Electrospun nanofiber composites for water treatment applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11136453-B2
Application number	US-201716303807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2017
Priority date	May 26, 2016
Publication date	Oct 5, 2021
Grant date	Oct 5, 2021

Abstract

Composites comprising polymeric nanofibers, metal oxide nanoparticles, and optional surface-segregating surfactants and precursor compositions are disclosed. Also disclosed are nonwoven mats formed from the composites and methods of making and using the composites. The composites enable the deployment of nanostructured materials for water treatment within a self-contained membrane with high water fluxes, as well as a number uses.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composite, comprising,
polymeric nanofibers;
metal oxide nanoparticles;
wherein at least a portion of said metal oxide nanoparticles are embedded within said polymeric nanofibers and at least another portion of said metal oxide nanoparticles embedded on said polymeric nanofibers;
optionally, surface-segregating surfactant; and
optionally, carbon nanotubes, graphene, or a combination thereof; wherein said composite has a pore volume, as determined by N 2 -BET analysis, of at least about 0.1 cm 3 /g.

2. A nonwoven mat, comprising:
the composite of claim 1 .

3. A point-of-use filtration device, comprising:
the nonwoven mat of claim 2 .

4. A modular filter system, comprising:
a first module comprising the nonwoven mat of claim 2 ;
a second module capable of chemical oxidation, disinfection, or a combination thereof; and
at least one further module capable of sorbing dissolved organic matter, oxidation byproducts, or a combination thereof.

5. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the surface-segregating surfactant is present at a level of about 0.1% by weight to about 3% by weight, based on the total weight of the composite.

6. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the surface-segregating surfactant is sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS), cetyltrimethylammonium (cetrimonium) bromide (CTAB), tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB), cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), or a mixture thereof.

7. A composite, comprising,
polymeric nanofibers;
metal oxide nanoparticles;
wherein at least a portion of said metal oxide nanoparticles are embedded within said polymeric nanofibers and at least another portion of said metal oxide nanoparticles embedded on said polymeric nanofibers;
optionally, surface-segregating surfactant; and
optionally, carbon nanotubes, graphene, or a combination thereof; wherein said composite has a Young's Modulus, as measured by atomic force microscopy indentation, of less than about 100 MPa.

8. A nonwoven mat, comprising:
the composite of claim 7 .

9. A point-of-use filtration device, comprising:
the nonwoven mat of claim 8 .

10. A modular filter system, comprising:
a first module comprising the nonwoven mat of claim 8 ;
a second module capable of chemical oxidation, disinfection, or a combination thereof; and
at least one further module capable of sorbing dissolved organic matter, oxidation byproducts, or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Univ California
• Univ Iowa Res Found

Inventors

• Cwiertny David Michael
• Myung Nosang Vincent
• Peter Katherine Tanya
• Greenstein Katherine Elizabeth
• Parkin Gene Francis

Classifications

• B01D69/12

  Composite membranes; Ultra-thin membranes · CPC title

• B01D69/148

  Organic/inorganic mixed matrix membranes · CPC title

• C08K5/19

  Quaternary ammonium compounds · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• B01D2239/025

  comprising nanofibres · CPC title