Research Projects

The study aims to synthesize novel polyaniline PANI-based nanocomposite flexible electrodes with different functional groups for textile wastewater treatment. The process involves synthesizing biodegradable PANI, preparing CNT-TiO2 nanoparticles, and drying the nanocomposite material in an air oven for 24 hours. The electrodes are then characterized and functionalized using techniques like ozonation, APTES, and ammonia treatment. The proposed 100 L Multi-Functional Cell (MFC) design will treat synthetic textile wastewater with different dye concentrations, evaluating parameters such as BOD, COD, DO, TSS, power density, and coulombic efficiency. Advanced techniques like FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM/TEM, STM, SIMS, EDX, AFM, and qPCR will be used for optimizing functionalized flexible electrode-based biofilm growth. The study will also investigate the electrochemical behavior of the biofilm and the presence of nanowires in microbes using scanning tunnelling microscopy, STM, and fluorescence microscopy. The main deliverable is to improve MFC design and novel electrode development for maximizing treatment efficiency of textile wastewater, improving power density and coulombic efficiency. Sub-delivers include developing unique nanocomposite-based electrode materials, understanding microorganism structure and activities in textile wastewater effluents, and scaling-up trials for a 100 L reactor with the textile industry.