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At least 145 records · Page 8

BioSTEAMDevelopmentGroup/Bioindustrial-Park/TAL

Triacetic acid lactone (TAL) can be microbially produced and further chemically upgraded to several high-value chemicals. In this work, several acidic and basic ion-exchange resins and activated charcoal were evaluated for their ability to adsorb microbially produced TAL. Activated charcoal and a weak base resin, Dowex 66, showed similar TAL adsorption capacity of 0.18 ± 0.002 g/g. At 15% w/v activated charcoal, about 98% of TAL present in fermentation broth could be adsorbed. Further, ethanol washing allowed recovery of 72% of adsorbed TAL. A biorefinery producing TAL from sucrose was designed, simulated, and evaluated (through technoeconomic analysis) under uncertainty, for an estimated TAL minimum product selling price (MPSP) of $4.27/kg [$3.71−4.94/kg; 5th-95th percentiles] for the current state of technology and $2.83/kg [$2.46–3.29/kg] following potential near-term improvements to fermentation. Thus, this work provides an adsorptive process to recover microbially produced TAL that can be chemically upgraded to several industrial products.

Cortes-Peña, Yoel↗

Characterization of Spent Purolite A530E Resin with Implications for Long-Term Radioactive Contaminant Removal

Direct removal of pertechnetate anion (TcO4-) from the subsurface contaminated plumes at legacy nuclear weapons production sites, is effective remediation strategy to prevent their spread to adjacent aquifers but is also challenging because TcO4- is a trace component of the contaminated groundwater typically containing large access of other anionic constituents, such nitrate, sulfate, chloride and others. It can be achieved through ion exchange treatment using Purolite A530E resin which to date however has only been evaluated under laboratory conditions and many questions regarding its long-term operational performance remain. To address this need, here we report comprehensive characterization of the spent Purolite A530E resin which processed over 5.38x109 L of contaminated groundwater and successfully removed about 3.78 Ci of Tc-99 during four years of operation at the 200 West Pump & Treat facility at the US DOE Hanford site. This Tc-99 loading constitutes however only about 0.034% of the theoretical capacity of the resin which retained significant amounts of sulfate. Among other radioactive contaminants, small quantities of U-238, Co-60, and I-129 were retained by the resin. The total loading of iodine (combined 1-127 and I-129) on the spent resin exceeded that of Tc-99. To elucidate the mechanism of iodine retention, ion exchange behavior of iodide and iodate was investigated. Purolite A530E resin exhibited highly efficient uptake of iodide and only moderate affinity for iodate in accord with their Gibbs energy of hydration. Sorption isotherms for both anions obeyed Freundlich model.

Levitskaia, Tatiana G.↗

Critical review of functionalized silica sorbent strategies for selective extraction of rare earth elements from acid mine drainage

We report the ubiquitous and growing global reliance on rare earth elements (REEs) for modern technology and the need for reliable domestic sources underscore the rising trend in REE-related research. Adsorption-based methods for REE recovery from liquid waste sources are well-positioned to compete with those of solvent extraction, both because of their expected lower negative environmental impact and simpler process operations. Functionalized silica represents a rising category of low cost and stable sorbents for heavy metal and REE recovery. These materials have collectively achieved high capacity and/or high selective removal of REEs from ideal solutions and synthetic or real coal wastewater and other leachate source. These sorbents are competitive with conventional materials, such as ion exchange resins, activated carbon; and novel polymeric materials like ion-imprinted particles and metal organic frameworks (MOFs). This critical review first presents a data mining analysis for rare earth element recovery publications indexed in Web of science, highlighting changes in REE recovery research foci and confirming the sharply growing interest in functionalized silica sorbents. A detailed examination of sorbent formulation and operation strategies to selectively separate heavy (HREE), middle (MREE), and light (LREE) REEs from the aqueous sources is presented. Selectivity values for sorbents were largely calculated from available figure data and gauged the success of the associated strategies, primarily: (1) silane-grafted ligands, (2) impregnated ligands, and (3) bottom-up ligand/silica hybrids. These were often accompanied by successful co-strategies, especially bite angle control, site saturation, and selective REE elution. Recognizing the need to remove competing fouling metals to achieve purified REE “baskets,” we highlight techniques for eliminating these species from acid mine drainage (AMD) and suggest a novel adsorption-based process for purified REE extraction that could be adapted to different water systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Coprecipitation of Fe/Cr Hydroxides at Organic–Water Interfaces: Functional Group Richness and (De)protonation Control Amounts and Compositions of Coprecipitates

