Exhausted Cr(VI) Sensing/Removal Aerogels Are Recycled for Water Purification and Solar-Thermal Energy Generation

Xiaoning Li; Meng Li; Quanyu Shi; Hongmin Guo; Lidong Wang; Xiaolin Guo; Zhijun Chen; Jonathan L. Sessler; Huining Xiao; Tony D. James

doi:10.1002/smll.202201949

Exhausted Cr(VI) Sensing/Removal Aerogels Are Recycled for Water Purification and Solar-Thermal Energy Generation

Xiaoning Li, Meng Li, Quanyu Shi, Hongmin Guo, Lidong Wang, Xiaolin Guo, Zhijun Chen, Jonathan L. Sessler, Huining Xiao, Tony D. James

Department of Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

30 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution has resulted in numerous environmental challenges. However, classic approaches, involving the use of solid adsorbents are subject to limitations, including the high energy consumption required for processing before and after use. Accordingly, strategies that facilitate the use of metal capture media that extends beyond waste remediation are attractive. Herein, a porous fluorescent aerogel (CPC aerogel) is constructed by immersing amino-based carbon dots (CDs-NH₂) into a polyethyleneimine (PEI)/carboxymethylated cellulose (CMC) aerogel network for the simultaneous detection and adsorption of Cr(VI). Adsorption experiments confirm that the CMC/PEI containing CDs-NH₂ aerogel (CPC aerogel) exhibits good Cr(VI) extraction capacity, and can reach a level that conforms with industrial water safety standards. In addition, the CPC aerogel can continuously detect and remove Cr(VI) at high flux. Following Cr(VI) absorption, the CPC aerogel may be vulcanized (MS_x-CPC gel) and used for solar thermoelectric generation resulting in power generation. Additionally, the MS_x-CPC gel can be used for solar steam generation and exhibits excellent evaporation rates of ≈1.31 kg m^–2 h^–1 under one sun irradiation. The results serve to underscore how materials designed for metal ion recognition and adsorption once exhausted can be exploited to provide materials for solar thermoelectric power generation and seawater desalination.

Original language	English
Article number	2201949
Journal	Small
Volume	18
Issue number	35
Early online date	4 Aug 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202201949
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The present work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant #: 21607044, 31800494). This work was also supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant #: 2021MS102), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (2018QNRC001). T.D.J. thanks the Royal Society for a Wolfson Research Merit Award and the Open Research Fund of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University for support (2020ZD01). J.L.S. acknowledges the Robert A. Welch Foundation.

Funding Information:
The present work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant #: 21607044, 31800494). This work was also supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant #: 2021MS102), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (2018QNRC001). T.D.J. thanks the Royal Society for a Wolfson Research Merit Award and the Open Research Fund of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University for support (2020ZD01). J.L.S. acknowledges the Robert A. Welch Foundation.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Small published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Funding

The present work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant #: 21607044, 31800494). This work was also supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant #: 2021MS102), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (2018QNRC001). T.D.J. thanks the Royal Society for a Wolfson Research Merit Award and the Open Research Fund of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University for support (2020ZD01). J.L.S. acknowledges the Robert A. Welch Foundation.

Keywords

amino-based carbon dots
chromium detection and adsorption
fluorescent aerogel
seawater desalination
solar thermoelectric generation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biotechnology
General Chemistry
Biomaterials
General Materials Science

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1002/smll.202201949Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Exhausted Cr(VI) Sensing/Removal Aerogels Are Recycled for Water Purification and Solar-Thermal Energy Generation",

abstract = "Heavy metal pollution has resulted in numerous environmental challenges. However, classic approaches, involving the use of solid adsorbents are subject to limitations, including the high energy consumption required for processing before and after use. Accordingly, strategies that facilitate the use of metal capture media that extends beyond waste remediation are attractive. Herein, a porous fluorescent aerogel (CPC aerogel) is constructed by immersing amino-based carbon dots (CDs-NH2) into a polyethyleneimine (PEI)/carboxymethylated cellulose (CMC) aerogel network for the simultaneous detection and adsorption of Cr(VI). Adsorption experiments confirm that the CMC/PEI containing CDs-NH2 aerogel (CPC aerogel) exhibits good Cr(VI) extraction capacity, and can reach a level that conforms with industrial water safety standards. In addition, the CPC aerogel can continuously detect and remove Cr(VI) at high flux. Following Cr(VI) absorption, the CPC aerogel may be vulcanized (MSx-CPC gel) and used for solar thermoelectric generation resulting in power generation. Additionally, the MSx-CPC gel can be used for solar steam generation and exhibits excellent evaporation rates of ≈1.31 kg m–2 h–1 under one sun irradiation. The results serve to underscore how materials designed for metal ion recognition and adsorption once exhausted can be exploited to provide materials for solar thermoelectric power generation and seawater desalination.",

