Abstract: A reactor for water splitting or water treatment includes a first electrode, a second electrode electrically coupled to the first electrode, and a proton exchange membrane separating the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode includes a first optical fiber coated with a photocatalytic material.

Abstract: A method for preparing a nano-enabled activated carbon block, a nano-enabled activated carbon block produced by the method, a household water filtration system comprising the nano-enabled activated carbon block, and a method for filtering tap water using the household water filtration system are provided. The method includes contacting a solution including a metal(lic) precursor (e.g. a titanium compound and/or an iron compound and/or a zirconium compound) with activated carbon particles such that the solution fills pores of the activated carbon particles. The method further includes causing a metal (hydr)oxide (e.g. titanium dioxide and/or zirconium dioxide and/or iron oxide) to precipitate from the solution thereby causing metal oxide nanoparticles to become deposited within pores of the activated carbon particles. The method also includes preparing a nano-enabled activated carbon block from the activated carbon particles having metal oxide nanoparticles deposited within the pores thereof.

Abstract: Fabricating a hybrid sorbent media includes contacting a porous material with a first aqueous solution including phosphate ions to yield a first mixture, contacting the first mixture with a second aqueous solution comprising calcium ions to yield a second mixture, and adjusting a pH of the second mixture to form hydroxyapatite inside the porous media to yield the hybrid sorbent media.

Abstract: Preparing a porous hybrid media includes contacting porous media (e.g., strong base ion-exchange media) with an aqueous solution including aluminum ions to yield a aluminum-ion-containing porous media, contacting the aluminum-ion containing porous media with a reducing agent to impregnate elemental aluminum in the porous media, and oxidizing the elemental aluminum to yield a porous hybrid media including aluminum hydr(oxide) impregnated in the porous media. In some cases, a pH of an aqueous mixture including the aluminum-ion-containing porous media may be adjusted to form a floc including aluminum hydroxide, and the aluminum hydroxide-containing porous media may be contacted with a reducing agent to yield a porous hybrid media including aluminum hydr(oxide) impregnated in the porous media. The porous hybrid media may advantageously be prepared at low temperature (e.g., room temperature).

Abstract: A reactor for water splitting or water treatment includes a first electrode, a second electrode electrically coupled to the first electrode, and a proton exchange membrane separating the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode includes a first optical fiber coated with a photocatalytic material.

Abstract: A reactor for water splitting or water treatment includes a first electrode, a second electrode electrically coupled to the first electrode, and a proton exchange membrane separating the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode includes a first optical fiber coated with a photocatalytic material.

Abstract: A method for preparing a nano-enabled activated carbon block, a nano-enabled activated carbon block produced by the method, a household water filtration system comprising the nano-enabled activated carbon block, and a method for filtering tap water using the household water filtration system are provided. The method includes contacting a solution including a metal(lic) precursor (e.g. a titanium compound and/or an iron compound and/or a zirconium compound) with activated carbon particles such that the solution fills pores of the activated carbon particles. The method further includes causing a metal (hydr)oxide (e.g. titanium dioxide and/or zirconium dioxide and/or iron oxide) to precipitate from the solution thereby causing metal oxide nanoparticles to become deposited within pores of the activated carbon particles. The method also includes preparing a nano-enabled activated carbon block from the activated carbon particles having metal oxide nanoparticles deposited within the pores thereof.

Abstract: Fabricating a hybrid sorbent media includes contacting a porous material with a first aqueous solution including phosphate ions to yield a first mixture, contacting the first mixture with a second aqueous solution comprising calcium ions to yield a second mixture, and adjusting a pH of the second mixture to form hydroxyapatite inside the porous media to yield the hybrid sorbent media.

Abstract: Preparing a porous hybrid media includes contacting porous media (e.g., strong base ion-exchange media) with an aqueous solution including aluminum ions to yield a aluminum-ion-containing porous media, contacting the aluminum-ion containing porous media with a reducing agent to impregnate elemental aluminum in the porous media, and oxidizing the elemental aluminum to yield a porous hybrid media including aluminum hydr(oxide) impregnated in the porous media. In some cases, a pH of an aqueous mixture including the aluminum-ion-containing porous media may be adjusted to form a floc including aluminum hydroxide, and the aluminum hydroxide-containing porous media may be contacted with a reducing agent to yield a porous hybrid media including aluminum hydr(oxide) impregnated in the porous media. The porous hybrid media may advantageously be prepared at low temperature (e.g., room temperature).

