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Page 52
Volume 4
December 10-12, 2018
Rome, Italy
Nano Research & Applications
ISSN: 2471-9838
Advanced Materials 2018
Nano Engineering 2018
JOINT EVENT
22nd International Conference on
Advanced Materials
and Simulation
&
22 nd Edition of International Conference on
Nano Engineering &
Technology
I n the field of nanotechnologies, nano-composite membranes
[1-2] enriched with two-dimensional (2D) materials are
attracting interest in various areas of the scientific research,
due to their peculiar and exceptional electronic properties.
Actually 2D materials are becoming promising in membrane
technology dedicated to water treatment as well. Specifically,
2D materials confined in defined volumetric spaces can assist
mass transfer through membranes under specific conditions.
Newmechanisms are envisaged to control water sequestration
from ion solutions causing quicker ion aggregation processes
during Membrane Crystallization (MCr). The latter is part of
the membrane technology enabling recovery of valuable salts
from seawater and brine. In the recent past [1,3-4], atomistic
simulations have provided a detailed picture of the formation of
the critical nucleus of salts in supersaturated solution. Herein,
for the first time we explore the potential of 2D materials in
MCr technology from experimental and computational points
of view. A combined molecular approach has been employed
to predict and validate the effects of 2D materials on salts
nucleationandgrowth ratewhenNaCl solution comes in contact
with membrane surfaces. Experimental tests and simulations
have been performed using different concentrations of
exfoliated 2D flakes, designing three different models: pristine
PVDF, PVDF with Graphene at 5% wt and PVDF with Graphene
at 10% wt. As a first outcome, MD simulation demonstrate how
the chemical composition of the membrane surface, can affect
the crystallization of salts, while experimental test yield clear
the role of the filler in nucleation grow rate, crystal size and
shape, but also in the energy of the system [5]. In the overall,
the nanomaterials influence kinetics of crystal formation,
reducing the nucleation times.
Recent Publications
1. Tsai JH, Perrotta ML, Gugliuzza A, Macedonio F,
Giorno L, Drioli E, Tung KL, Tocci E (2018) Membrane
-Assisted Crystallization: A molecular view of NaCl
Nucleation and Growth, Appl. Sci., 8, 2145.
2. Perrotta ML, Saielli G, Casella G, Macedonio F, Giorno
L, Drioli E, Gugliuzza A (2017) An ultrathin suspended
hydrophobic porous membrane for high-efficiency
water desalination, Appl. Mat. Today, 9, 1-9.
3. Chackraborty D, Patey GN (2013) How Crystals
Nucleate and grow in aqueous NaCl solution, J. Phys.
Chem. Lett., 4, 573-578.
4. Lanaro G, Patey GN (2016) Birth of NaCl Crystals:
Insight from Molecular Simulations, J. Phys. Chem.
B., 120, 9076-9087.
5. Espinosa JR, Vega C, Valeriani C, Sanz E (2015) The
crystal – fluid interfacial energy and nucleation rate
of NaCl from different simulation methods, J. Chem.
Phys, 142 , 194709.
Biography
Maria Luisa Perrotta, Ph.D Student at Institute of Membrane Technology
of National Research Council (CNR-ITM), has her experience in membrane
technology. At first she focused the attention on preparation, characteri-
zation and testing of nano-composite membranes in membrane process-
es (MD and MCr). In the last year she extended her interest in Molecular
Dynamics Simulation in order to study at molecular level the behavior of
membranes prepared, and also to compare with experimental test. At the
moment she is studying Membrane Crystallization process (MCr). The ba-
sic aim of this work is to evalue the possible contribute of 2d nanomaterial,
used like filler in these polymeric membranes, in crystals growth .
2D materials assisted membrane crystallization:
A new combined theoretical and experimental
approach
Maria Luisa Perrotta
Institute of Membrane Technology, Italy
Maria Luisa Perrotta, Nano Res Appl 2018, Volume 4
DOI: 10.21767/2471-9838-C7-027