Nanotechnology: Noble Metal Water Purification

Hazem Bagh 33593 Adnan Achkar 28197 Mechanical Design I Term Project

Nanotechnology: Noble Metal Water Purification

1. Abstract
The scientific breakthroughs in physics in the 20th century truly are overwhelming, from Kapitzas interpretation of the for thermoelectric based applications such as solar cells, and LEDs [3]. Also, zinc oxide nanoparticles are used for industrial

observed Superfluidity in 1938, to more recent breakthroughs such as the first Hightemperature Superconductor by Bednorz and Mller in 1986 [1]. Moreover, one of the most fascinating discoveries ever made are nanoparticles and their applications in quantum mechanics. By definition,

purposes such as protecting wood and plastic from UV rays [4]. Furthermore, one of the most prominent applications of nanoparticles is purifying water using noble metals like gold, silver, and palladium [5]. In this paper, we will attempt to explain the reasons of why the process of noble metal water purification is the most efficient.

nanoparticles are the smallest possible components of a specific substance, which can still behave like an entity of that substance in terms of properties [2]. The applications of nanoparticles vary from one discipline to another. For instance, quantum dots, which are basically nanoparticle semiconductors with various electronic

2. Introduction
Given the gradually increasing demand for pure water nowadays, it has become essential for us to find new ways for turning water that might not suitable for our everyday use, into something more suitable for consumption. The current methods for water purification require expensive plants,

properties that depend on the actual size and diameter of a nanoparticle, are heavily used

and to some extent, are lengthy and complex. With that said, new cheap and efficient ways for purifying water are a must find. The idea of using noble metal nanoparticles to purify water is getting stronger and stronger daily, as studies all over the world are being conducted in order for this newly created, but promising, method to be used as the main water treatment process [6].

meaning that with the same amount of material, the smaller the particle is, the more contamination it is able to remove. This is mainly due the exposure of more atoms of the material to For the particles a of the small

contaminant.

instance,

nanocrystal that is 1 nm in diameter almost has 100% of its atoms on its surface. On the other hand, a nanocrystal that is 10 nm in diameter almost has 15% of its atoms on its surface. This big difference is why the smaller the particle, the more effective it is

3. Synthesis
To be able to fully understand the reasons behind using nanocrystals in general, and noble metals in particular for purifying water, we must first examine the advantages of using these metals on a nanoscopic scale. First, the usage of nanoparticles would cause no contamination to water, given the fact that very small relative amounts of

in fighting contamination. Also, the shape of the nanoparticle itself plays a major role in determining its efficiency in fighting water contamination. Results show that particles of tetrahedral structure are much more efficient than those of spherical and cubic structures. The reason behind this is the difference in the atomic distribution across the surface of the nanoparticle, meaning that a particle with tetrahedral structure has higher

nanoparticles can be used to treat large quantities of water. Also, as the size of the metallic particle decrease, the surface size to volume ratio of the particle increase,

catalytic activity, and thus reacts better with

the contaminants. Moreover, noble metals are known to resist oxidization; therefore, they can be used in water, and remain in their metallic state without reacting with oxygen. Furthermore, particles on a

compound taking the nanoparticles, and the contaminants as the reactants. One of the most contaminants that affect water today is pesticides. Experiments show that noble metal water purification is most effective against organic contaminants. For instance, gold and silver have been found ideal for fighting halocarbon, the main organic compound that is used to formulate

nanoscale are known to have different reactivity than that of their bulk material. For instance, Silver has a bulk potential of 0.779 V, and an atom potential of -1.8 V. This helps the particles to react with whatever contaminations exist in the water, and eat these contaminations. This is explained by the fact that the free path of the electron is usually a few nanometers in length, meaning that on a nanoscopic scale, an electron can easily transfer to the surface of the substance, making it easier for a reaction to happen [5].

pesticides. This is done at room temperature, as the gold or silver particles react with the halocarbon to create metal halides and carbon. On the other hand, silver is successfully used to terminate toxins

produced by micro-organisms and even better, to prevent these micro-organisms from reproducing these toxins in water. Also, silver nanoparticles proved to be great against heavy metal toxics [7].

4. Discussion
Noble metal based water purification, like most other nanoparticle based technologies, depends on chemical synthesis, or the process of producing a new chemical

5. Conclusion
All in all, nanotechnology is a fast growing field that is widely and constantly used in constructing modern science. Whether it is

was in medicine, industry, or energy, nanotechnology is proving to be a very promising area that is full of benefits. Water is one of the most essential parts of our lives, and being able to mold

has a lot of positive aspects. Their high efficiency in eliminating organic and

metallic contaminants is probably why they are being targeted as the next state of the art discovery. The way we see it, amongst all the recently developed nano-adsorbents for drinking water purification, the science of noble metal nanoparticles is truly one of a kind.

nanotechnology in order to help us make optimum use of water is very beneficial; especially with the increasing demand for water. Using noble elements in water indeed

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Sreekumaran, T., Tom, R., Kumar, R., Subramaniam, C., & Pradeep, T. (2007). Chemical interactions at noble metal nanoparticle surfaces: Catalysis, sensors and devices. Retrieved from: http://www.dstuns.iitm.ac.in/listpdf/16 2.pdf

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