Iron/chromium hydroxide coprecipitation controls the fate and transport of toxic chromium (Cr) in many natural and engineered systems. Organic coatings on soil and engineered surfaces are ubiquitous; however, mechanistic controls of these organic coatings over Fe/Cr hydroxide coprecipitation are poorly understood. Here, Fe/Cr hydroxide coprecipitation was conducted on model organic coatings of humic acid (HA), sodium alginate (SA), and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The organics bonded with SiO 2 through ligand exchange with carboxyl (-COOH), and the adsorbed amounts and pK(a) values of -COOH controlled surface charges of coatings. The adsorbed organic films also had different complexation capacities with Fe/Cr ions and Fe/Cr hydroxide particles, resulting in significant differences in both the amount (on HA > SA(-COOH) >> BSA(-NH 2 )) and composition (Cr/Fe molar ratio: on BSA(-NH2) >> HA > SA(-COOH)) of heterogeneous precipitates. Negatively charged -COOH attracted more Fe ions and oligomers of hydrolyzed Fe/Cr species and subsequently promoted heterogeneous precipitation of Fe/Cr hydroxide nanoparticles. Organic coatings containing -NH 2 were positively charged at acidic pH because of the high pK(a) value of the functional group, limiting cation adsorption and formation of coprecipitates. Meanwhile, the higher local pH near the -NH 2 coatings promoted the formation of Cr(OH) 3 . Finally, this study advances fundamental understanding of heterogeneous Fe/Cr hydroxide coprecipitation on organics, which is essential for successful Cr remediation and removal in both natural and engineered settings, as well as the synthesis of Cr-doped iron (oxy)hydroxides for material applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Vibrational Entropy Contribution to Mixing Free Energy of Ni-Rich LiNi 1- y Co y O 2

First principles density-functional-theory calculations are performed of the mixing free energy of the layered oxide LiNi 1-y Co y O 2 , a model Li-ion-battery cathode material, at 1000 K. Analysis of internal energy, LN exchange, configurational entropy and vibrational entropy are combined to obtain the net mixing free energy. The vibrational entropy requires a more indirect treatment than the other terms; analysis based on heat capacity is presented here, to show that the vibrational entropy is of comparable magnitude to the configurational entropy, and it tends to promote solid-solution behavior in LiNi 1-y Co y O 2 .

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Iodine Immobilization by Materials through Sorption and Redox-Driven Processes: A Literature Review

Radioiodine-129 (129I) in the subsurface is mobile and limited information is available on treatment technologies. Scientific literature was reviewed to compile information on materials that could potentially be used to immobilize 129I through sorption and redox-driven processes, with an emphasis on ex-situ processes. Candidate materials to immobilize 129I include iron minerals, sulfur-based materials, silver-based materials, bismuth-based materials, ion exchange resins, activated carbon, modified clays, and tailored materials (metal organic frameworks (MOFS), layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and aerogels). Where available, compiled information includes material performance in terms of (i) capacity for 129I uptake; (ii) long-term performance (i.e., solubility of a precipitated phase); (iii) technology maturity; (iv) cost; (v) available quantity; (vi) environmental impact; (vii) ability to emplace the technology for in situ use at the field-scale; and (viii) ex situ treatment (for media extracted from the subsurface or secondary waste streams). Because it can be difficult to compare materials due to differences in experimental conditions applied in the literature, Part II of this review describes results of laboratory studies for selected materials using a standardized batch loading test.

Moore, Robert C.↗

Prototype Wash Water Renovation System Integration with Government-Furnished Wash Fixture

A total renovation concept for removing objectionable materials from spacecraft wash water to make the water reusable was developed. This concept included ferric chloride pretreatment to coagulate suspended solids such as soap and lint, pressure filtration, and carbon adsorption and ion exchange to remove trace dissolved organics and inorganic salts. A breadboard model which was developed to demonstrate the design adequacy of the various system components and the limits on system capacities and efficiencies.

