Research Projects

Environmental scientists are increasingly concerned about per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), which are hazardous manmade contaminants released into the environment through various mechanisms. These irrevocable, "forever chemicals" cause long-lasting effects on public health and the environment. Membrane separation is a promising approach to address this issue, with the interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) architecture being a promising concept. IPNs are made up of polymer networks, with at least one polymerized or cross-linked adjacent to another. Advanced nanoparticles are being infused into polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF)-based membranes to increase hydrophilicity and improve antifouling and rejection capabilities. A novel nanocomposite based on copper-containing polyoxometalate (Cu-POM) incorporated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) MIL-101 (Fe) will be synthesized and integrated into the IPNs membrane for PFAs remediation. MOFs and POM, both made up of metal ions or clusters and organic linkers, have gained interest as photocatalysts due to their abundance of active sites, ease of surface functionalization, large specific surface area, and high porosity. The membrane infused with POM@MOF nanoclusters will help degrade PFAs compounds from water sustainably when exposed to sunlight, enhancing photocatalytic activity. This study focuses on fabricating a novel POM@MOF-infused IPN membrane for excellent PFAs rejection performance from contaminated water.