Effect of TiO Nanoparticles on Capillary-Driven Flow in Water Nanofilters Based on Chitosan Cellulose and Polyvinylidene Fluoride Nanocomposites: A Theoretical Study.

In this study, a novel concept of nanofiltration process of drinking water based on capillary-driven nanofiltration is demonstrated using a bio-based nanocomposites' nanofilter as free power: a green and sustainable solution. Based on Lifshitz and Young-Laplace theories, we show that the chitosan (CS), cellulose acetate (CLA), and Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer matrixes demonstrate hydrophobic behavior, which leads to the draining of water from nanopores when negative capillary pressure is applied and consequently prevents the capillary-driven nanofiltration process. By incorporating 10%, 20%, and 30% volume fraction of titanium dioxide (TiO) nanoparticles (NPs) to the polymers' matrixes, we demonstrate a wetting conversion from hydrophobic to hydrophilic behavior of these polymer nanocomposites.

An attempt to study (111) oriented NiO-like TCO thin films in terms of structural, optical properties and photocatalytic activities under strontium doping.

This work covers some physical properties of Sr-doped NiO sprayed thin films at various concentrations (0 to 4%) prepared on glass substrates. Structural properties by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) show that all films have a cubic structure with (111) orientation. The stress, estimated by adjusting the XRD diffraction peaks increases with the doping concentration.