Invention Description Conventional fiber optic surface modifications rely on porous silica substrates, which are brittle and optically limited. While polymers such as PMMA and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) offer superior mechanical flexibility and optical clarity, their relatively inert surfaces resist functionalization via traditional methods. ...

Invention Description Drinking water often contains unsafe levels of toxic contaminants including bacteria, viruses and protozoa. Common disinfectants include chlorine and mercury-based UVC lamps. However, chlorine is not widely available in all parts of the world, and mercury-based UVC systems don’t typically provide uniform distribution of...

Background Food and water shortages are leading to the development of new technologies aimed at sourcing these resources from the air. Atmospheric water harvesting is an emerging field where atmospheric moisture, such as fog and clouds, is collected to obtain liquid water from the atmosphere (in addition to traditional rainwater harvesting). Recent...

Background Nitrogen oxides (NOx) as well as nitrous oxide (N2O) have been identified as pollutants of concern in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. While there has been successful implementation of abatement systems to control the emissions of nitrogen oxides, some facilities require further removal to comply with new regulations and meet sustainability...

Background Photoelectrocatalytic processes (PECs) combine photocatalysis and electrochemical principles to enhance charge carrier generation and stability within nanomaterials (NMs). Nano-enabled PECs can be used for water purification or hydrogen production applications. Current PEC designs face challenges due to low energy efficiencies, because most...

Background Greenhouse gases (GHGs) trap heat and lead to global warming and other severe effects of climate change. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main source of GHG, and its capture before entering the atmosphere is an important mitigation approach. Captured CO2 from point-emission sources or via direct air capture (DAC) can be geologically sequestered...

Background Electrochemical sensing is a compact process used to detect chemicals in aqueous solutions (e.g., water, bodily fluids, foods). It can also be used to treat pollutants in drinking and industrial wastewaters. Electrochemical oxidation can generate hydroxyl radicals, which are effective in degrading organic contaminants in water, including...

Background Water harvesting from ambient air to produce fresh water is an active area of research. Water moisture in the air is universally available, and the water extracted is essentially pure water. This makes this process ideal, particularly for communities with limited freshwater supplies. Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG) technology can produce...

Background Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is widely used for industrial synthesis of organic chemicals, advanced oxidation of drinking or wastewater, and surface disinfection of pathogens. Currently, ~95% of H2O2 production employs the energy- and chemical-intensive anthraquinone-oxidation process. Photocatalytic H2O2 production is an emerging alternative...

Background Arsenic is classified as a Class-A human carcinogen, and occurs widely in ground and surface waters across the globe. Long-term exposure to arsenic-contaminated water has been linked to skin, kidney, liver, and bladder cancers. In addition to arsenic, other metals (e.g., chromium, vanadium, tungsten, selenium, manganese, lead) commonly co-occur...