13 nov. 2017
16:00
Lecture // Advanced Materials for Water-Energy-Health Nexus
Lecture by Danmeng Shuai, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The George Washington University. The Shuai Research Group specializes in catalysis, nanotechnology, water quality engineering, and environmental chemistry.
Society is currently confronting serious threats to our sustainable development including the contamination of dwindling freshwater supplies, an impending energy crisis, and infectious disease outbreaks. Innovative materials-based strategies have emerged as a promising platform for sustainable water treatment, renewable energy production, and antimicrobial applications with performance that can far exceed traditional approaches. Work presented herein will demonstrate the promise of several novel materials-based strategies for treatment of impaired water supplies, biofuel production, and pathogen inactivation. For example, an emerging photocatalyst of graphitic carbon nitride was proven highly effective for the removal of a broad spectrum of persistent organic micropollutants and pathogens under simulated sunlight and artificial indoor light, providing a sustainable route by which otherwise chemical pollutants and pathogens can be destroyed with reduced energy footprint. In addition to focusing on the fundamental science and practical engineering application of innovative materials for water treatment, this talk will also discuss the future of functional materials that can be translated into renewable energy production and infectious diseases prevention.