Abstract: Preparing a porous hybrid media includes contacting porous media (e.g., strong base ion-exchange media) with an aqueous solution including aluminum ions to yield a aluminum-ion-containing porous media, contacting the aluminum-ion containing porous media with a reducing agent to impregnate elemental aluminum in the porous media, and oxidizing the elemental aluminum to yield a porous hybrid media including aluminum hydr(oxide) impregnated in the porous media. In some cases, a pH of an aqueous mixture including the aluminum-ion-containing porous media may be adjusted to form a floc including aluminum hydroxide, and the aluminum hydroxide-containing porous media may be contacted with a reducing agent to yield a porous hybrid media including aluminum hydr(oxide) impregnated in the porous media. The porous hybrid media may advantageously be prepared at low temperature (e.g., room temperature).

Abstract: Preparing a porous hybrid media includes contacting porous media (e.g., strong base ion-exchange media) with an aqueous solution including aluminum ions to yield a aluminum-ion-containing porous media, contacting the aluminum-ion containing porous media with a reducing agent to impregnate elemental aluminum in the porous media, and oxidizing the elemental aluminum to yield a porous hybrid media including aluminum hydr(oxide) impregnated in the porous media. In some cases, a pH of an aqueous mixture including the aluminum-ion-containing porous media may be adjusted to form a floc including aluminum hydroxide, and the aluminum hydroxide-containing porous media may be contacted with a reducing agent to yield a porous hybrid media including aluminum hydr(oxide) impregnated in the porous media. The porous hybrid media may advantageously be prepared at low temperature (e.g., room temperature).

Abstract: Porous nanocomposite fibers are fabricated by electrospinning a solution including a polymer, a solvent, and a nanomaterial. The resulting fibers can be used in the form of a filter to remove a variety of organic and inorganic contaminants from an aqueous environment, and provide a macroscopic matrix to facilitate separation of the nanomaterial from the aqueous environment.

Abstract: Hybrid media formed by combining a metal precursor solution with particulate media to yield a mixture, decanting the mixture to yield a decanted mixture, heating the decanted mixture in via microwave radiation to yield hybrid media, rinsing the hybrid media with water, soaking the rinsed hybrid media in a salt solution, and rinsing the soaked hybrid media with water. The hybrid media includes a metal dioxide derived from the metal precursor, such as TiO2 derived from TiOSO4.

Abstract: A reactor for water splitting or water treatment includes a first electrode, a second electrode electrically coupled to the first electrode, and a proton exchange membrane separating the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode includes a first optical fiber coated with a photocatalytic material.

Abstract: A water treatment system including: a flow regulation control system configured to combine oxo-anion-contaminated water with a reduction-promoting agent, a hole scavenger, or both; a reactor fluidically coupled to the flow regulation control system; a first set of system control probes configured to monitor the concentration of oxygen and oxo-anion in the contaminated water; a second set of system control probes configured to monitor concentration of the oxo-anion and reduction products of the oxo-anion in treated effluent from the reactor; and a controller configured to control the flow regulation control system, thereby controlling the flow rate of the contaminated water and the at least one of the reduction-promoting agent and the hole scavenger to the reactor based at least in part on the concentration of oxo-anion and the reduction products of the oxo-anion in the treated effluent.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for measuring a water contaminant. In an exemplary embodiment the system comprises an intake configured to be in fluid communication with a water source of interest, a cumulative flow meter configured to measure the amount of water passing through the cumulative sampler system, and a sampler cell configured to receive water from the intake, the sampler cell comprising a media configured to adsorb the water contaminant.

Abstract: Hybrid media formed by combining a metal precursor solution with particulate media to yield a mixture, decanting the mixture to yield a decanted mixture, heating the decanted mixture in via microwave radiation to yield hybrid media, rinsing the hybrid media with water, soaking the rinsed hybrid media in a salt solution, and rinsing the soaked hybrid media with water. The hybrid media includes a metal dioxide derived from the metal precursor, such as TiO2 derived from TiOSO4.

Abstract: A water treatment system including: a flow regulation control system configured to combine oxo-anion-contaminated water with a reduction-promoting agent, a hole scavenger, or both; a reactor fluidically coupled to the flow regulation control system; a first set of system control probes configured to monitor the concentration of oxygen and oxo-anion in the contaminated water; a second set of system control probes configured to monitor concentration of the oxo-anion and reduction products of the oxo-anion in treated effluent from the reactor; and a controller configured to control the flow regulation control system, thereby controlling the flow rate of the contaminated water and the at least one of the reduction-promoting agent and the hole scavenger to the reactor based at least in part on the concentration of oxo-anion and the reduction products of the oxo-anion in the treated effluent.

Abstract: A titanium dioxide-based hybrid ion-exchange media including anatase titanium dioxide nanoparticles supported by an ion-exchange resin for removing strong acid ions and oxo-anions from water. The titanium dioxide-based hybrid ion-exchange media is prepared in situ by combining ion-exchange media with a TiO2+ precursor solution to form a mixture and heating the mixture to yield the hybrid ion-exchange media.