Oxygen separation membrane derived from aquatic weed: A novel bio-inspired approach to synthesize BaBi0.2Co0.35Fe0.45O3-δ perovskite from water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)
Graphical abstract
Introduction
To meet the need of multifarious modern applications, bio-engineered materials have shown exceptional promises [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. Bio-templated or bio-engineered architects both in nano and micro domain have distinct functional advantages over the conventionally prepared materials [7], [8], [9], [10]. Mimicking or templating of biological interiors results in a unique hierarchical microstructure adding more functionality in the materials [11]. In last two decades, the engineered microstructure derived from natural templates such as plant leaf, roots, flowers, wings, body parts of insects etc. has been widely explored for their possible applications in biomedical, bioelectronics, catalysis, energy storage, energy generation etc. [2], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23]. In this context, an attempt has been made for the first time to use water hyacinth's (WH) petioles as a sacrificial template to produce oxygen separation BaBi0.2Co0.35Fe0.45O3−δ (BBCF) perovskite type membrane.
Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is considered as water devil or worst aquatic weed due to its rapid growth leading to severe negative impact on aquatic environment, human health and economic developments [24], [25]. The rapid breeding of water hyacinth forms a dense, impenetrable mats over water body that blocks irrigation channels, depletes nutrients and dissolve oxygen, alters habitat of aquatic organism by changing pH, temperature etc. [24], [25]. In spite of these several disadvantages, various methods are now being explored to utilize water hyacinth for energy production, water treatment, feedstock for biofuels production etc. [26], [27]. The leaves of water hyacinth are rounded, somewhat leathery and borne on petioles (leaf stalks) that are bulbous or inflated with a spongy interior. The petiole contains air filled tissues (aerenchyma) responsible for water hyacinth's buoyancy in water surface. The close examination of the spongy interior of bulbous petioles reveals large number of micro-channels which may be utilized as a scaffold for synthesizing desired materials. In the present study, such scaffolds are utilized to produce BBCF perovskite membrane. The physico-chemical properties along with oxygen permeation flux of developed membrane have also been studied in detail.
Section snippets
Experimental
Water hyacinth plants collected from the local ponds have been cleaned properly before any further processing. The petioles are cut and washed thoroughly multiple times with deionized water. The cleaned petioles are then dried in an oven at 80 °C for 24 h. After drying, the petioles are squeezed in volume. In parallel, a clear stoichiometric aqueous solution of Ba(NO3)2·xH2O [ACROS, 99%, Anhydrous] is prepared and mixed with the mixture of aqueous solution containing stoichiometric salt of Co(NO3)
Results and discussion
X-Ray diffractograms of BBCF powder and the green template calcined at 950 °C in air along with standard peak positions are shown in Fig. 3. All the major peaks of BBCF can be matched with the standard reference pattern no. 01-075-0227 along with some minor impurities of heavy metal oxides, calcium carbonate and calcium chloride as shown in Fig. 3(b). The existence of such heavy metals may be originated from the WH template. To verify the fact, the pattern of the blank template calcined at 950 °C
Conclusions
BaBi0.2Co0.35Fe0.45O3−δ (BBCF) type perovskite membrane has been synthesized for the first time by a novel and simple bio-inspired approach using petioles of water hyacinth, a common aquatic weed. The powder synthesized by WH method results in 3D architecture of nano rod arrays. The synthesized membrane has shown more than two fold increase in conductivity than the conventionally prepared membrane. The engineered microstructure of BBCF also produces high oxygen permeation flux during gas
Acknowledgments
The authors are thankful to their Director for his kind permission to publish this work. QAI is also thankful to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India for the senior research fellowship.
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Present address: Chemistry Division, State Forensic Science Laboratory, Kolkata, India.