A composite material and a water purifying system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022220008-A1
Application number	US-202217570756-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 7, 2022
Priority date	Jan 11, 2021
Publication date	Jul 14, 2022
Grant date	—

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/cm3, 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 a contaminated water source, comprising:
A) a polymeric structure comprising a network of interconnected porous channels; and B) a carbonous material dispersed within the polymeric structure, the carbonous material comprising a functionalized surface, wherein the composite material has a density of less than 1 g/cm 3 , wherein the contaminated water source comprises a low-boiling-point contaminant, wherein the polymeric structure 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.

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 pores with pore size at least about 20 times larger than the pores of the second network of porous channels.

3 . 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.

4 . 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.

5 . 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.

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

7 . The composite material of claim 6 , 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, a co-polymer thereof, and a combination thereof.

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

9 . The composite material of claim 2 , wherein the first network of porous channels comprise pores with a pore size from about 30 μm to about 150 μm.

10 . The composite material of claim 2 , wherein the second network of porous channels comprise pores with a pore size from about 0.1 μm to about 7.5 μm.

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 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the composite material is a carbon-based aerogel.

14 . 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.

15 . The method of claim 14 , 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.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein step A) further comprises the step of capturing, neutralizing, and a combination thereof, the low-boiling-point contaminant by the carbonous material of the composite material.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the radiation comprises a solar radiation generated from a source selected from the group consisting of natural sun irradiation, artificial solar radiation, and a combination thereof.

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

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the contaminated water source further comprises an organic dye or metal ions other than mercury ion.

20 . 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

• C02F1/283

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

• C02F2101/322

  Volatile compounds, e.g. benzene · CPC title

• C02F1/285

  using synthetic organic sorbents · CPC title

• C02F2101/306

  Pesticides · CPC title

• C02F1/14

  using solar energy · CPC title