Program Structure (Humanized)

Module 1: Introduction to Polymer Nanotechnology in Wastewater Treatment

• What is polymer nanotechnology? Understanding its significance in water purification.
• Why polymers are ideal for wastewater treatment: high surface area, tunable porosity, and functionalization potential.
• Overview of the key contaminants in wastewater: heavy metals, dyes, pharmaceutical residues, and organic compounds.
• Environmental impact: how polymer nanomaterials can offer sustainable solutions for wastewater remediation.

Module 2: Types of Polymer Nanocomposites for Wastewater Remediation

• Polymer-based adsorbents: types, properties, and how they are used for removing heavy metals and organic pollutants.
• Polymer nanocomposites for catalytic degradation: using polymers combined with nanoparticles (e.g., Fe₃O₄, TiO₂) for pollutant breakdown.
• Polymer nanocomposites for membrane filtration: improving water permeability, fouling resistance, and selectivity.
• Hybrid materials: combining polymers with carbon-based nanomaterials (graphene oxide, CNTs) to enhance treatment efficiency.

Module 3: Synthesis and Functionalization of Polymer Nanocomposites

• Synthesis strategies: emulsion polymerization, sol-gel methods, and polymer blending for creating nanocomposites.
• Functionalization techniques: surface modification with ligands, chelating agents, and hydrophilic/hydrophobic adjustments.
• Control over size, morphology, and surface properties of the polymer nanocomposites to optimize pollutant removal efficiency.
• Characterization techniques: TEM, SEM, FTIR, BET surface area analysis, and DLS for nanoparticle dispersion and functionality verification.

Module 4: Adsorption and Removal Mechanisms in Wastewater Remediation

• Adsorption process: physical and chemical adsorption of contaminants on polymer nanocomposites.
• Thermodynamics and kinetics of adsorption: Langmuir and Freundlich models for understanding adsorption capacity.
• Factors affecting adsorption: pH, temperature, concentration, and contact time.
• Real-world applications: polymer nanocomposites for removing heavy metals, dyes, and organic pollutants from water.

Module 5: Catalytic Degradation Using Polymer Nanocomposites

• Polymer nanocomposites in catalytic degradation of pollutants: surface reactions and activation energy concepts.
• Environmental catalytic reactions: photocatalysis, Fenton reaction, and other advanced oxidation processes (AOPs).
• Applications in breaking down complex organic pollutants such as pesticides and pharmaceutical compounds.
• Measuring catalytic efficiency: turnover number (TON), degradation rate, and stability over multiple cycles.

Module 6: Polymer Nanocomposites for Membrane-Based Filtration

• Polymer membranes: structure, materials, and properties for water filtration.
• Polymer nanocomposite membranes: enhanced flux, selectivity, and fouling resistance using nanomaterials like CNTs, graphene oxide, and silica.
• Applications in desalination, organic solvent filtration, and wastewater treatment.
• Challenges in membrane technology: scaling, fouling, and lifespan of polymer nanocomposite membranes.

Module 7: Performance Evaluation of Polymer Nanocomposites in Wastewater Treatment

• Testing the performance of polymer nanocomposites: batch adsorption studies, column experiments, and flow-through systems.
• Quantitative analysis: measuring pollutant removal efficiency, adsorption capacity, and catalytic degradation rates.
• Reusability and regeneration of polymer nanocomposites: efficiency retention over multiple cycles.
• Stability testing: assessing the impact of pH, temperature, and ionic strength on the performance of polymer nanocomposites in real-world conditions.

Module 8: Scale-up and Commercialization of Polymer Nanocomposites

• From lab-scale to industrial-scale: challenges in scaling up the synthesis and application of polymer nanocomposites.
• Cost considerations: raw materials, manufacturing processes, and potential for large-scale production.
• Real-world applications: water treatment plants, industrial effluent treatment, and potable water purification systems.
• Regulatory and safety challenges: ensuring the safe use of polymer nanocomposites in water treatment.

Module 9: Environmental Sustainability and Challenges in Polymer Nanotechnology

• Sustainability: using renewable feedstocks for polymer synthesis and reducing environmental impact in nanomaterial production.
• Recycling and disposal of polymer nanocomposites: environmental impact and guidelines for safe disposal.
• Green chemistry principles in polymer nanotechnology: minimizing toxic byproducts and waste.
• Future research directions: improving efficiency, selectivity, and biocompatibility of polymer nanocomposites.

Final Project (Portfolio-Ready)

• Design a polymer nanocomposite material for a specific wastewater remediation application (e.g., heavy metal removal, dye degradation, or pharmaceutical residue removal).
• Define the synthesis route, functionalization method, and performance evaluation techniques.
• Create a testing plan for assessing efficiency, stability, and scalability.
• Example projects: carbon nanotube-functionalized polymer nanocomposites for dye removal, graphene oxide-based membranes for heavy metal filtration, polymer nanocomposite-based catalysts for organic pollutant degradation.