Characterization and performance of porous photocatalytic ceramic membranes coated with TiO2 via different dip-coating routes

Porous photocatalytic ceramic membranes have been extensively used for separation and purification processes. This study investigates the characterization and performance of porous ceramic membranes coated with TiO2. The flat sheet membranes were prepared via phase inversion. The membranes were dipcoated in different concentrations of TiO2 nanoparticle suspensions (0.01, 0.03 and 0.05 wt%) before sintering or after the sintering process. The ceramic membranes coated with 0.03 wt% TiO2 before sintering at showed excellent morphology with a porous top, dense bottom, and the cross section showed strong adhesion of the penetrated TiO2-coated layer on the surface and within the pores. This membrane exhibited the lowest surface roughness (0.05 lm) and optimum physical properties, permeation of pure water flux (128.28 L m-2 h-1 ), rejection rate (86.06%), better antifouling (highest normalized flux ratio) and self-cleaning performance through increased humic acid rejection flux (94.32 L m-2 h-1 ) and rejection rate (98.56%) subsequent to exposure to UV light. All of the membranes coated with different concentrations of TiO2 prior to the sintering process showed uniform, homogenous coating with enhanced properties and performance. This can be related to the good penetration of TiO2 nanoparticles and better absorption by the membrane structure. The accumulation of closely tied TiO2 nanoparticle suspension on the surface of membranes coated after sintering has essentially blocked the membrane surface and pores which might concurrently explained their reduced performance

Characterization and performance of rice husk as additive in green ceramic water filter fabricated by slip-casting

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the using of rice husk (RH) which is a green material derived from agricultural waste with the ability to absorb heavy metal. It has been used in wastewater treatment. In this research, a kaolin-based green ceramic water filter (CWF) incorporated with two different additives (RH and zeolite-based RH ash [RHA]) was successfully fabricated. Design/methodology/approach The weight ratio of kaolin:additive was varied (90:10, 80:20 and 70:30) and fabricated via the slip-casting technique. The green CWFs were dried (60°C for 1 h), followed by sintering (1,200°C). Findings The green CWF of kaolin:RH with a weight ratio of 70:30 showed the best properties and satisfactory performance with a porous cross-section microstructure, highest porous area (4.58 µm2), good structure, lowest shrinkage (8.00%), highest porosity (45.10%), lowest density (1.79 g cm−3), highest water absorption (55.50%) and hardness (241.40 Hv). This green CWF has also achieved good permeability (42.00 L m−2h−1) and removal of the textile dye (27.88%). The satisfactory characterization and good textile dye removal performance (75.47%) were also achieved from green CWF with kaolin:zeolite at a weight ratio of 80:20. Research limitations/implications This research is focused on green CWF and zeolite at a certain amount with the specific characterization analysis methods. Practical implications The use of low-cost waste materials to treat dye wastewater from agricultural by-products/wastes sources in treating the dye will enhance the using of green material. Social implications Avoiding the waste sludge that can pollute the environment can create a health issue. The use of low-cost waste materials to treat dye wastewater from agricultural by-products/wastes sources in treating the dye can avoid the waste sludge that can pollute the environment and create serious health issue. Originality/value All the kaolin-based green CWFs incorporated with two different additives (RH and zeolite-based RHA) fabricated using a simple slip-casting technique have shown the potential to be used as a filter in wastewater treatment applications

Novel superhydrophobic and superoleophilic sugarcane green ceramic hollow fibre membrane as hybrid oil sorbent-separator of real oil and water mixture

The frequent oil spill accidents in nowadays has aroused great attention all over the world. Superhydrophobic and superoleophilic grafted on various substrates have attracted much attention to treat oil and water mixture because of their unique performance that can effectively separate oil and water mixture. At the same time, ceramic membrane also shows potential substrates to be used in treating oil and water mixture. However, conventional ceramic membrane that made from alumina show drawbacks in term of its high cost production. Herein, we report a new ceramic membrane that derived from agricultural-sugarcane bagasse waste and modified into superhydrophobic and superoleophilic to act as hybrid oil sorbent and separator. In this study, we successfully treat three types of real oil and water mixture from palm oil mill effluent (POME), restaurant and car wash with oil rejection and flux up to 99% and 134 L/m2h, respectively. In summary, this work demonstrates a facile, economic and effective method to fabricate superhydrophobic and superoleophilic substrates for oil and water separation

Additional of Organic Amendments in the Soil to Increase the Various Crop Yield: A Review

Agricultural production is threatened by the scarcity of current natural resources, an increasing total population, climatic change, and degraded soils. To feed the world's growing population, development strategies must be implemented that sustainably increase agricultural production while at the same time reducing the negative impacts of the activities. A number of amendments are currently being researched to improve the structure and fertility of soils. The properties of organic materials (biochar (BC), husk, and compost) were examined. The properties of BC have a large specific surface area, are highly porous, and have a high cation exchange capacity (CEC). These amendments could be used to slow down the continuous soil degradation and maintain soil productivity while facing global challenges. While the environmental effects have been extensively studied, the extent to which they can contribute to long-term intensification has yet to be determined. This review aims to contribute to the topic by providing a concise summary that combines both environmental evidence and agronomic considerations

Comparison between commercial and synthesised nano flower-like rutile TiO2 immobilised on green super adsorbent towards dye wastewater treatment

