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Aromatic molecules are ubiquitous environmental pollutants, which show a significant threat to human health because of their hazardous nature. Currently, many research works focus on developing rapid molecular detection techniques compared to time-consuming conventional detection methods with complicated procedures. Recently we have introduced a technique for rapid detection of phthalates in solutions in which we have used carbon nanotube (CNT) buckypapers and CNT/cellulose composite membranes as an electrochemical sensing materials. However, they have a limitation of detecting phthalates in dilute solutions, which is great disadvantage. Therefore in this study, Silver (Ag) incorporated cellulose is used with CNT to develop a highly sensitive phthalate sensing material. Based on the studies carried out so far, this developed material shows potential for detecting down to 1 ppm (v/v) concentrated phthalates in solutions. Further studies on increasing the sensitivity of the developed phthalate sensing cellulose/CNT material and developing an easy-to-use, real-time, and in-situ phthalate sensor are to be done.

Manuscripts:

Anuchani, P.; Abeysinghe, H.; Etampawala, T.N.B.; Ag-nanoparticle Decorated Cellulose/CNT Composite for Detection of Aromatic Molecules, MRS Advances (Submitted, 2022)

Industrialization has caused high water pollution with the continuous release of harmful chemicals like dyes and pesticides. The aim of this research work to produce a polymer membrane embedded with rice husk silica to filter wastewater that would retain harmful chemicals. The polymer membrane is made out of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly ethylene glycol by embedding with the rice husk ash derived silica which is prepared using the novel method of spray drying of sodium silicate in the presence of CO₂ gas. We found that the amorphous nature of the rice husk silica highly adsorb cationic dyes. However, it does not adsorb anionic dyes. This novel filtration membrane acts as a quick, cheap and as well as selective membrane in filtration harmful dyes and its potential to filter out pesticides is currently undergoing.

Natural rubber based nanocomposites have current and potential applications in many fields. Mostly the nanomaterial are incorporated to rubber lattices during the compounding stage. However homogeneours dispersion of nanomaterial in rubber matrix is very challenging.

In this research we are trying to develop a spray drying process to improve the dispersion of carbon based nano materials such as graphite and carbon nanotubes in rubber lattices. The nanomaterils is first homogenized in latex and then spray dried to get well-dispersed nanomaterils in dry rubber matrices. So far we have achieved the well dispersed graphite in spray dried NR lattice and they have been compounded to make rubber sheets.

Table 01: The mechanical performance of rubber sheets

The mechanical properties of the rubber sheets made out of spray dried rubber is much better than that of the rubber sheets made out of conventional rubber compounding processes. Our ultimate goal is to develop a laboratory scale spray drying setup for spray drying latex containing nonmaterial.