Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Tel Aviv University in Israel have made significant strides in the field of wastewater purification with the development of a remarkable graphene-modified silica aerogel adsorbent. This groundbreaking innovation, known as the “GO-SA aerogel,” effectively removes trace pollutants at parts per million (PPM) levels from wastewater, offering a sustainable solution for large-scale water purification.
Professor Rajnish Kumar, a Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize Awardee, led this pioneering research, which also involved the contributions of Subhash Kumar Sharma and P. Ranjani, Research Scholars from the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Madras, as well as Professor Hadas Mamane from the School of Mechanical Engineering at Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Aerogels, often referred to as “solid air” or “frozen smoke,” are renowned for their exceptional adsorption properties. Composed primarily of air, they possess several advantageous characteristics, such as adjustable surface chemistry, low density, and an incredibly porous structure. The research findings have been published in the esteemed journal Nature Scientific Reports, underscoring the significance of this development.
In the words of Professor Rajnish Kumar from the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Madras, “Indigenous techniques for wastewater purification have become essential not only to combat pollution but also to preserve water quality, protect ecosystems, and mitigate health risks associated with contaminated water.” This research offers a promising solution to address these challenges.
The GO-SA aerogels can be tailored to target specific contaminants by modifying their surface chemistry, making them highly versatile. Moreover, they can be regenerated and reused multiple times, not only reducing waste but also operational costs, rendering them a sustainable and cost-effective solution for water purification, as emphasized by Professor Hadas Mamane from Tel Aviv University.
The research team’s approach involved modifying silica aerogels with graphene using a method known as ‘supercritical fluid deposition.’ These Graphene-doped modified silica aerogels (GO-SA) have proven to be highly efficient in water purification due to graphene’s unique molecular structure. In their experiments, these innovative materials demonstrated impressive results, removing over 85% of pollutants in controlled settings and more than 76% in continuous flow conditions, as reported by IIT Madras.
This research represents a significant step forward in the quest for sustainable and effective methods of wastewater treatment, underscoring the potential of aerogel-based technologies to address the pressing challenges of water quality and environmental protection.
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