The combination of a semiconductor metal oxide with green low-cost adsorbent materials has prompted the emergence of new natural resources having higher efficiency for treating dye wastewater. This study investigated the characterisation and performance of synthesised nano flower-like rutile TiO2 (FeTiO2) via the facile hydrothermal method and sintered commercial TiO2 (CeTiO2). Both CeTiO2 and FeTiO2 were immobilised on green super adsorbent basil seed. The details of the structural properties were analysed by Rietveld refinement and the deconvolution method to verify the purity. The synthesised F eTiO2 immobilised on basil seed (BeFeTiO2) was found to have optimum physical and morphology properties. Kinetic and equilibrium studies illustrated that the adsorption behaviour of BeFeTiO2 could be better described by pseudo-second-order kinetic (chemisorption). The maximum uptake capacity (49.47 mg g 1) with the highest removal of methylene blue (98.95%) was obtained at an equilibrium time of 180 min following photocatalysis and self-cleaning. A large antibacterial ring area (1.83 mm2) was also obtained from BeFeTiO2. The removal of methylene blue dye for BeFeTiO2 increased as the recycle times increased (3 times) due to the increase of the surface area exposed to methylene blue as the weight of BeFeTiO2 immobilised on basil seed decreased. This demonstrates that BeFeTiO2 provides better potential to apply as a multifunction green super adsorbent for dye wastewater treatment compared to B eCeTiO2

Optimizing Fruit Growth in Cherry Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum): A Zeolite LTA Mass Approach

Cherry tomatoes are highly regarded for their exceptional taste and versatility, receiving recognition in both the field of horticulture and culinary arts. This study examines the importance of zeolite LTA mass as a growth medium in enhancing cherry tomato cultivation in terms of productivity and sustainability. This research was conducted to investigate the effects of incorporating zeolite LTA into the growth substrate on fruit weight. The experiments were designed systematically. The critical metrics undergo thorough measurement and detailed analysis after an 8 and 12-week cultivation period. Our study reveals a clear correlation between the mass of zeolite LTA and the growth of cherry tomato plants. The inclusion of zeolite LTA as a growth substrate has a significant positive impact. The cherry tomato plants treated with this innovative method show significant growth of size fruits weighing up to 104.55 grams. This study demonstrates the potential of using zeolite LTA mass as a growth medium for cherry tomato cultivation, going beyond conventional methods. Furthermore, it enhances our understanding of the complex mechanisms involved in this phenomenon, paving the way for the development of sustainable and efficient horticultural practices. In conclusion, this study is a pioneering contribution to the field of crop science, highlighting the significant impact of using zeolite LTA mass as a growth medium to maximize cherry tomato yields. Moreover, it encourages further investigations into the various uses of zeolites in plant cultivation, highlighting the importance of adopting environmentally conscious approaches in modern agriculture

Preparation and characterisation of inexpensive porous kaolin hollow fibre as ceramic membrane supports for gas separation application

Low-cost, porous ceramic kaolin-based hollow fibre membrane support (HFMS) for gas separation application was developed via phase inversion technique. The ceramic suspensions with various ratios of kaolin to polyethersulfone (PESf) binder (5:1 to 9:1) were extruded and then sintered at 1200 to 1500 °C. The HFMSs were characterised by several analyses to investigate the effects of kaolin/PESf ratio and sintering temperature on the sample properties. The results showed that the kaolin/PES ratio and sintering temperature affected the considerable structure and physical properties of the kaolin membrane. It is observed that with increasing sintering temperature, the porosity and gas permeation of the HFMS decreased, while the bending strength and density of the HFMS increased. As a result, a porous HFMS with sufficient mechanical strength and high gas permeation characteristics is achievable if the appropriate kaolin/PESf ratio and sintering temperature are chosen

Adhesive bonding of thermoplastic polyurethane with metallic wire

Steel wires coated with thermoplastic have found a wider range of application in the field of science and engineering. However, steel-polymer interfaces frequently suffer from poor adhesion strength that is undermining their long-term stability under external stress because of weak interaction between the steel and polymer surfaces. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the influence of adhesive (Chemlok 213 and Cilbond 49SF) on the adhesion strength of galvanized and ungalvanized steel wire coating with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Surface treatments including grinding with sandpaper, thermal oxidation and degreasing with alkaline solution were done on the steel wire substrate prior to coating by compression molding and extrusion process. The adhesion was characterized with a single wire pullout test and field emission scanning microscopy (FESEM). The experimental results confirmed that Cilbond 49SF adhesive with sandpaper grinding treated wire outperformed all other surface treatments tested. In comparison of the processes, compression molding process has an upper hand over the extrusion process because it provide an avenue for sufficient control of curing time required for optimum setting of the adhesive. Thus, this study presents a tailored procedure which can easily fits in to a production line to produce a polymer coated steel wire rope

Effect of Chitosan and Rice Starch Coating on the Kraft Paper

The use of chitosan and rice starch as the bio-based coated paper has resulted in a positive effect on physical, mechanical, and optical properties. The research was to show the influence of ultrasonic treatment on the properties of bio-based coated paper. The influence of ultrasonic treatment on the kraft paper with coating solution was determined for the thickness, the tensile strength, and surface morphology analysis. The sample prepared has two types which are uncoated paper coated paper and coated with ultrasonic treatment paper. The coated paper with bio-based coatings has been applied by spray technique. One from both coated samples has been coated with a solution that has been treated. The result shows that the thickness and grammage for both coated papers increased between 0.01 mm to 0.03 mm. Tensile strength has been improved on both coated papers. The higher tensile strength obtained was from the sample in the machine direction, which is 8083.2 N/m. Furthermore, the ultrasonic treatment also gives an improvement in morphology. As expected, the coating gives a surface with fewer and smaller pores. From morphology analysis, the coated paper in which the solution has been treated was smoother, and few pores were detected. From the result, ultrasonic treatment is an environmentally inexpensive process and effective in preparing solutions for bio-based coating. The coatings give better mechanical and morphology properties. Therefore, preparation solution using ultrasonic treatment as pretreatment is an improvement to enhance many properties of bio-based coatings