Source record↗

Vacancy‐Enabled O3 Phase Stabilization for Manganese‐Rich Layered Sodium Cathodes

Abstract Manganese‐rich layered oxide materials hold great potential as low‐cost and high‐capacity cathodes for Na‐ion batteries. However, they usually form a P2 phase and suffer from fast capacity fade. In this work, an O3 phase sodium cathode has been developed out of a Li and Mn‐rich layered material by leveraging the creation of transition metal (TM) and oxygen vacancies and the electrochemical exchange of Na and Li. The Mn‐rich layered cathode material remains primarily O3 phase during sodiation/desodiation and can have a full sodiation capacity of ca. 220 mAh g −1 . It delivers ca. 160 mAh g −1 specific capacity between 2–3.8 V with >86 % retention over 250 cycles. The TM and oxygen vacancies pre‐formed in the sodiated material enables a reversible migration of TMs from the TM layer to the tetrahedral sites in the Na layer upon de‐sodiation and sodiation. The migration creates metastable states, leading to increased kinetic barrier that prohibits a complete O3‐P3 phase transition.

Xiao, Biwei↗

Bipolar Membranes for Ion Management in (Photo)Electrochemical Energy Conversion

Conspectus (Photo)electrochemical energy conversion is important in the development of a carbon-neutral energy economy because it can provide a pathway for mitigating the intermittency of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. In order to operate efficiently, these technologies, which include photoelectrochemical cells, water and CO 2 electrolyzers, fuel cells, and redox flow batteries, require fast charge transfer kinetics at the electrode/electrolyte interface as well as robust ion management in the electrolyte. In conventional electrolyzers and fuel cells, the electrolyte is strongly acidic or basic and ionic current is carried by H + or OH – ions. In contrast, photoelectrodes and electrocatalysts for water splitting are often studied in buffered solutions. The question of ion balance in these systems led us to analyze the polarization losses due to ion concentration gradients in cells that employed various buffer–membrane combinations. Continuously driving the buffer ions across an ionomer membrane not only lowers the buffer capacity of an aqueous electrolyte but also introduces pH gradients that result in significant energy losses. To address the problem, we and other groups have studied the use of reverse-biased bipolar membranes (BPMs) in (photo)electrolytic cells. BPMs consist of an anion exchange layer (AEL) laminated with a cation exchange layer (CEL) and are usually equipped with a catalytic layer in between to accelerate the water dissociation reaction. At the AEL/CEL interface, water dissociates into protons and hydroxide ions, which replenish those consumed at the cathode and anode. Compared to conventional water electrolyzers with proton/anion exchange membranes (PEM/AEM), BPM electrolyzers provide the unique advantage of continuously operating the cathode and anode under different pH conditions, which is desirable when the two electrode reactions have different pH requirements. BPMs also enable the use of buffered electrolytes at pH values that are optimized for electrode stability and product selectivity in applications such as CO 2 electrolysis. Product crossover losses and CO 2 pumping can be dramatically reduced in BPM-based CO 2 electrolyzers, relative to conventional alkaline membranes, by electrostatic repulsion (of anionic products) and electroosmotic drag (for neutral products). BPM-based gas fed CO 2 electrolyzers can achieve high current density, but they suffer from low Faradaic efficiency (FE) due to the acidic local environment of the CEL. This problem can be mitigated by adding an aqueous buffering layer or by creating a weak acid cation exchange film on the CEL face of the membrane. The use of BPMs in fuel cells and redox flow batteries offers some interesting advantages. Configurations with both reverse and forward bias have been studied, but forward bias has been favored due to material compatibility, reaction kinetics, and thermodynamic considerations. The net reaction at the AEL/CEL interface is the acid–base neutralization reaction, which has a high inherent reaction rate constant, but in the BPM is limited to a nanometric space-charge layer and requires efficient catalysis to achieve high current density. Understanding the mechanism of the acid–base neutralization and the opposite process, the water dissociation reaction, will be essential for improving the performance of forward-biased BPMs. In conclusion, this Account reviews our current understanding of the working mechanisms of BPMs and discusses how we can use them to effectively manage ions for various (photo)electrochemical applications.

Yan, Zhifei↗

Impact of feed variability on cesium removal with multiple actual waste samples from the Hanford site

Here, the Tank Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system, under development by Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), will send initial low-activity Hanford waste tank supernate feeds to the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility. In addition to entrained solids removal from the supernate, the primary goal of TSCR is to remove cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) by ion exchange, allowing contact handling of the liquid effluent product at WTP. Crystalline silicotitanate (CST) ion exchange media, manufactured by Honeywell UOP (product IONSIV™ R9140-B), was selected as the ion exchange media at TSCR. This lot of material was found to have superior performance in comparison to historic batches of CST. Ion exchange column and batch contact testing with supernate from Hanford tanks AP-105, AP-107 and AW-102 was performed to assess the impact of feed variability on system performance. These tests demonstrated that batch contact measurements provide a reasonable prediction of column capacities with some deviation in performance attributed to column dynamics. In addition, the variability in CST capacity for cesium in the various actual waste samples does not track with historical understanding of the competing cations, suggesting that tank waste samples contain other components that may significantly impact cesium loading.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Electro-assisted regeneration of pH-sensitive ion exchangers for sustainable phosphate removal and recovery

