Collaborative Research: ECO-CBET: Plasma-Assisted Dehalogenation of Persistent Halogen-Containing Waste Streams

合作研究：ECO-CBET：持久性含卤素废物流的等离子体辅助脱卤

• 批准号: 2318493
• 负责人: Peter Bruggeman
• 金额: $ 84.99万
• 依托单位: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2027-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2318493&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; ECO; CBET; Plasma

The “take-make-dispose” model for the utilization of halogen-containing compounds has polluted the planet’s water, soil, and air resources. The strong carbon-halogen bonds resulting from halogens being potent oxidants have resulted in a contamination challenge with a daunting legacy. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were globally banned 30 years ago to close the Antarctic ozone hole, persist in the atmosphere. Additionally, there are over 9000 poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) currently contaminating rainwater worldwide, and polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastics account for more than 50% of chlorine found in municipal waste. Today, xenobiotic organohalogen compounds are pervasive: PFAS-contaminated water is consumed by 200 million Americans and PVC is the primary contributor to the nation’s annual dioxin burden, surpassing that of any other industrial product. To address this legacy contamination challenge, a step change solution is required, one that surpasses the limited scope of current thermochemical technologies. In this project, plasma-assisted dehalogenation is proposed as a disruptive solution to this challenge. The project focuses on the use of non-equilibrium plasmas for the degradation and recycling of halogen-containing waste and holds enormous potential for improving human health and preserving the environment. This convergent research project will provide unique opportunities for interdisciplinary STEM education and training and prepare a diverse pipeline of students and researchers to become the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists and engineers. Planned outreach activities involve the development of hands-on activities for K-12 programs, with a focus on at-risk and often underrepresented students. The effort involves partnerships with industry to further technological development and activities that raise awareness among local communities about the pervasive presence of halogen-containing compounds and the associated health and safety challenges they pose.The goal of the research is to probe at a mechanistic level plasma-assisted dehalogenation reaction chemistry and to use these insights to develop innovative processes that make possible recycling of reaction products or the full mineralization of haloginated components. Non-equilibrium plasma refers to a partially ionized gas operating at near ambient temperatures, where only the electrons possess kinetic energies high enough to enable the production of short-lived reactive species which act as initiators for chain reactions of various substrates. This convergent research program leverages the PIs’ expertise in chemical reaction engineering, plasma science, chemical modeling and theory, and environmental engineering to establish a plasma dehalogenation model that will be used to design a reactor for plasma-assisted dehalogenation of waste streams with a focus on PFAS and PVC as two testbed cases. The successful completion of this research will lead to new fundamental scientific insights and engineering solutions contributing to a broader framework for dehalogenating a wide range of waste streams.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

使用含卤素化合物的“获取-制造-处置”模式污染了地球的水、土壤和空气资源。卤素是强氧化剂，产生的强碳-卤素键导致了严峻的污染挑战。 30 年前为填补南极臭氧空洞而在全球范围内禁用的氯氟烃 (CFC) 仍然存在于大气中。目前，多氟烷基物质和全氟烷基物质 (PFAS) 正在污染全世界的雨水，而城市垃圾中的氯占到了聚氯乙烯 (PVC) 塑料的 50% 以上。如今，外源性有机卤素化合物无处不在：2 亿美国人饮用受 PFAS 污染的水。 PVC 是美国每年二恶英负担的主要来源，超过任何其他工业产品。为了应对这一挑战，需要一种突破现有热化学技术限制的解决方案，该项目提出了等离子体辅助脱卤作为应对这一挑战的颠覆性解决方案。该融合研究项目将为跨学科 STEM 教育和培训提供独特的机会，并为成为下一代的多样化学生和研究人员做好准备。的计划的外展活动包括为 K-12 项目开展实践活动，重点关注高危学生和代表性不足的学生。合作伙伴关系涉及工业界，以促进技术发展和提高当地意识的活动。含卤素化合物的普遍存在及其带来的相关健康和安全挑战。该研究的目标是在机械水平上探讨等离子体辅助脱卤反应化学，并利用这些见解开发创新工艺，使之成为可能反应产物的回收或卤化成分的完全矿化非平衡等离子体是指在接近环境温度下运行的部分电离气体，其中只有电子具有足够高的动能以能够产生短寿命的活性物质。该聚合研究项目利用了 PI 在化学反应工程、等离子体科学、化学建模和理论以及环境工程方面的专业知识，建立了用于设计的等离子体脱卤模型。等离子体辅助废物流脱卤反应器，重点关注 PFAS 和 PVC 作为两个试验台案例。这项研究的成功完成将带来新的基础科学见解和工程解决方案，为各种废物脱卤提供更广泛的框架。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。