New Polymer Could Greatly Improve Water Purification
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Technology
"These materials will remove pollutants in seconds, as the water flows by," explained researcher Will Dichtel
Materials scientists at Cornell University have created a new polymer with tremendous water purification abilities.
The new polymer is a porous form of cyclodextrin, a cornstarch derivative used in air fresheners to trap odorous particles. When deployed in contaminated water, the material absorbs pollutants at rates up to 200 times more efficient than traditional water purification technologies.
Most water treatment technologies use activated carbons. These materials have larger surface areas for pollutants to bind to, but they don't attract contaminant particles as efficiently. The new porous form of cyclodextrin has more space to trap toxins than previous versions.
"What we did is make the first high-surface-area material made of cyclodextrin, combining some of the advantages of the activated carbon with the inherent advantages of the cyclodextrin," lead researcher Will Dichtel, associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Cornell, explained in a press release.
"When you combine the best features of those two materials, you get a material that's even better than either class," Dichtel said. "These materials will remove pollutants in seconds, as the water flows by, so there's a potential for really low-energy, flow-through water purification, which is a big deal."
Source: UPI
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2 Comments
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The promise of cyclodextrin is detailed in a new paper, published in the Journal Nature: http://bit.ly/1PI0xle
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At Dryden Aqua we have developed an activated filter media AFM that replaces sand in sand filters. AFM can filter the water down to 1 micron with no coagulation or flocculation. If AFM is combined with your new polymer it could results in a very effective water treatment process. I would appreciate it if you would send me some information on your product. howard@drydenaqua.com