Use mechanochemical activation to enhance interfacial contaminant removal: A review of recent developments and mainstream techniques. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: He, Hongping; Di, Guanglan; Gao, Xiaofeng; Fei, Xunchang
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 243(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Contaminant removal -- Adsorbent -- Catalyst -- Mechanochemical activation; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125339
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Interfacial processes, including adsorption and catalysis, play crucial roles in environmental contaminant removal. Mechanochemical activation (MCA) emerges as a competitive method to improve the performance of adsorbents and catalysts. The development and application of MCA in the last decades are thereby systematically reviewed, particularly highlighting its contribution to interfacial process modulation. Two typical apparatuses for MCA are ball milling (BaM) and bead milling (BeM). Compared to BaM, BeM is able to yield a much higher MCA intensity, because it could pulverize bulk solid particles to nearly 100 nm. Since MCA intensity on the adsorbents and catalysts is directly responsible for the contaminant removal afterwards, quantitative and qualitative determination methods for valid MCA intensity are introduced. MCA benefits both the adsorption kinetics and capacity of powdered activated carbon by increasing the specific surface area. Carbon oxidation should be given an additional attention, but potentially favors the adsorption of heavy metals. MCA favors the catalyst performance by providing abundant surface functional group and increasing the free energy in the near-surface region. Finally, the future research needs are identified. Highlights: Compare typical mechanochemical activation (MCA) apparatuses: ball milling, bead milling. Review qualitative and quantitative the methods for MCA intensity determination. MCA enhances the contaminant removal performances of adsorbents and catalysts. Introduce the mechanisms, factors and capacities of MCA on adsorbents and catalysts.