Materials Synthesis for Environmental Remediation

Organic-inorganic composite membranes and nanoparticles have been used in the environmental remediation of polluted water, however historically, they are not economically feasible or robust, as their performance quickly deteriorates with time. Mesoporous monoliths offer stable networks that can be synthesized with well-defined surface areas and pore sizes.

In the proposed work, monoliths and nanostructured metal chalcogens will be synthesized and functionalized to create robust, cost-effective systems for the removal of oil, heavy metals, and metal ions from polluted water.

Nanocrystalline iron oxides and oxyhydroxides are also being explored for the immobilization of radioactive waste leachate