymmetric membranes from hydrophobic polymers

Using the methods of the invention, an elastomeric polymer is dissolved in a suitable solvent, cast in one of the membrane casting techniques using a phase inversion technique, and immersed in a coagulation bath comprised of suitable solvent/non-solvent pairs (e.g., THF/water and ethanol). Asymmetric membranes having a dense discriminating layer and a thicker porous support layer suitable for application in pervaporation processes were obtained in a single step. An increase of the polymer concentration in the casting solution gives a more dense layer. When cast as formed using the methods of the invention, the membrane obtained is an integrally skinned membrane comprising a thin, dense separation layer over a porous support layer (asymmetric membrane) formed in a single casting operation. The resulting membrane is homogenous with respect to chemical composition.

The disclosed sorbents are for adsorbing sulfur compounds, particularly sulfur-containing aromatic compounds, from liquid hydrocarbon fuels such as gasoline, cracked gasoline, diesel, high sulfur liquid fossil fuels, ultra-low sulfur fuel (ULSF) in fuel cell applications, and mixtures thereof. The sorbent compositions comprise one or more silicates having one or more metal nitrates admixed together. The one or more metal nitrates include iron (II) or (III), zinc (II), cadmium (II) and mercury (II) nitrate. The method of preparing and using the sorbents is also provided.

Sorbent compositions and desulfurization method using the same

Oxidative sorbents are provided for adsorbing elemental or oxidized mercury from mercury-containing fluids such as flue gas from a coal-burning power utility or the like at a temperature range of about 50 to 350&#xb0; C. The method of preparing and using the oxidative sorbents is also provided. The oxidative sorbent compositions include one or more silicates capable of cation exchange with a plurality of active metal cations and their counter anions. The silicates may include those selected from clays such as montmorillonite, laumonite, bentonite, Mica, vermiculite and kaolinite, and from silica gels, natural and synthetic molecular sieves, zeolites, and ashes from stoker- and pulverized coal-fired boilers. The one or more oxidative metal halides and/or sulfates may be selected from the group consisting of CuCl, CuBr, CuCl, CuBr, CuSO, FeCl, FeCl, FeSO, Fe(SO), ZnCl, ZnBr, NiCl, and NiSO. The oxidative sorbents may also include activated carbon.

Compositions and methods for removing mercury from mercury-containing fluids

Organic molecules are partially oxidized in that the gas phase on supported and immobilized photocatalysts deposited having a nanostructure. the photocatalysts are semiconductors such as titanium dioxide and are preferentially coated onto a substrate by flame aerosol coating.

Process for photo-induced selective oxidation of organic chemicals to alcohols, ketones and aldehydes using flame deposited nano-structured photocatalyst

A method for preparing a chemically activated or polyamino acid functionalized membrane includes the steps of permeating a silica-based membrane with a solution of silane and a solvent so as to react methoxy groups of the silane with silanol groups of the membrane to incorporate epoxide groups and attaching a polyamino acid to the membrane by reacting a terminal amine group of the polyamino acid with one of the epoxide groups on the membrane.

Method of preparing a composite polymer and silica-based membrane

A method for preparing and regenerating a chemically activated or polyamino acid functionalized membrane includes the steps of permeating the silica-based membrane with a solution of silane and a solvent so as to react methoxy groups of the silane with silanol groups of the membrane to incorporate epoxide groups and attaching a polyamino acid to the membrane by reacting a terminal amine group of the polyamino acid with one of the epoxide groups on the membrane. The membrane is regenerated after metal entrapment by utilizing helix-coil properties of polyamino acids.

Preparing and regenerating a composite polymer and silica-based membrane

An apparatus providing for metal ion/nitrate entrapment comprises a chemically activated, microfiltration, composite polymer and silica-based membrane including a polyamino acid attached thereto through reaction of a terminal amine group of the polyamino acid with the membrane. A method for preparing such a chemically activated or polyamino acid functionalized membrane includes the steps of permeating the silica-based membrane with a solution of silane and a solvent so as to react methoxy groups of the silane with silanol groups of the membrane to incorporate epoxide groups and attaching a polyamino acid to the membrane by reacting a terminal amine group of the polyamino acid with one of the epoxide groups on the membrane.

Silica-based membrane sorbent for heavy metal sequestration

A process is provided for making membrane-based sorbents with enhanced binding activity that are particularly useful for heavy metal sequestration. The process includes the step of selectively hydrolyzing a polyacetylated membrane in order to deacetylated a surface layer of said membrane including the pore surfaces and expose free hydroxyl groups. This is followed by the oxidizing of the hydroxyl groups to aldehyde groups. This is then followed by the attaching of a polycarboxylic acid such as a polyamino acid, polyalkenoic acid or polypeptide to the membrane through the aldehyde groups. Preferably, the hydrolyzing step is completed under alkaline conditions and the oxidizing step is completed using an aqueous solution of sodium periodate.

Membrane-based sorbent for heavy metal sequestration

Pervaporation membranes are used for removing volatile organic compounds from wastewaters. These pervaporation membranes are prepared by dispersing at least one hydrophobic adsorbent such as activated carbon uniformly into a polymer matrix.

Adsorbent-filled membranes for pervaporation

A process is provided for making membrane-based sorbents with enhanced binding activity that are particularly useful for heavy metal sequestration. The process includes the step of selectively hydrolyzing a polyacetylated membrane in order to deacetylate a surface layer of said membrane and expose free hydroxyl groups. This is followed by the oxidizing of the hydroxyl groups to aldehyde groups. This is then followed by the attaching of a polycarboxylic acid such as a polyamino acid, polyalkenoic acid or polypeptide to the membrane through the aldehyde groups. Preferably, the hydrolyzing step is completed under alkaline conditions and the oxidizing step is completed using an aqueous solution of sodium periodate.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Subhas K Sikdar