A Polymer Membrane Containing Fe0 as a Contaminant Barrier
A polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) membrane containing iron (Fe0) particles was developed and tested as a model barrier for contaminant containment. Carbon tetrachloride, copper (Cu2+), nitrobenzene, 4-nitroacetophenone, and chromate (CrO4 2-) were selected as model contaminants. Compared with a pure PVA membrane, the Fe0/PVA membrane can increase the breakthrough lag time for Cu2+ and carbon tetrachloride by more than 100 fold. The increase in the lag time was smaller for nitrobenzene and 4-nitroacetophenone which stoichiometrically require more iron and for which the PVA membrane has a higher permeability. The effect of Fe0 was even smaller for CrO4 2- because of its slow reaction. Forty-five percent of the iron, based on the content in the dry membrane prior to hydration, was consumed by reaction with Cu2+ and 19% by reaction with carbon tetrachloride. Similarly, 25%, 17%, and 6% of the iron was consumed by nitrobenzene, 4-nitroacetophenone, and CrO4 2-, respectively. These percentages approximately double when the loss of iron during membrane hydration is considered. The permeability of the Fe0/PVA membrane after breakthrough was within a factor of three for that of pure PVA, consistent with theory. These results suggest that polymer membranes with embedded Fe0 have potential as practical contaminant barriers.
- Research Organization:
- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG07-02ER63509
- OSTI ID:
- 835479
- Report Number(s):
- EMSP-86800-2003a; R&D Project: EMSP 86800; TRN: US200502%%471
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 3 Nov 2003
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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