Composite material and a water purifying system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12157683-B2
Application number	US-202217570756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2022
Priority date	Jan 11, 2021
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

A composite material for floating on a contaminated water source, including: A) a polymeric structure having a network of interconnected porous channels; and B) a carbonous material dispersed within the polymeric structure, the carbonous material has a functionalized surface. The composite material has a density of less than 1 g/cm 3 , and the contaminated water source contains a low-boiling-point contaminant. The polymeric structure draws contaminated water from the contaminated water source into the polymeric structure via capillary action, and the functionalized surface removes the low-boiling point contaminant from the contaminated water. A method of purifying water using the composite material as mentioned herein and a kit for harvesting purified water including the composite material as mentioned herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composite material for floating on providing purified water from a contaminated water source containing a low-boiling point contaminant, the composite material comprising a carbon-based aerogel including:
A) a polymeric structure comprising a network of interconnected porous channels; and
B) a carbonous material dispersed within and supported by the polymeric structure, the carbonous material comprising a functionalized surface,
wherein the composite material has a density of less than 1 g/cm 3 , such that the composite material is floatable on the surface of the contaminated water source, thereby enabling water purification of the contaminated water source, wherein the water purification is enabled by the polymeric structure which draws contaminated water from the contaminated water source into the polymeric structure via capillary action, and wherein the functionalized surface removes the low-boiling-point contaminant from the contaminated water to provide purified water.

2. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the network of interconnected porous channels comprises a first network of porous channels infiltrated with a second network of porous channels; and wherein the first network of porous channels comprises first network pores with a first pore size, and the second network of porous channels comprises second network pores with a second pore size, wherein the first pore size is at least about 20 times larger than the second pore size.

3. The composite material of claim 2 , wherein the first pore size is from about 30 μm to about 150 μm.

4. The composite material of claim 2 , wherein the second pore size is from about 0.1 μm to about 7.5 μm.

5. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric structure further comprises an evaporation region which is adapted to evaporate the purified water within the polymeric structure.

6. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the carbonous material is selected from the group consisting of active carbon, amorphous carbon, carbonized biomass, carbonized wood material, and a combination thereof.

7. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the functionalized surface comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, a carbonyl group, an amino group, and a combination thereof.

8. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric structure comprises a hydrophilic polymer, and wherein the hydrophilic polymer has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of at least 10.

9. The composite material of claim 8 , wherein the hydrophilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, poly(acrylamide), poly(ethylene glycol), poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone, polyurethanes, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene oxide, co-polymers of the foregoing, and combinations of the foregoing, including the co-polymers.

10. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the composite material comprises from about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt % of the carbonous material.

11. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the composite material comprises a porosity greater than about 70%.

12. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the composite material comprises a specific surface area from about 1.0 m 2 g −1 to about 20 m 2 g −1 .

13. A method for purifying water, comprising the steps of:
A) drawing, via capillary action, contaminated water from a contaminated water source into the composite material according to claim 1 , wherein the contaminated water comprises a low-boiling-point contaminant;
B) applying radiation to the composite material to generate water vapor therefrom;
C) condensing the water vapor into water droplets; and
D) collecting the water droplets to form purified water.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the low-boiling-point contaminant is selected from the group consisting of mercury ion, an organic solvent, an organic pesticide, and a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein step A) further comprises the step of capturing the low-boiling-point contaminant by the carbonous material of the composite material.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the radiation comprises solar radiation selected from the group consisting of natural sun irradiation, artificial solar radiation, and a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the solar radiation is generated by a solar simulator producing from about 1 sun irradiation unit to about 5 sun irradiation units.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the contaminated water source further comprises an organic dye or metal ions other than mercury ion.

19. A kit for harvesting purified water, comprising:
A) a composite material according to claim 1 ;
B) a contaminated water unit; and
C) a purified water collecting unit.

Assignees

• Univ City Hong Kong

Inventors

• Lee Chun-Sing
• Li Shengliang
• Huang Zhongming
• Wan Yingpeng

Classifications

• C02F1/14

  using solar energy · CPC title

• C02F1/283

  using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them · CPC title

• C02F1/285

  using synthetic organic sorbents · CPC title

• C02F2101/308

  Dyes; Colorants; Fluorescent agents · CPC title

• C02F2101/20

  Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds · CPC title