Effectiveness of different CuO morphologies nanomaterials on the permeability, antifouling, and mechanical properties of PVDF/PVP/CuO ultrafiltration membrane for water treatment.

The hydrophobic nature of Poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is a significant barrier to use in ultrafiltration, resulting in fouling, flux decline, and reduced lifespan in water treatment. This study examines the effectiveness of different morphologies of CuO nanomaterials (NMs) (spherical, rod, plate, and flower), synthesized by the facile hydrothermal method, to modify PVDF membrane with PVP additive for improving the performance of water permeability and antifouling. Such membrane configurations with different morphologies of CuO NMs improved hydrophilicity with a maximum water flux of 222-263 L mh compared to 195 L mh for the bare membrane and exhibited excellent thermal and mechanical strengths.

Effectiveness of phase- and morphology-controlled MnO nanomaterials derived from flower-like δ-MnO as alternative cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells.

Crystal phase and morphology variations obtained by simple high-temperature annealing offer promising strategies for employing nanostructured manganese oxide as a cathode catalyst for microbial fuel cells (MFCs). This study examines the effectiveness of simultaneous-phase and morphology-controlled manganese dioxide nanomaterials, designed by annealing a hydrothermally synthesized flower-like δ-manganese dioxide precursor at 300-800 °C, as cathode catalysts for MFCs. MFCs with the best-performing catalyst cathode (at a reasonable mass loading) were also analyzed through cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.