| Ref.No: | 68163900 |
| Start date: | 28.07.2023 |
| End date: | 13.06.2025 |
| Approval date: | 28.07.2023 |
| Department: | CHEMICAL ENGINEERING |
| Sector: | CHEMICAL SCIENCES |
| Financier: | ΕΣΠΑ 2014-2020, EUDEP - EIDIKI UPIRESIA DIAHEIRISIS EPIHEIRISIAKOU PROGRAMMATOS PERIFEREIAS ATTIKIS/GGEK |
| Budget: | 64.537,50 € |
| Public key: | ΨΔΓΜ46ΨΖΣ4-7ΛΠ |
| Scientific Responsible: | Prof. PAVLATOU |
| Email: | pavlatou@chemeng.ntua.gr |
| Description: | THE NEXT GENERATION OF WASTEWATER DECONTAMINATION TECHNOLOGIES SEEKS FOR INNOVATIVE, CHEAP AND ENERGY EFFICIENT SOLUTIONS. RESINS OR METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORK MODIFIED SPONGES CURRENTLY MANIFEST AS PROMISING MATERIALS FOR TOXIC METALS (SUCH AS DIVALENT MERCURY) OR CRUDE OIL REMOVAL, HOWEVER, THEY PRESENT SERIOUS DRAWBACKS SUCH AS HIGH COST AND DIFFICULTY TO BE PRODUCED IN GOOD HIGH AMOUNTS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ADDITIONALLY, VARIOUS (AND NOT ONLY ONE) MATERIALS SHOULD BE USED IN SEPARATE STAGES IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY REMOVE ALL THE CONTAMINANTS FROM WATER INCREASING ENERGY PAY-BACK TIME. THIS PRESENTS A MAJOR CHALLENGE: SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED. TO TACKLE THIS CHALLENGE, WE PROPOSE HERE TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE, SMART MATERIALS, WHICH WILL TREAT AND REMOVE CRUDE OIL, OIL RESIDUES AND DIVALENT MERCURY IN A SINGLE STEP. THESE MATERIALS ARE HYBRIDS, CONSISTING OF HYDROPHOBIC SPONGES COATED WITH COVALENT ORGANIC FRAMEWORKS (COFS), WHICH BEAR THIOL GROUPS IN ORDER TO FORM STRONG AND STABLE BONDS WITH HEAVY METALS. TO ACHIEVE THIS, THE PROJECT HAS SET THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: (1) LARGE SCALE SYNTHESIS OF THIOL-MODIFIED COFS WITH EASINESS TO CONNECT WITH SPONGES AND A HIGH SURFACE AREA; (2) EFFICIENT CHEMICAL FUNCTIONALIZATION OF THE SPONGES BY COFS OF OPTIMUM QUALITY (3) EFFICIENT REMOVAL OF MERCURY, TOTAL OIL AND OIL RESIDUES FROM SEA WATER (4) PILOT APPLICATION IN DEGRADED AREAS OF UP TO 1000 M2 (PERAMA ATTIKIS). THE METHODOLOGY IS BUILT ON THE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE OF THE CONSORTIUM, COMPRISED OF NANOVIIS, A HIGH-TECH COMPANY ON INNOVATIVE NANOTECHNOLOGIES FOR WATER TREATMENT, PREMIUM CONSULTING A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED CONSULTING COMPANY AND TWO MAJOR PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS NCSR “DEMOKRITOS” AND THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS, WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ADVANCED MATERIALS (I.E. COFS) FOR ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS. ADDRESSING THE ABOVE OBJECTIVES WILL ENABLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL MULTI-FUNCTIONAL HYBRIDS AT THE BOUNDARIES OF RESINS AND SPONGES MODIFIED WITH METAL ORGANIC FRAMEWORKS. THE SUCCESSFUL RESULTS OF THE PROJECT WILL SECURE THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OF EMERGING DECONTAMINATION TECHNOLOGIES AND, THEREFORE, ASSURE THAT THESE TECHNOLOGIES WILL LITERALLY IMPROVE THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE OF ATTIKI. |
