Electrospun Nanofibers
Electrospinning is an industrial viable technique to produce a broad range of organic and inorganic nanofibers with controlled properties. Electrospun carbon nanofibers are of great interest because of their large surface area, diversed functional groups, and unique mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. We have worked on the development of electrospun nanofibers as supports for Pd-based catalysts and photocatalysts, and their application for water purification.
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Electrospinning setup
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Carbon nanofibers characterization by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and atomic force microscope (AFM).
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How flexible a carbon nanofiber mat can be?
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Ongoing Projects
Biomass-based Nanocomposite Electrodes with Insertion Materials for Desalinating Brackish Agricultural Drainage (Funded by USDA-NIFA Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems Program, 2022-2025)
Water scarcity poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity in arid regions. A solution to this water scarcity problem is to capture and reuse the agricultural drainage for irrigation. However, the agricultural drainage in arid regions typically contains high concentrations of salts. Desalination by electrochemical deionization offers a solution to the reuse of brackish agriculture drainage for irrigation without further exacerbating soil salinization.
We are working with Drs. Xitong Liu (The George Washington University) and Pei Dong (George Mason University) to prepare biomass-derived carbon nanofiber- supported insertion material nanocomposites as the electrodes for desalinating brackish agricultural drainage. Particularly, our group uses electrospinning to fabricate carbon nanofibers as the support for the electrode.
We are working with Drs. Xitong Liu (The George Washington University) and Pei Dong (George Mason University) to prepare biomass-derived carbon nanofiber- supported insertion material nanocomposites as the electrodes for desalinating brackish agricultural drainage. Particularly, our group uses electrospinning to fabricate carbon nanofibers as the support for the electrode.