Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

This proposal is to request a continuous microwave (MW) reactor setup and a flow through reactor with a high efficiency ultrasonic probe for the efficient conversion of coal fly ash to zeolites, synthesis of metal organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles and controlled nucleation and growth rates of pharmaceuticals. We have converted coal fly ash to zeolites, synthesized a number of industrially important metal organic frameworks (MOFs), and produced active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in laboratory scale batch reactors (20 mL) using a combination of MW and UTS energy sources. In comparison with the conventional heating, UTS and MW increase the reaction rates by several orders of magnitude while the product quality in terms of cationic exchange capacities, the specific surface area, and particle size distribution are enhanced. The commercialization of our product series with applications in waste water treatment and adsorption of heavy metals, mercury in ppb range and hexavalent chromium; selective CO2 adsorption from industrial flue gas and biogas (from a mixture of methane and CO2 produced by anaerobic digestion of animal waste); as well as control of polymorphism in the pharmaceutical crystallization, requires the design of a large scale continuous reactor with controllable sources of MW and UTS energies. The requested pieces of equipment are chosen after careful consideration of the available suppliers, and are essential components of a 'bench scale' continuous process (400 mL reactor volume) that can help optimize the operating conditions for the design of a pilot-plant and industrial size zeolitization and MOFs and pharmaceuticals manufacturing plants. Access to the requested equipment in this proposal will lead to an efficient manufacturing process for the conversion of coal fly ash to a series of useful zeolites for the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater streams, and synthesis of a series of MOF nanomaterials and pharmaceuticals. The requested equipment is indispensable for the commercialization of our products. The HQP will be trained in the fundamental and applied research and will have close interaction with our industrial partners.