Magnetic Nanostructured Sorbent for Selective Organic Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for separating target organic materials like sugars, lipids, and hydrocarbons from bioprocess streams are inefficient and costly due to issues such as nanoparticle aggregation, chemical instability, and high energy requirements for dewatering, and existing sorbents struggle to selectively capture and separate these materials from complex mixtures.
Innovation Solution
The development of magnetic nanostructured solid sorbent (MNSS) materials comprising tethered superparamagnetic and non-magnetic nanoparticles with functionalized surfaces, which form an elastic network allowing for flexible orientation in magnetic fields and preventing aggregation, enabling selective sorption and separation of target organic compounds through magnetic and flotation techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If magnetic nanoparticles are used for separation, then separation efficiency is improved, but nanoparticle aggregation occurs leading to reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
A polymer coating is introduced as an intermediary layer between the magnetic nanoparticles and the aqueous environment. This coating acts as a steric barrier that prevents direct contact and aggregation between nanoparticles while allowing the particles to maintain their magnetic properties for effective separation of organic materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface properties of the nanoparticles are modified by changing their chemical composition through polymer coating. This alters the surface energy and hydrophobicity parameters, enabling the particles to aggregate target organic materials while remaining dispersed in the aqueous phase due to the hydrophobic effect.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional dewatering methods are used, then water removal is achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional thermal evaporation and mechanical dewatering systems with a magnetic field-based separation system. The magnetic nanoparticles selectively concentrate organic materials, and the bound water is removed through low-energy magnetic separation and filtration processes instead of high-energy heating or mechanical pressing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses composite magnetic nanoparticles with polymer coatings that have specific hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance. This composite structure enables selective binding of organic materials while repelling water, allowing for easy separation and concentration without energy-intensive dewatering processes.
3Measurement precision
If sorbents are used to capture organic materials, then selectivity is improved, but separation from complex mixtures remains difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic nanoparticles with polymer coatings selectively extract target organic materials from complex aqueous mixtures through hydrophobic interactions. The coated particles bind specifically to organic compounds while remaining physically separable from the aqueous phase, allowing direct extraction without complex multi-step separation procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The MNSS materials effectively capture and separate target organic compounds from bioprocess streams with reduced energy consumption and cost, allowing for efficient recovery and further processing, while maintaining chemical stability and preventing nanoparticle aggregation.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of nanoparticles is made up of superparamagnetic nanoparticles or a combination of superparamagnetic and non-magnetic nanoparticles
Implementation Method 2
The magnetic nanoparticles described by Hatton et al. were directly embedded into and non-covalently bound with a polymer
Implementation Method 3
the surfaces of at least some of the nanoparticles comprise a polysiloxane bearing sorption-aiding substituents, which can be hydrophilic groups, lipophilic group, or a combination thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A particulate magnetic nanostructured solid sorbent (MNSS) material is described herein. The particles of the MNSS comprise a plurality of tethered nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are tethered together by substantially linear hydrocarbon chains, a poly(alkylene oxide) chains, or a combination thereof connecting the nanoparticles in a three-dimensional elastic network with the nanoparticles as junctions of the network having junction functionality of about 2.1 to about 6. The surfaces of at least some of the nanoparticles comprise a polymerized siloxane bearing at least one sorption-aiding substituent selected from a hydrophilic group and a lipophilic group. The plurality of nanoparticles is made up of superparamagnetic nanoparticles or a combination of superparamagnetic and non-magnetic nanoparticles. The individual superparamagnetic nanoparticles comprise a passivating metal oxide coating around a core comprising at least one nanocrystalline metal or alloy having ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic properties.