Ultrafast absorption mechanism of oil-emulsified micelles onto ferrous absorbents with dielectrophoresis force in the presence of polarization

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2023-10, Vol.460, p.132436-132436, Article 132436
• Main Authors: Huang, Chun-Yao, Lin, Feng-Yen, Lu, Chien-Hsing, Chen, Jem-Kun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Emulsion absorbent; Ferrous polymer; Polarization; Ultrafast absorption
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132436

Absorption and desorption rates were generally dependent on the concentration gradient from bulk to absorbents. A novel methodology based on a capacitor with an alternating electric field (AEF) is developed to accelerate the absorption and desorption rates with the frequency manipulation. Ferrous polystyrene microspheres (PISMs) are synthesized as absorbents, which could enhance the complex permittivities as well as dielectric properties. Theoretically, the attractive force and viscous force predominately determine the particle and micelles movement in the medium under an AEF. Oil-emulsified micelles (OEM) with various viscosities were selected as absorbates. Both the OEM and microspherical absorbents assembled through the external attractive force in the presence of the AEF. When the attractive force is equal to viscous force in the medium at the characteristic frequency, the optimal absorption rate could be obtained. The absorption rate constants of pseudo-first-order for OEMs under the polarization at 50 V and 120 kHz of frequency are ca. 10 times higher than that in absence of the polarization. The desorption rate as well as recycling efficiency could be also improved at 800 kHz. The ferrous PISMs with high complex permittivity prevented the damage from the AEF, which could be recycled 10 times of absorption and desorption with frequency manipulation under the AEF. Our methodology provides novel insights for ultrafast wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] •Iron carbonyl polymers are incorporated into polystyrene microspheres (SMs) as adsorbents of iron carbonyl SMs.•Iron carbonyl SMs exhibits the significant enhancement of adsorption capacity of oil-emulsified micells (OEM).•Applying an alternating electric field (AEF) causes the electric dipoles on both iron carbonyl SMs and OEMs.•The adsorption rate is enhanced ten times with the electric dipoles under an AEF at low frequency.•The OEM is concentrated to prevent the secondary pollution during desorption under an AEF at high frequency.