Application of Cellulose Nanomaterials in Water Treatment Processes

Abstract

Many advanced water treatment processes have been designed and implemented to purify water, such as adsorption, photocatalysis, and membrane filtration processes. All these processes have the potential to be enhanced through the use of nanotechnology, although it is paramount that materials that are both functional and sustainable be used. The most abundant resource on the planet, cellulose, fits the above criteria as it is the source of cellulose nanomaterials (CNs). CNs which encompass both cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) possess, many excellent properties, such as high specific strength, enormous surface area, high dispersibility in water, and immense potential for modification via the surface hydroxyl groups. Their ease of modification and abundance make them excellent candidates for water treatment applications, both in pristine form and as nanocomposites. They can be easily incorporated into both aerogel and hydrogel structures to adsorb contaminants, coated with semiconducting metal oxides as supports for photocatalysts, and embedding them in membranes to enhance strength and functionality in membrane filtration processes. This thesis will explore (1) the synthesis of new CN nanocomposites tailored for advanced water treatment operations, and (2) the fabrication and evaluation of continuous water treatment processes utilizing CN nanocomposites.