Engineering and Technology Journal

Sustainable source-based hydrogels are now paid much importance for managing water pollution due to their distinctive chemical and physical properties like hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, viscoelasticity, superabsorbancy, softness, fluffiness, and biodegradability. Alginate-based hydrogels can incorporate much water due to their hydrophilic nature.Water pollution often changes groundwater, resulting in the inability to use it. Alginate-based gels remove pollutants through adsorption/desorption, transport, and other conventional techniques. Alginate-based hydrogels can incorporate much water due to their hydrophilic nature. Their composites have been demonstrated to control different water pollutants like inorganic, organic, and pathogenic microbes from various water streams in unique structural forms like a flat membrane, hollow fibber, microspheres, gels, foams, nanofibers, Calcium and sodium alginate-based hydrogel along with other materials like activated charcoal, zeolite, bentonite, graphene, biochars and composites have been proved to be effective blend in managing heavy metal pollutants.This review summarizes the results obtained from the sustainable removal of contaminants from water through the alginate-based hydrogel and the challenges associated with it for practical application in the future.

Due to its high penetration force and low viscosity, the Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) can spread between the graphite layers, overcome van der Waals forces, and transform graphite into multilayer graphene. The results of the test plan with the Design Expert software and also the use of these results in the laboratory showed that the parameters of temperature, pressure, initial amount of graphite, addition of surfactant and solvent auxiliary, the duration of sample placement in the device, the duration of carbon dioxide gas release from the device, and the time and power of ultrasonic and centrifuge operations can accelerate the exfoliation process. The resulting graphene was characterized by TEM, RAMAN, XRD, and AFM techniques. Based on the obtained results, it was found that mono/bilayer graphene was obtained by applying optimum conditions. The results confirmed the formation of mono/bilayer graphene based on the G-Band of 1583 cm-1 in the Raman test, a wavelength of 26.44° in the XRD test, and a thickness of 1.5 nm in the AFM test. With a simple, low-cost approach, this method, without using toxic and expensive chemicals with high profitability, can replace other complex graphene production methods, such as chemical vapor leakage and plasma etching, and be chemically reduced.

Carbon fiber cloths (CFCs) are essential materials extensively studied and utilized in numerous applications, including supercapacitors (SCs), batteries, solar cells, and catalysis. CFC is gaining significant research attention as an inexpensive choice for (SC) electrode materials, mainly owing to its peculiar adaptability, which makes it suitable for conveyable or flexible devices. In fact, this characteristic is not easily attainable with other carbon-based matrices. However, bare CFC electrodes face difficulties concerning their capacitive performance because of numerous factors, including markedly little surface space, poor electrochemical efficacy, and limited porousness. In this way, these factors reduce their efficiency as supercapacitor electrodes. To address this, the incorporation of transition metal oxides (TMOs) and conducting polymers (CPs) within the CFC is expected to be crucial in developing the electrochemical performance. This work thoroughly reviews the design and the modification of (CFC) that provide high-performance electrode supercapacitors. It emphasizes implementing effective approaches, such as active material loading, specifically focusing on iron oxides. The SCs have high working potentials and can effectively increase their energy density by iron oxides. According to the researchers’ findings, combining CFC and FeCo2O4 has a high electrochemical performance and potential range in aqueous electrolytes. Additionally, this paper outlines and highlights the recent advancements in developing iron oxides-CFC and iron oxides/CP-CFC for supercapacitor applications. It explores their design approaches and electrochemical properties, offering insights into future opportunities for energy storage technologies.

The present study harnessed a commercially available polydimethylsiloxane (PDMSTM4060) membrane designed for the selective separation of soluble benzene (C6H6) and toluene (C7H8) compounds from an aqueous solution employing pervaporation (PV). Two distinct mathematical models, namely the universal quasi-chemical (UNIQUAC) model and the conventional driving force model, were formulated to replicate the intricate transport mechanisms of both organic solvent and water across these membranes. These models were instrumental in projecting the membrane's performance across diverse operational scenarios. The anticipated results were rigorously compared with experimental data to validate the projected outcomes for non-ideal volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-water systems within the membrane. Correlations pertaining to diffusivity were derived from the model and experimental pervaporation data. Utilizing the UNIQUAC theory and derived diffusivity correlations enabled the estimation of VOCs and water permeation through the commercial membrane. Notably, for the PDMSTM4060 membrane, the established diffusivity correlations for VOCs and water were contingent upon temperature variations and the activity of VOCs. The anticipated permeation flux of VOCs and water through the membranes was prognosticated using the mass transport model in conjunction with the established diffusivity correlations. The resultant findings showcased a robust concurrence between the predictive model and the empirical data, affirming the reliability of the proposed approach.