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Design and performance of thermally stable superhydrophobic membranes for arsenic removal from contaminated water sources
Dhawale, Kunal
Dhawale, Kunal
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2025-12-01
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Access to clean drinking water remains a significant challenge in regions affected by heavy metal contamination, particularly arsenic. This study presents a low-cost method for arsenic removal using a superhydrophobic membrane fabricated from silane-modified halloysite nanoclay (HNC). The nanoclay was functionalized using TEOS, HDTMS, and aqueous ammonia, followed by ethanol washing, drying, and dispersion in toluene to enable dip- and spray-coating onto natural substrates including muslin cloth and coconut fibers. A compact, low-temperature membrane distillation system was constructed to evaluate membrane performance under controlled heating, continuous water–membrane contact, and guided vapor transport toward a cooled condenser.
Characterization confirmed successful surface modification: FTIR spectra showed Si–O–Si and alkyl-silane peaks associated with chemical bonding, while water contact angle measurements demonstrated strong hydrophobicity across all coated substrates. Experimental trials using 50 ppb arsenic-contaminated feed water consistently produced permeate within the lowest detectable range of the field test kit (0–5 ppb), indicating effective arsenic rejection. Additional water-quality parameters—TDS, conductivity, and pH—also showed significant improvement, consistent with vapor-phase separation and minimal risk of membrane wetting.
Overall, the results validate the feasibility of using a modified HNC-based superhydrophobic membrane for arsenic removal via low-temperature distillation. Although long-term durability and multi-cycle testing were not conducted, this proof-of-concept demonstrates strong potential for developing affordable, scalable purification systems suitable for decentralized, resource-limited settings.
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Thesis (M.S.)-- Wichita State University, College of Engineering, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
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Wichita State University
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© Copyright 2025 by Kunal Dhawale
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