keywords = "amino-based carbon dots, chromium detection and adsorption, fluorescent aerogel, seawater desalination, solar thermoelectric generation",

author = "Xiaoning Li and Meng Li and Quanyu Shi and Hongmin Guo and Lidong Wang and Xiaolin Guo and Zhijun Chen and Sessler, {Jonathan L.} and Huining Xiao and James, {Tony D.}",

note = "Funding Information: The present work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant #: 21607044, 31800494). This work was also supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant #: 2021MS102), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (2018QNRC001). T.D.J. thanks the Royal Society for a Wolfson Research Merit Award and the Open Research Fund of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University for support (2020ZD01). J.L.S. acknowledges the Robert A. Welch Foundation. Funding Information: The present work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant #: 21607044, 31800494). This work was also supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant #: 2021MS102), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (2018QNRC001). T.D.J. thanks the Royal Society for a Wolfson Research Merit Award and the Open Research Fund of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University for support (2020ZD01). J.L.S. acknowledges the Robert A. Welch Foundation. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors. Small published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.",

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AU - Li, Xiaoning

AU - Li, Meng

AU - Shi, Quanyu

AU - Guo, Hongmin

AU - Wang, Lidong

AU - Guo, Xiaolin

AU - Chen, Zhijun

AU - Sessler, Jonathan L.

AU - Xiao, Huining

AU - James, Tony D.

N1 - Funding Information: The present work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant #: 21607044, 31800494). This work was also supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant #: 2021MS102), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (2018QNRC001). T.D.J. thanks the Royal Society for a Wolfson Research Merit Award and the Open Research Fund of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University for support (2020ZD01). J.L.S. acknowledges the Robert A. Welch Foundation. Funding Information: The present work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant #: 21607044, 31800494). This work was also supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant #: 2021MS102), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (2018QNRC001). T.D.J. thanks the Royal Society for a Wolfson Research Merit Award and the Open Research Fund of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University for support (2020ZD01). J.L.S. acknowledges the Robert A. Welch Foundation. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. Small published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

PY - 2022/9/1

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N2 - Heavy metal pollution has resulted in numerous environmental challenges. However, classic approaches, involving the use of solid adsorbents are subject to limitations, including the high energy consumption required for processing before and after use. Accordingly, strategies that facilitate the use of metal capture media that extends beyond waste remediation are attractive. Herein, a porous fluorescent aerogel (CPC aerogel) is constructed by immersing amino-based carbon dots (CDs-NH2) into a polyethyleneimine (PEI)/carboxymethylated cellulose (CMC) aerogel network for the simultaneous detection and adsorption of Cr(VI). Adsorption experiments confirm that the CMC/PEI containing CDs-NH2 aerogel (CPC aerogel) exhibits good Cr(VI) extraction capacity, and can reach a level that conforms with industrial water safety standards. In addition, the CPC aerogel can continuously detect and remove Cr(VI) at high flux. Following Cr(VI) absorption, the CPC aerogel may be vulcanized (MSx-CPC gel) and used for solar thermoelectric generation resulting in power generation. Additionally, the MSx-CPC gel can be used for solar steam generation and exhibits excellent evaporation rates of ≈1.31 kg m–2 h–1 under one sun irradiation. The results serve to underscore how materials designed for metal ion recognition and adsorption once exhausted can be exploited to provide materials for solar thermoelectric power generation and seawater desalination.

AB - Heavy metal pollution has resulted in numerous environmental challenges. However, classic approaches, involving the use of solid adsorbents are subject to limitations, including the high energy consumption required for processing before and after use. Accordingly, strategies that facilitate the use of metal capture media that extends beyond waste remediation are attractive. Herein, a porous fluorescent aerogel (CPC aerogel) is constructed by immersing amino-based carbon dots (CDs-NH2) into a polyethyleneimine (PEI)/carboxymethylated cellulose (CMC) aerogel network for the simultaneous detection and adsorption of Cr(VI). Adsorption experiments confirm that the CMC/PEI containing CDs-NH2 aerogel (CPC aerogel) exhibits good Cr(VI) extraction capacity, and can reach a level that conforms with industrial water safety standards. In addition, the CPC aerogel can continuously detect and remove Cr(VI) at high flux. Following Cr(VI) absorption, the CPC aerogel may be vulcanized (MSx-CPC gel) and used for solar thermoelectric generation resulting in power generation. Additionally, the MSx-CPC gel can be used for solar steam generation and exhibits excellent evaporation rates of ≈1.31 kg m–2 h–1 under one sun irradiation. The results serve to underscore how materials designed for metal ion recognition and adsorption once exhausted can be exploited to provide materials for solar thermoelectric power generation and seawater desalination.

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KW - chromium detection and adsorption

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KW - seawater desalination

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Exhausted Cr(VI) Sensing/Removal Aerogels Are Recycled for Water Purification and Solar-Thermal Energy Generation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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