Engineering topics
Motkuri, Radha Kishan
Publications and source records attributed to Motkuri, Radha Kishan.
Tailoring Pore Architecture and Heteroatom Functionality of Polymeric Waste-Derived Nanoporous Carbon for CO 2 Capture Applications
This study proposes upcycling polymeric waste, i.e., waste floral foam, into high-performance nanoporous carbon that efficiently captures CO 2 . This paper presents strategies for improving the properties of nanoporous carbon, which aid in a superior CO 2 capture performance. Initially, pristine nanoporous carbon was produced from waste floral foam using various KOH impregnation ratios. The nanoporous carbon with a 1:2 (waste floral foam:KOH) ratio exhibiting optimal CO 2 capture capability was further advanced through single and dual atom doping. The doping of N and codoping of N,S atoms into the nanoporous carbon altered its textural and surface chemical properties, making them efficient for CO 2 capture. Comparative CO 2 capture studies of pristine nanoporous carbon (NC-x), N-doped nanoporous carbon (N-NC2), and N,S-codoped nanoporous carbon (N,S-NC2) demonstrate the superiority of N-doping. N-doped nanoporous carbon exhibited the largest ultramicroporosity (0.3100 cm3/g, 63.43%) and highest heteroatom content (34.94 atomic %), contributing to its enhanced CO 2 capture capability (4.54 mmol/g). Finally, implementing the “waste-to-depollution” approach, this research lays the groundwork for producing low-cost, environmentally friendly nanoporous carbon with remarkable CO 2 capture attributes.
Engineered Nanoporous Frameworks for Adsorption Cooling Applications
The energy demand for traditional vapor-compressed technology for space cooling continues to soar year after year due to global warming and the increasing human population’s need to improve living and working conditions. Thus, there is a growing demand for eco-friendly technologies that use sustainable or waste energy resources. Here this review discusses the properties of various refrigerants used for adsorption cooling applications followed by a brief discussion on the thermodynamic cycle. Next, sorbents traditionally used for cooling are reviewed to emphasize the need for advanced capture materials with superior properties to improve refrigerant sorption. The remainder of the review focus on studies using engineered nanoporous frameworks (ENFs) with various refrigerants for adsorption cooling applications. The effects of the various factors that play a role in ENF–refrigerant pair selection, including pore structure/dimension/shape, morphology, open-metal sites, pore chemistry and possible presence of defects, are reviewed. Next, in-depth insights into the sorbent–refrigerant interaction, and pore filling mechanism gained through a combination of characterization techniques and computational modeling are discussed. Finally, we outline the challenges and opportunities related to using ENFs for adsorption cooling applications and provide our views on the future of this technology.