Acid-Processed Palm-Biochar Photocatalyst
Official patent title
Acid treatment method for making organoselenium composite
Arabic title: طريقة معالجة حمضية لتصنيع مركب من السيلينيوم العضوي
Invention
Invention
Problem
TiO2 primarily absorbs ultraviolet light, so hybrid catalyst supports are sought to improve contact with pollutants and explore charge transfer under visible as well as UV illumination.
Why it matters
Combining adsorption and photocatalytic functions may create additional material options for laboratory treatment of organic contaminants in water or air.
Approach
The method acid-treats palm waste and MWCNT with refluxing H4P2O7, carbonizes the mixture, adds TiO2, chlorinates the support, and attaches an organoselenium compound to form Se-TiO2-MWCNT/biochar.
Who may benefit
Potential beneficiaries include photocatalyst and nanocomposite developers, water- or air-treatment researchers, specialty catalyst producers, and palm-biomass processors.
Potential value
The claims define an acid-treatment-centered route that integrates a biomass support, conductive MWCNT, TiO2, and organoselenium chemistry.
Background
Background
TiO2 is a photostable oxidation catalyst under ultraviolet light but has limited use of the visible portion of the spectrum. Organoselenium compounds can participate in redox chemistry, while carbon nanotubes and biochar can provide conductive and adsorptive support. The patent combines these functions by converting palm waste into an MWCNT-containing biochar and attaching TiO2 and an organoselenium amidic acid. This publication particularly claims refluxing H4P2O7 during acid treatment and defines later chlorination, reaction, separation, and calcination steps.
Technology overview
Technology overview
Palm waste powder and 1–5 wt.% MWCNT are refluxed in H4P2O7 and carbonized at 500–900 °C under inert gas for 10–50 minutes. TiO2 particles of 50–350 nm are mixed with the MWCNT/biochar. Acyl groups are chlorinated by reflux with excess oxalyl chloride in an ultrasonic bath, then reacted with a selected organoselenium compound and an aliphatic amine. The Se-TiO2-MWCNT/biochar solid can be separated and calcined at 400–800 °C; the organoselenium precursor may use an anhydride and NaBH4.
Potential applications
Potential applications
- Potential use in photocatalytic degradation studies for organic water pollutants.
- Potential use in light-active media for air-treatment research.
- Potential use in catalyst-coated reactor or filtration supports.
- Potential use as a laboratory platform for hybrid photocatalyst optimization.
Evidence-supported advantages
Evidence-supported advantages
- Specifies refluxing H4P2O7 as the acid-treatment step for the composite feed.
- Integrates biochar, MWCNT, TiO2, and organoselenium functions in one material.
- Uses palm waste as the precursor for the carbon support.
- Defines feed size, MWCNT loading, TiO2 size, gas flow, and thermal ranges.
Development stage
Development stage
Patent publication describing nanocomposite fabrication and process parameters; commercialization and independent photocatalytic-performance validation were not established.
Commercial opportunity
Commercial opportunity
The disclosed process may support licensing around the acid-treatment and composite-fabrication sequence. Validation should address scale-up of the reflux and chlorination steps, oxalyl-chloride and selenium handling, particle containment, catalyst recovery, leaching, comparative activity under defined light, service life, batch consistency, lifecycle considerations, and application-specific safety.
Patent classifications
Patent classifications
WIPO IPC
- B01J31/12Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
- B01J37/04Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
CPC
- B01J21/185Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
- B01J31/0247Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
- B01J31/0272Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
- B01J31/0275Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
- B01J31/122Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
- B01J37/04Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
- B01J37/084Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
- B01J37/24Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
- C07F11/00Acyclic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic compounds containing elements other than carbon, hydrogen, halogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, selenium or tellurium
- B01J35/39Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
Inventors
Inventors
- First inventorTarek Ahmed Yousef
- InventorHanan A. Althikrallah
- InventorSaad Shaaban
- InventorMohsen Ahmed
Keywords
Keywords
- acid treatment
- H4P2O7
- organoselenium
- MWCNT
- biochar
- TiO2
- palm waste
- photocatalysis
Patent document and drawings
Patent document and drawings
The patent publication is mapped to this record. Patent drawings remain within that publication; no separately cleared public media package has been supplied.