Research Projects

The proposed project aims to create nonwoven structures from cotton fibrous wastes, develop hierarchical structures onto these fabrics, characterize their superhydrophobic properties, prepare oil-in-water emulsions, and study their stability. The project will use needle punching to consolidate waste into fabric form, and the physical properties of the developed nonwoven samples will be measured. The development of hierarchical structures will involve mechanical activation of fly ash particles, which will be subjected to severe plastic deformation. Low surface energy chemicals like Trimethoxyoctadecylsilane will be applied to the fabrics to lower their surface energy and create superhydrophobic surfaces. The superhydrophobic properties of the fabrics will be characterized using goniometry, and oil concentrations will be measured using UV/Vis spectrophotometers. The project will also determine the reusability of these nonwoven fabrics for oil-in-water separation. The nonwoven fabrics will be coated with various model oils mixed in water, and their stability will be studied. The anti-fouling capability of the developed nonwovens will be explored through continuous separation of oil/water mixtures for long cycles. The research will provide a better understanding of nanostructures and the influence of fiber and structural parameters on the superhydrophobic characteristics of the nonwoven. The project will also facilitate further research in the field and provide a useful knowledge base for the industrial and academic communities. The project aims to create a circular economy in textile industries by utilizing industrial fibrous wastes for oil spill clean-up applications.