Joshua Powell’s paper entitled “Amide Link Scission in the Polyamide Active Layers of Thin-Film Composite Membranes upon Exposure to Free Chlorine: Kinetics and Mechanisms” is published in Environmental Science and Technology. This is the first study that characterizes the kinetics of amide link scission (i.e., depolymerization) upon exposure to free chlorine. We showed that amide link scission is negligible at acidic pH and significant at alkaline pH. In addition, amide link scission is also significant when membranes chlorinated at acidic pH are subsequently exposed at alkaline pH. The degree of amide link scission upon alkaline rinsing was found to be strongly correlated to the exposure to hypochlorous acid (i.e., integral under the curve of hypochlorous acid concentration vs exposure time) by a unique function regardless of the pH of chlorination, free chlorine concentration in solution or exposure time. This paper can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b02110 (Environmental Science and Technology. 2015, 49, 12136–12144).
Coronell Research Group
Water and Energy
(Paper) Investigating the void structure of the polyamide active layers of thin-film composite membranes
Lin Lin’s paper entitled “Investigating the void structure of the polyamide active layers of thin-film composite membranes” is published in the Journal of Membrane Science. For ~30 years, the active layer of TFC membranes has been conceptualized as a dense, nonporous film. This study showed that ~15-40% of the active layer volume is occupied by pores disconnected from the feed side which markedly changes the understanding of solute and water transport through TFC membranes. This paper can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2015.09.020 (Journal of Membrane Science, 2016, 497, 365-376).
Lamar (Tony) Perry is invited to the 2015 BEST Symposium at Dow Chemical Company
Lamar (Tony) Perry received an invitation to attend the 2015 Building Engineering & Science Talent (BEST) Symposium at the Dow Chemical Company headquartered in Michigan. As one of a few participants selected from across the country, Tony will deliver a two minute presentation for staff scientists and engineers, interact with staff across all levels of the organization, gain insight on research projects undertaken at Dow as well as gain valuable tips for a successful career at leading global organization. Congratulations, Tony!
Ryan Kingsbury named the 2015 Duke Energy Fellow
Ryan Kingsbury has been named the 2015 Duke Energy Fellow by UNC’s Institute for the Environment for his work in energy storage and generation from salinity gradients. This fellowship provides support for doctoral students conducting energy-related research with the potential for broad societal impacts. Congratulations, Ryan!
(Paper) Energy storage by reversible electrodialysis: the concentration battery
A paper co-authored by Ryan Kingsbury (founder and CEO of Bluecell Energy LLC) and Dr. Coronell entitled “Energy storage by reversible electrodialysis: the concentration battery” is accepted for publication in the Journal of Membrane Science. This study constitutes the first attempt to use electrodialytic processes for reversible energy storage and demonstrates that a functioning battery can be constructed using typical RED stack components and commercially available ion exchange membranes. The paper can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2015.06.050. Image reproduced with permission from Elsevier.
Ariel Atkinson receives a Dissertation Completion Fellowship
Ariel Atkinson receives a Dissertation Completion Fellowship from the Graduate School to support the completion of her doctoral work on the development of a novel anti-biofouling membrane. This fellowship is given to select doctoral candidates to allow them to focus on research and writing full-time in their final year. Congratulations, Ariel!
Lamar (Tony) Perry is awarded RTI International’s 2015 Professional Development Award
Lamar (Tony) Perry receives RTI International’s 2015 Professional Development Award (PDA) to support the completion of his doctoral work in thin-film (nano)composite membrane characterization. This award was established to promote development opportunities and continued growth beyond the scope of an employee’s traditional roles and responsibilities. Congratulations, Tony!
Coronell Group receives UNC Research Opportunities Initiative (ROI) award
Our research group, in collaboration with The Call Lab at NCSU, is awarded one of six three-year grants for the project “Salinity Gradient Energy – An Inexhaustible Clean Energy Resource for North Carolina”. These are the first UNC Research Opportunities Initiative (ROI) awards supported by the North Carolina General Administration to advance game-changing collaborative research in areas of strategic importance to the state. For more information, please click here.
Ariel Atkinson is awarded the NWRI-AMTA Fellowship
Ariel Atkinson receives the National Water Research Institute-American Membrane Technology Association (NWRI-AMTA) Fellowship for Membrane Technology in support of her research on the development of a novel anti-biofouling membrane. This competitive fellowship is given annually to two outstanding graduate students in the United States doing original and promising research to advance membrane technology in the water, wastewater, or water reuse industries.
(Paper) Fouling of nanofiltration membranes in full- and bench-scale systems treating groundwater containing silica
Alex Gorzalski’s paper entitled “Fouling of nanofiltration membranes in full- and bench-scale systems treating groundwater containing silica” has been published in the Journal of Membrane Science. The paper performs an in-depth comparison of fouling in membranes at the lead and tail ends of a full-scale nanofiltration system treating a groundwater containing silica, as well as in a membrane fouled at bench scale with concentrate water from the full-scale system. This paper can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2014.06.013 (Journal of Membrane Science, 2014, 468, 349-359).
(Paper) Kinetics, mechanisms, and modeling of chlorine uptake by RO membranes upon exposure to free chlorine
Joshua Powell’s paper entitled “Bulk chlorine uptake by polyamide active layers of thin-film composite membranes upon exposure to free chlorine – kinetics, mechanisms, and modeling” has been published in Environmental Science and Technology. The paper studies the volume-averaged kinetics, mechanisms and modeling of chlorine uptake by polyamide reverse osmosis membranes upon exposure to free chlorine. The uptake of chlorine by polyamide membranes leads to membrane performance degradation. This paper can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es4047632 (Environmental Science and Technology, 2014, 48, 2741-2749).
New members join our group in Fall 2013!
Our group welcomes Ariel Atkinson, Kasia Grzebyk, John Gilles, and Sabrina Sultana. Ariel and Kasia joins us as doctoral students, both co-advised with Dr. Howard Weinberg. John (co-advised with Dr. Mark Sobsey) and Sabrina joins us as Master’s students. The new members will work on various projects related to the development of new membranes, point-of-use water treatment, and water desalination. Back row (left-to-right): Orlando (Group Director), Tony, Kasia, John. Front row (left-to-right): Sabrina, Ariel, Wan, Jingbo, Lin.
Alex Gorzalski, Foulant Fighter!
Alex Gorzalski, “The Foulant Fighter”, is featured in UNC endeavors for his work on fouling and cleaning of nanofiltration membranes. The full article can be found at The Foulant Fighter.
Farewell to Arianna!
Arianna Catenacci, visiting PhD student, returns to Politecnico di Milano in Italy after a six month visit with our research group. Our farewell dinner was held at Monterrey Mexican Restaurant. We will miss her!
Josh Powell successfully defends his Masters Technical Report!
Josh Powell successfully defends his Masters Technical Report. Josh studied the degradation of polyamide membranes by free chlorine. Our group celebrated with dinner at Happy China. Congratulations Josh!
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