Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Chemistry
Date of Award
5-2020
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Aleksey Vasiliev
Committee Members
Abbas G. Shilabin, Hua Mei
Abstract
Effective adsorbents for polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were successfully prepared. And they were tested in the adsorption of perfluorooctanoic and perfluorooctanesulfonic acids. Bridged silsesquioxanes containing secondary and tertiary amino groups were synthesized by sol-gel condensation of bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]amine and bis[3-(methylamino)propyl]-trimethoxysilane in acidic media with surfactants. Obtained materials are mesoporous with a high BET surface area. They combine high structural stability with a high concentration of surface amino groups serving as adsorption sites. Batch adsorption tests demonstrated their extremely high adsorption capacity on PFCs: in some experiments, it reached up to 88% of the adsorbent weight. Adsorption of PFCs changed the surfaces of the adsorbent nanoparticles from hydrophilic to hydrophobic thus providing their agglomeration and floatability. Column tests showed fast adsorption of PFCs even at high concentrations and high flow rates. Obtained results can be used in the development of an effective filtration device for clean-up of water contaminated by PFCs.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Lotsi, Bertha, "Mesoporous Adsorbents for Perfluorinated Compounds" (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3729. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3729
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Environmental Chemistry Commons, Materials Chemistry Commons, Organic Chemistry Commons, Polymer Chemistry Commons