PFI-TT: A Green and Sustainable Approach to Optimize and Scale-up Reusable Materials for Water Purification

University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, Charlotte NC

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project is to develop materials to purify water for drinking. This project advances materials that can be used for advanced filtration. The research is focused on the removal of many classes of compounds from drinking water, such as heavy metals and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These pervasive substances have been linked to adverse human health effects and they are persistent in the environment. This project will develop a point-of-use solution that will have significant impact on providing access to drinking water. These materials are safe for drinking water since they are based on natural materials and polymers already used in water purification technology. The propsoed project will focus on (1) Optimization of ion exchange (IX) materials, and (2) Scaling-up the production of these materials to pilot scale or higher. Optimization of adsorption capacity, and water flux will be done while minimizing the cost of manufacturing. The technology is a very thin layer of IX resin attached to a nanoscale support. The support material provides structural rigidity and eliminates the need for cross-linking, which leads to degradation of the traditional IX materials. The proposed technology increases surface area, binding site accessibility, and improves adsorption kinetics to make these materials cheaper and more efficient than the competing products. The polymers are permanently bound to the support materials using "click chemistry" to ensure their retention in the filter modules over time and with repeated use. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.