Removal and recovery of phosphate from wastewater can minimize deleterious environmental impacts and supplement fertilizer supply. Hybrid anion exchangers (HAIX, with doped ferric oxide nanoparticles (FeOnp)) can remove phosphate from complex wastewaters and recover concentrated phosphate solutions. Here, we integrate HAIX with a weak acid cation exchanger (WAC) to enrich phosphate and calcium in mild regenerants and precipitate both elements for recovery. We demonstrated an electro-assisted regeneration approach to avoid strong acid and base input. Based on demonstrated pH sensitivities of both materials, electrochemically produced mild electrolytes (pH 3 and pH 11), which are 100–1000 times less concentrated than typical regenerants, preserved 80% WAC and 50% HAIX capacities over five batch adsorption-regeneration cycles. FeOnp in HAIX facilitated regeneration due to pH sensitivity and their likely distribution on the resin particle surface, which reduced intraparticle diffusion path length. In column tests, repeatable phosphate removal (> 95%) from synthetic wastewater (3 mg P/L) was achieved with 20 kWh/kg P specific energy consumption. After removal, a similar 50% HAIX regeneration efficiency as batch experiments was achieved. In spent regenerant, more than 95% phosphorus was recovered as hydroxyapatite. This novel approach enhances ion exchange by minimizing chemical inputs.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

All-Inorganic Open-Framework Chalcogenides, A 3 Ga 5 S 9 · x H 2 O ( A = Rb and Cs), Exhibiting Ultrafast Uranyl Remediation and Illustrating a Novel Post-Synthetic Preparation of Open-Framework Oxychalcogenides

Fast and effective uranyl sequestration is of interest to the nuclear industry. Recently layered chalcogenide materials have demonstrated fast, selective, and efficient sorption properties towards uranyl cations and the development and investigation of new types of chalcogenide materials continues to be of interest and represents an intriguing option for uranyl remediation. Three new all-inorganic A 3 Ga 5 S 9 ·xH 2 O (A = Rb, Rb/Cs, and Cs) open-framework chalcogenides were obtained via an in-situ alkali carbonate to alkali sulfide conversion process achieved under mild hydrothermal conditions. The structures of the all-inorganic open framework chalcogenides consist of a 2-fold interpenetrated diamond-like 3D framework containing pseudo-T 3 [Ga 10 S 20 ] 10– supertetrahedra. 48% of the structural volume is occupied by A + cations and water species, as established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), infrared (IR) and energy-dispersive (EDS) spectroscopies. The dynamic nature of the A + cations and water molecules within the pores was investigated via single crystal X-ray diffraction as well as by IR spectroscopy monitored H 2 O to D 2 O exchange experiments. Framework stability was probed with post-synthetic treatment of A 3 Ga 5 S 9 ·xH 2 O (A = Rb and Cs) samples in acidic solutions that resulted in the formation of the oxysulfide (A/H) 3 Ga 5 S 9–y O y ·xH 2 O (A = Rb and Cs; y = 0–1), as shown by SCXRD and IR. Ion-exchange studies on A 3 Ga 5 S 9 ·xH 2 O (A = Rb and Cs) samples were carried out utilizing a uranyl acetate solution. The presence of the UO 2 2+ species in the ion-exchanged product was supported by IR and EDS spectroscopies. Batch method ion-exchange experiments on Cs 3 Ga 5 S 9 ·xH 2 O powder demonstrated fast kinetics with 95% uranyl removal from the uranyl acetate solution during the first minute, a maximum uranyl uptake capacity of 15mg/g, and the subsequent elution of uranyl species with KCl solution. Furthermore, the porous and dynamic nature of the A 3 Ga 5 S 9 ·xH 2 O framework coupled with effective UO 2 2+ ···S 2– bonding interactions makes it a good potential sorbent for uranyl remediation from aqueous media.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Vapor-Fed Cathode Microbial Electrolysis Cells with Closely Spaced Electrodes Enables Greatly Improved Performance

