Amorphous materials membranes fabrication

New and up to-date materials have been developed in our laboratory to carry out Fenton photo-assisted processes efficient in the decoloration/degradation of organic pollutants that show stability against radical attack, do not allow the leaching of Fe-ions into the solution and intervene with suitable kinetics in the degradation processes. These new materials comprise Fe-ions supported on Nation membranes, Nafion-glass mats composites, alginate beads, amorphous polycrystalline fused copolymers and silica woven fabrics. 

Polymer pyrolysis to form advanced ceramics allows the production of highly covalent refractory components (fibers, films, membranes, foams, joints, monolithic bodies, ceramic matrix composites) that are difficult to fabricate via the traditional powder processing route [1-4]. Yajima was the first to demonstrate the feasibility of producing high-strength SiC-based fibers from pyrolysis of polycarbosilane [5]. In this process, a thermoplastic pre-ceramic polymer is first shaped into the desired form, cross-linked into a pre-ceramic network and finally converted into a ceramic material by a pyrolysis process in a controlled atmosphere (Fig. 1). A common feature of the polymer route is the formation of intermediates called amorphous covalent ceramics (ACC) [6]. These are formed after removal of the organic components and before crystallization that occurs at higher temperatures. 

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