Overview
Topic status: We're looking for students to study this topic.
Clays have been a widely used resource since the beginnings of time. Specific clays such as montmorillonites are known as swelling clays. These clays have an exchangeable cation normally Na+, Mg2+ or Ca2+. Through ion exchange these cations can be replaced with a cationic surfactant. In this way the clay is converted from being strongly hydrophilic in nature to very strongly hydrophobic. These types of novel materials are very powerful adsorbents. Such materials can be used as filter beds for the removal of recalcitrant organic molecules from for example drinking water. Molecules such as pesticides, herbicides and PCBs can be removed from water.
The objective of this research is to synthesise organoclays from a local montmorillonite and to test the adsorption properties of the newly designed material. Specifically selected molecules such as dinitrophenol will be used as a test molecule for adsorption purposes.
- Study level
- PhD
- Supervisors
- QUT
- Organisational unit
Science and Engineering Faculty
- Research area
- Contact
- Please contact the supervisor.
Professor Godwin Ayoko
Emeritus Professor Ray Frost