Hydrogen can be electrochemically produced in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) by current generated from bacterial anodes with a small added voltage. MECs typically use a liquid catholyte containing a buffer or salts. However, anions in these catholytes result in charge being balanced predominantly by ions other than hydroxide or protons, leading to anode acidification. To enhance only hydroxide ion transport to the anode, we developed a novel vapor-fed MEC configuration lacking a catholyte with closely spaced electrodes and an anion exchange membrane to limit the acidification. This MEC design produced a record-high sustained current density of 43.1 ± 0.6 A/m 2 and a H 2 production rate of 72 ± 2 LH 2 /L-d (cell voltage of 0.79 ± 0.00 V). There was minimal impact on MEC performance of increased acetate concentrations, solution conductivity, or anolyte buffer capacity at applied voltages up to 1.1 V, as shown by a nearly constant internal resistance of only 6.8 ± 0.3 mΩ m 2 . At applied external voltages >1.1 V, the buffer capacity impacted performance, with current densities increasing from 28.5 ± 0.6 A/m 2 (20 mM phosphate buffer solution (PBS)) to 51 ± 1 A/m 2 (100 mM PBS). Furthermore, these results show that a vapor-fed MEC can produce higher and more stable performance than liquid-fed cathodes by enhancing transport of hydroxide ions to the anode.

anion exchange membrane↗

Magnetothermal properties of Tm x Dy 1- x Al 2 ( x = 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75)

Here, we describe magnetic, thermal, and magnetocaloric properties of rare earth intermetallic compounds Tm x Dy 1-x Al 2 with 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75. Using model Hamiltonian we consider contributions of the crystalline electric field anisotropy in both Tm and Dy magnetic sublattices, disorder in exchange interactions among Tm-Tm, Dy-Dy and Tm-Dy magnetic ions, and the Zeeman effect. Employing earlier reported and new experimental measurements, we first determine a single free variable – the intersublattice magnetic exchange parameter – to properly model the temperature and magnetic field dependencies of heat capacity and magnetization, and then use the modeling results to explain the emergence of an anomalous spin reorientation transition and its influence on the magnetocaloric effect in the title compounds. Theoretical results agree with experimental data reasonably well.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Method of Synthesizing a Novel Absorbent Titanosilicate Material (UPRM-5)

A titanium silicate variant named UPRM-5 was prepared using tetraethylammonium hydroxide as a structure-directing agent (SDA). Successful detemplation was achieved via ion exchange with NH4Cl. Effective functionalization was obtained after ion exchanging the detemplated material using SrCl2 and BaCl2. Adsorption of CO2 at 25 deg C in Sr(-) and Ba-UPRM-5 materials activated at different temperatures. For low partial pressures, the observed CO2 adsorption capacities increased as follows: NH4-UPRM-5 less than Sr-UPRM-5 less than Ba-UPRM-5. Both the Sr(-) and Ba-UPRM-5 materials exhibited outstanding selectivity for CO2 over CH4, N2 and O2.

Hernandez-Maldonado, Arturo↗

Electrochemistry in the Large Tunnels of Lithium Postspinel Compounds

Lithium spinels (Li MM 'O 4 ) are an important class of mixed-cation materials that have found uses in batteries, catalysis, and optics. Postspinels are a series of related framework structures with the AMM 'O 4 host composition that are formed with larger A -site cations, typically under high pressure. Postspinels have one-dimensional tunnel structures with pores that are larger than those in spinel and triangular in cross-section, but they are relatively unexplored as intercalation electrodes. While lithium postspinels have been previously found to be thermodynamically stable only at high pressures, we have identified a synthetic pathway that produces the lithium-containing materials at ambient pressure using an ion-exchange process from the corresponding sodium postspinels. Here, in this work, we report the synthesis and a survey of the electrochemical properties of 10 new lithium CaFe 2 O 4 -type postspinel compounds where M = Mn 3+ , V 3+ , Cr 3+ , Rh 3+ , Fe 2+ , Mg 2+ , Co 2+ and M ' = Ti 4+ and/or Sn 4+ . Although complete delithiation is not achieved during electrochemical cycling, many of the lithium postspinels have substantial charge storage capacity in Li battery cells owing to the ability of the large framework tunnels to accommodate more than one lithium ion per formula unit. Multiple redox couples are accessed for LiMnSnO 4 , Li 0.96 Mn 0.96 Sn 1.04-x Ti x O 4 , Li 0.96 V 0.96 Ti 1.04 O 4 , Li 0.96 Cr 0.96 Ti 1.04 O 4 , and LiFe 0.5 Ti 1.5 O 4 . Compositions with moderate or poor lithium cyclability are also discussed for comparison. Redox mechanisms and trends are identified by comparing this new redox-active framework to related spinels, ramsdellites, and 'Na 0.44 MnO 2 ' structures, and from density functional theory (DFT) electronic structures. Operando diffraction shows complex structural responses to lithium insertion and extraction in this postspinel framework. A DFT framework was proposed to identify promising lithium postspinel phases that could be accessed metastably under ambient pressure conditions and to assess their stability to lithium insertion and extraction. This work suggests that CaFe 2 O 4 -type hosts are a promising new class of lithium-ion energy storage materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

