Nanostructure-Coated Mobile Carriers for Nanoparticle Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contaminated water treatment technologies face challenges in effectively capturing and retaining nanoparticles for adsorbing and desorbing contaminants like phosphates and nitrates, leading to inefficiencies in resource recovery and treatment processes.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing nanoparticle-entrained multifunctional nanostructure-coated mobile carriers that include a core coated with a porous and non-reactive binding agent, allowing for the physical and chemical association with contaminants, followed by pH adjustments and multiple separation units to separate and recover contaminants like orthophosphate, di-phosphate, and tri-phosphate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If nanoparticles are used to adsorb and desorb contaminants, then resource recovery efficiency is improved, but difficulty in capturing and retaining nanoparticles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous support structures (such as porous polymers, porous ceramics, or porous metals) that provide a matrix for immobilizing nanoparticles. The porous structure allows contaminants to diffuse into the material while providing a physical framework that retains nanoparticles, solving the contradiction between maintaining nanoparticle activity for resource recovery and preventing their loss during treatment processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite materials by combining nanoparticles with support matrices (e.g., nanoparticle-polymer composites, nanoparticle-ceramic composites). This composite approach allows the system to leverage the high surface area and reactivity of nanoparticles for contaminant adsorption while the support matrix provides structural stability and ease of handling, thereby resolving the contradiction between recovery efficiency and operational ease.
2Reliability
If multiple processing steps are implemented to meet treatment objectives, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but physical footprint and total life-cycle cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs multifunctional materials and integrated treatment systems that can simultaneously perform multiple functions (e.g., adsorption, catalysis, and separation in a single step). The nanoparticle-based systems can target multiple contaminants (phosphates, nitrates, heavy metals) concurrently, reducing the number of separate processing units needed and thereby decreasing physical footprint and operational complexity while maintaining comprehensive treatment effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple treatment functions into integrated systems where nanoparticles are incorporated into unified reactor designs or modular units. This merging of functions (e.g., combining adsorption and filtration in a single cartridge, or integrating catalytic conversion with separation) reduces the overall system complexity and footprint while achieving multiple treatment objectives simultaneously.
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 system efficiently removes and recovers contaminants from water, achieving high recovery rates and minimizing operational costs by utilizing nanoparticle-coated mobile carriers in reactors and separation units, enhancing the treatment process.
Implementation Method 1
Certain nanoparticles can adsorb and desorb cations and anions, which is useful for contaminated water treatment and resource recovery
Implementation Method 2
Iron oxide nanoparticles, for example, are magnetic and can adsorb and desorb (oxy)anions that include, but are not limited to, chromate (CrO4−2), arsenate (AsO43−), selenate (SeO42−), orthovanadate (VO43−), and orthophosphate (PO43−)
Implementation Method 3
Iron oxide nanoparticles, for example, are magnetic and can adsorb and desorb (oxy)anions
Implementation Method 4
Magnetite (Fe3O4) is a common form of iron oxide that may be utilized to adsorb and desorb anionic contaminants from water
Implementation Method 5
The method includes a way of desorbing the contaminant by adjusting the pH of the magnetic particle entrained MNS coated porous material
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides nanoparticle-entrained multifunctional nanostructure-coated mobile carriers, and systems and methods of utilizing the mobile carriers to treat contaminated water.