Plasma Surface Engineering: Revolutionizing Wet Lay Mats for Heavy Metal Remediation from Aerosols
Discipline: Nanoscience or Materials Science
Subcategory: Pollution/Toxic Substances/Waste
Session: 4
Room: L'efant Plaza
Lea Elena Hebert - Grambling State University
Co-Author(s): Renjith Pillai, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; Vinoy Thomas, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
This study employed the use of a plasma-engineered Activated Carbon Fiber (ACF) mat toefficiently eliminate heavy metals (HMs) from the air. The objective of thisenvironmentally conscious project was to enhance air quality in severely contaminatedregions, focusing on the northern area of Birmingham. The study primarily employs low-temperature plasma (LTP) treatment to modify the ACF mat. Plasma surface modification(PSM) is an environmentally friendly approach that preserves the fundamental properties ofthe material being treated. Plasma treatment was conducted using a plasma cleaner machineand diverse precursors, with varying treatment parameters. To assess the effectiveness ofthese modifications, filtration efficiency experiments were conducted using a custom-builtexperimental system. Manganese aerosols were generated using a particle generator withMnCl 2 solution. Various precursors were employed for the PSM including Air, Oxygen,Vinyl Pyrrolidone, Tetrahydrofuran, Thiophene, Pyrrole, Aniline, and Mercaptoethanol.The physicochemical properties of the mat were examined before and after LTP treatment,as well as after adsorption experiments. These examinations confirmed the adsorption ofmetals on the surface of the mat and substantiated the observed changes in the morphologyof the NFs. Overall, this environmentally inspired project effectively employed ACF matand LTP treatment to remove HMs metals from the air. The successful modifications of themat’s surface using PSM techniques were validated through filtration efficiencyexperiments and physicochemical characterizations, which confirmed the adsorption ofmetals on the mat’s surface and the resulting morphological changes in the fibers.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): Renjith Pillai, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, ALVinoy Thomas, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Faculty Advisor: Vinoy Thomas, vthomas@uab.edu
Role: I prepared the samples of the ACF mats utilizing a low-temperature plasma treatment. I achieved that by using a plasma cleaner machine with different precursors while altering the treatment parameters. I also collected filtration experiment data and made the necessary calculations to determine the filtration efficiency of each mat.