Tubular graphitic carbon nitride-anchored on porous diatomite for enhanced solar energy efficiency in photocatalytic remediation and energy storage performance.

Dual functional materials can be beneficial for simultaneous application in different fields. Herein, tubular graphitic carbon nitride (TCN) was anchored on natural diatomite (DT) by performing a simple hydrothermal-calcination method and the as-obtained composite (TCN/DT) was utilized in both photocatalytic remediation and thermal energy storage. The optimal sample, TCN/DT/3, could degrade 88.9 % of tetracycline, which was about 2.87 times than that of the pristine TCN. This could be due to extended light absorption ability, altered band structure and enhanced separation rate of photoinduced carrier. The photocatalytic efficiency remained 78.0% after fifth cycle, indicating its reusability feature. The reaction was mainly driven by superoxide radicals as well as holes and hydroxyl radicals mediated the reaction. The TCN/DT/3/Vis system showed good performance at near-neutral pH, also the system could be efficiently performed under tap water and drinking water. On the other hand, the usage of TCN/DT/3 catalyst as a framework for shape-stabilized stearic acid (SA) based composite phase change materials (PCMs) was explored. The composite PCM exhibited higher thermal energy storage capacity accompanied with improved thermal conductivity in comparison with DT/PCM composite. This study presented a novel composite materials which exhibited a synergistic effect between TCN and DT, resulting in high photocatalytic activity and effective thermal energy storage capacity.

Sulfonated polyHIPE/nanoclay composites with hierarchically porous structure for efficient removal of endocrine-disrupting hormone from aqueous solution.

The objective of this study is the synthesis of macroporous polystyrene-based polyHIPE/nanoclay (p[HIPE]/NClay) monoliths and post-functionalization of the monoliths through sulfonation to improve the structural and textural properties as well as adsorption performances toward bisphenol A (BPA) as an endocrine-disrupting chemical. The adsorption tests were conducted with raw p(HIPE), nanoclay, p(HIPE)/NClay, and sulfonated samples in order to obtain insights in the adsorption mechanism. The synergy between clay embedding and sulfonation resulted in higher BPA removal performance of p(HIPE)/NClay@S sample (96% removal) when compared with the raw polyHIPE (52% removal). The adsorption efficiency was mainly attributed to the functionality, followed by porosity and hydrophilicity of the as-synthesized materials. Considering the roles of hydrophobic, hydrogen-bonding, and π-π stacking interactions, the adsorption mechanism was discussed by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Moreover, the experimental parameters including solution pH, co-existing anions, ionic strength, and temperature were investigated in detail. The adsorption data were fitted to isotherm and kinetic models. The composite adsorbents also displayed excellent regeneration and stability until the fifth cycle. This research provides fresh insights into the effective adsorptive removal of endocrine-disrupting hormones by sulfonated porous nanoclay-polymer monoliths. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Sulfonated p (HIPE)/nanoclay monoliths were prepared. Bisphenol A adsorption mechanism was explored in detail. Nanoclay incorporation and sulfonation greatly enhanced the removal efficiency. The composite could be used until the fifth cycle.

Hierarchical Macroporous PolyDCPD Composites from Surface-Modified Calcite-Stabilized High Internal Phase Emulsions.

High Internal Phase Emulsions (HIPEs) of dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) were prepared using mixtures of surface-modified calcite (mCalcite) and a non-ionic surfactant. Twelve different emulsion formulations were created using an experimental design methodology. Three distinctive levels of the internal phase ratio, the amount of mCalcite loading, and the surfactant were used to prepare the HIPEs. Accordingly, macroporous polyDCPD composites were synthesized by performing ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) on the HIPEs. The variations in the morphological and physical properties of the composites were investigated in terms of experimental parameters. In the end, five different model equations were derived with a confidence level of 95%. The main and binary interaction effects of the experimental parameters on the responses, such as the average cavity size, interconnecting pore size, specific surface area, foam density, and compression modulus, were demonstrated. The synergistic interaction between the amount of surfactant, the amount of mCalcite loading, and the internal phase ratio appeared to have a dominant role in the average cavity diameter. The solo effect of the internal phase ratio on the interconnecting pore size, foam density, and compression modulus was confirmed. In addition, it was demonstrated that the specific surface area of the composites was mainly changed depending on the amount of mCalcite loading.