Use of Carbide Derived Carbon in Water Treatment and Thermal Fluids Applications

Water scarcity is a global issue due to the increasing demand and consumption of natural water resources, which are under stress from; a growing human population, decreasing ground water tables and precipitation, and increasing agriculture, industrialization and urbanization. Currently, seawater desalination and wastewater treatment are the main alternatives to depleting natural water resources. To this end, the search for novel efficient materials for water treatment application is of special importance. In this study, carbide derived carbon (CDC) synthesized from a titanium carbide precursor was used for the first time in the adsorptive removal of phosphate, ibuprofen and surfactants from aqueous solutions. The morphology, chemical composition, surface area, purity and particle charge of the CDC particles were characterized using scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, BET surface area analyzer and zeta potentiometer. The effects of operational parameters (pH, temperature, agitation speed, adsorbent dosage, initial phosphate concentration, ionic strength of the feed solution, and the presence of competing anions) on the adsorption process were evaluated in batch adsorption experiments. The adsorption isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamics were also studied by varying the experimental parameters. The determined thermodynamic parameters indicated the spontaneity and feasibility of the adsorption of ibuprofen, surfactants and phosphate. The collected adsorption data reveals the superior capabilities of CDC to be a fast and effective adsorbent for the removal of ibuprofen, phosphate and surfactants from aqueous solutions, including treated sewage effluents (TSE). This is of special importance as a superior and advanced level of TSE purification than currently available at wastewater treatment plants in Qatar. In addition, the thermophysical properties (thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity and viscosity) of CDC-based thermal fluids were investigated for the first time. More than 26% enhancement in thermal conductivity of thermal fluids was obtained by using 0.3 wt% CDC. These findings indicate a promising potential of using CDC for heat transfer applications such as heat exchangers and district cooling units.