PFAS Removal by Ion Exchange Resins: Background and Knowledge Gaps with Respect to the Hanford Site

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been a rising concern for the past two decades, with the United States Department of Defense and Environmental Protection Agency investing millions of dollars in research into remediation and clean-up technologies. Due to the environmental persistence, toxicity, biological uptake, and ongoing changes in both federal and state regulatory space, understanding the fate and transport of PFAS compounds has been of growing concern to the US Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE’s Hanford Site is investigating historical use of PFAS and will be doing site characterization for PFAS. Thus, PFAS have not yet been identified as a contaminant concern in regulatory documents. Based on historical records that mention the discharge of aqueous film-forming foam containing PFAS and having on-site fire stations (a risk factor for PFAS contamination), it seems likely that environmental releases of PFAS may have occurred. Pump and treat (P&T) remediation is the selected remedy for multiple groundwater contaminant plumes at Hanford. These P&T systems use ion exchange (IX) as a component of aboveground treatment, with the specific resins depending on the target contaminants. There is potential that these IX resins may be able to remove PFAS from groundwater, but investigation is needed to understand affinity/selectivity and removal capacity given the groundwater composition and the operating conditions. This report provides background on PFAS uses and chemistry, then provides a review of IX resin applications for PFAS, identifying knowledge gaps. Recommendations are provided regarding research needed to address knowledge gaps and acquire information needed to propose IX as a future PFAS remediation technology at the Hanford Site, as well as other U.S. Department of Energy sites. Generally, PFAS compounds are fluorinated substances that contain at least one fully fluorinated methyl or methylene carbon – with a few noted exceptions, any chemical with at least a perfluorinated methyl group (–CF3) or a perfluorinated methylene group (–CF2–) is a PFAS. These chemical compounds are characterized as non-biodegradable, non-reactive, non-photolytic, and hydrolysis resistant. This makes them highly recalcitrant within the environment, however polyfluoroalkyl materials are less recalcitrant as the carbon chains contain C–H bonds which are more easily broken than carbon – fluorine (C–F) bonds. The backbone carbon structures are commonly punctuated with a head group, the most well-known of them are perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid, which possess a sulfonate and a carboxylate group, respectively. IX resins are marketed for the removal of PFAS from water systems and industrial water, however, the mechanism of removal is not as well understood as for anion or cation removal. A better understanding of the mechanism of removal would enable the development of IX resins that have improved specificity for PFAS removal. Four knowledge gaps were identified: 1) the effect of dissolved ions on the IX resin PFAS removal effectiveness, 2) the effect of additional primary contaminants of concern (PCOCs) or secondary contaminants of concern (SCOCs) on the effectiveness of PFAS via IX resin, 3) the mechanisms of PFAS removal from water, and 4) practical solutions to IX resin regeneration and waste disposal.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Cobalt-based pyroxenes: A new playground for Kitaev physics

Recent advances in the study of cobaltites have unveiled their potential as a promising platform for realizing Kitaev physics in honeycomb systems and the Ising model in weakly coupled chain materials. In this manuscript, we explore the magnetic properties of pyroxene SrCoGe 2 O 6 using a combination of neutron scattering, ab initio methods, and linear spin-wave theory. Through careful examination of inelastic neutron scattering powder spectra, we propose a modified Kitaev model to accurately describe the twisted chains of edge-sharing octahedra surrounding Co 2+ ions. The extended Kitaev–Heisenberg model, including a significant anisotropic bond-dependent exchange term with K/|J| = 0.96, is identified as the key descriptor of the magnetic interactions in SrCoGe 2 O 6 . Furthermore, our heat capacity measurements reveal an effect of an external magnetic field (approximately 13 T) which shifts the system from a fragile antiferromagnetic ordering with T N = 9 K to a field-induced state. We argue that pyroxenes, particularly those modified by substituting Ge with Si and its less extended p orbitals, emerge as a platform for the Kitaev model. This opens up possibilities for advancing our understanding of Kitaev physics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