Oral Poster Contribution (Oral/Poster/Keynote) EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN FOR DETERMINATION OF EFFECTIVE PARAMETERS IN HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS OF TiO2-DERIVED NANOTUBES

The synthesis of titanate nanotubes (TNT) which offers a very high specific surface area, high aspect ratio, better electrical contact, and transport of charge carrier has attracted particular interests in creating as a new kind of nanostructure materials due to various applications of photocatalysts, high effect solar cell, gas sensor, semiconductor devices, and new generation electrodes for lithium batteries [1-4]. Currently, there are developed methods for synthesis of titanate nanotubes including chemical synthesis with template, electrochemical synthesis, and alkaline hydrothermal synthesis. Among the aforementioned synthesis approaches, hydrothermal treatment received wide investigations, owing to their cost-effective, easy route to obtain nanotubes, the feasibility and availability of widespread applications [5-7]. Statistical experimental design methodology is an established and proven methodology for product and process improvements. The Plackett-Burman design was demonstrated to be powerful tools for identifying significant process parameters with relatively few experiments. A Plackett–Burman design can examine up to N−1 parameters (f ≤ N−1) in N experiments, with N being a multiple of 4 [8]. Therefore, in this work, a screening approach, involving the use of Plackett-Burman experimental design, permitted the evaluation of the effects of 8 parameter

Investigation of electric field-aligned edge-oxidized graphene oxide nanoplatelets in polyethersulfone matrix in terms of pure water permeation and dye rejection

Herein, we have evaluated the impact of orientated edge-oxidized graphene oxide nanoplatelets (EOGO) in polyether sulfone (PES) membrane on the pure water permeability (PWP) and organic dye molecule rejection values. Aligned PES/EOGO nanocomposite films were prepared through electric field induction. Morphological, structural, and chemical-physical characterizations including atomic force microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), contact angle, zeta potential, porosity, and PWP measurements were carried out. The results revealed successful aligned/oriented PES/EOGO nanocomposite formation at low-to-moderate EOGO loadings. Membrane function tests demonstrated an increase in water permeability at higher EOGO contents, up to 0.5 wt%, followed by a decrease at 1 wt% nanoplatelets due to nanoparticles agglomeration. The horizontal electric field (1000 Hz) processed samples indicated lower PWP in comparison with their vertical-field (34% decrement) and No-field (29% increment) counterparts as well as a better dye molecule rejection at 0.1 wt%, referring to nanoplatelets successful alignment at this loading level