Thesis supervisor: Ákos Rédey
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Institute of Environmental Engineering, University of Pannonia Abbreviation of location of studies: PE
Description of the research topic:
Pollution of air, water and soil is a worldwide issue for the eco-environment and human society. Removal of various pollutants including inorganic and organic compounds from the environment is a big challenge. Adsorption techniques are usually simple and work effectively. However, the adsorption capacities of materials depend on their porous structure and surface properties. Graphene oxide (GO) and graphene are new carbonaceous nanomaterials. Graphene is a two-dimensional carbon nanomaterial with single layer of sp 2 -hybridized carbon atoms arranged in six-membered rings. Graphene and graphene oxide has functional groups, indicating their potential for the adsorption processes. In the past few years, many investigations have been focused on the applications of graphene or composites in removal of pollutants from water. Graphene oxide possesses several functional groups and strong acidity, exhibiting high adsorption for basic compounds and cations while graphene shows hydrophobic surface and presents high adsorption to chemicals due to strong π-π interaction. Modification of graphene oxide or graphene with metal oxides or organics can produce various nanocomposites, enhancing adsorption capacity and separation efficiency. Activation of graphene into porous carbonaceous material will be a promising way to further enhance adsorption capacity. Moreover, water pollution is considered to be a major environmental problem worldwide, and among the various water pollutants, heavy metals require special attention because of their toxic effect on humans and the environment. Heavy metals are considered to be the most important pollutant in source and treated water. The increased use of heavy metals industrially resulted in an increase in the availability of metallic substances in natural source water. Moreover, heavy metals form a very dangerous category due to their toxic and carcinogenic nature, non-biodegradable and hence, tend to accumulate in the environment for long time. Some of these toxic elements are cadmium, lead, mercury, nickel, chromium and zinc. Several studies have addressed nanoparticles, mainly metal oxides, as effective and efficient adsorbents in the cleanup of environmental contaminants, mainly because nanoparticles can penetrate into the contamination zone where microparticles cannot. Among the conventional techniques the adsorption is the most effective technique. Various adsorbents such as activated carbon, silica gel, and graphite oxide can be used in the purification of water. Historically, graphite oxide and other carbon based nanomaterials have been used as adsorbent for environmental purification and water treatment applications for the removal of inorganic and organic pollutants. Graphene oxide as new material and its composites offers utility in several applications due to its unique two-dimensional nature , associated band structure and large surface area and presence of surface functional groups .
A comparative study is suggested within the PhD research between different nanostructure materials to investigate their ability in removal of some heavy metals from waters. Nanostructured graphene oxide, Fe2O3/graphene oxide composites, graphene oxide functionalized with nitrogen and hydrogen composite and graphene nanoparticles were suggested as an adsorbents for the removal of the heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions by a batch and continuous adsorption method and modelled using classical Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. Metals like nickel, zinc, lead, cadmium and chromium will be used in certain concentration as pollutants and as a targetted components for removal by adsorption in this work.
Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2019-01-31
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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