Making a Self-Cleaning Anti-Scale Coating for Water Treatment Systems
21 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Mariana Quinn, Rice University, NEWT Center
How are Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) used in water treatment? This research focuses on harnessing the electrical properties of Carbon Nanotubes in order to create a coat that prevents scale and biofilm buildup in water treatment systems.
Adaptations to Convection Cells
21 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Chris Winkler, Rice University, NEWT Center
Changing temperature differences between the poles and the equator, and the rate of the Earth’s spin, create unique atmospheric patterns. These movements help to transfer heat from the equator to the poles thus creating weather. Deep Learning is used to help predict the changes due to...
Keep Our Dirty Clean
21 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Leonel Resendiz, Rice University, NEWT Center
Pyrolytic treated of contaminated clay (bentonite) impregnated with iron and copper have shown promise as a viable route to the treatment of crude-oil contaminated soils including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are a class of chemicals that occur naturally in coal, crude oil,...
Mr. Waters Takes a Bath at the NEWT Water Treatment Facility
21 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Melissa Mason, Rice University, NEWT Center
Antimicrobial drinking water has improved over the years with less deaths from water contamination. Scientists and engineers have developed methods to produce larger volumes of water. However, to produce volumes of purified drinking water to accommodate billions of people is an everyday...
How to Remove Metals from Water with Polymers
21 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Gerardo Lopez, Arizona State University, NEWT Center
Heavy metals in our water sources have been an ongoing contamination issue that has been growing, especially since the industrialization era. Methods such as adsorption have been previously developed to try to remove these metals from the water in the most cost-effective and as efficiently...
Cleaning Household Greywater for Reuse as Toilet Water
21 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Elliot Hall, Arizona State University, NEWT Center
Freshwater is becoming scarce while we use it as a limitless resource. Roughly 30% of our daily water usage is from toilets. Our project, funded by Gate Foundation is to recycle household greywater, clean it, and reuse it in toilets. In this work, the physical foam fractionation is...
Your Smart Brain
21 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Rubiona Grainger, Rice University, NEWT Center
Researchers have differentiated hESCs into forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain. However, observing cell interpretation of signals to form dorsal-ventral patterning tissues with sonic hedgehog (SHH) gene is necessary. We used micropatterning within different timeframes to determine how cell fates...
Designing a System that will Prevent Membrane Fouling in the Event of a Power Outage
21 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Enrique Gomez, University of Texas - El Paso, NEWT Center
This project focuses on finding a solution to prevent membrane fouling in the CERRO units located at the lower valley plants in the event of a power outage. Power outages are common in the 79907 area of El Paso, Texas especially during the summer season. In the event of a power...
Detecting Cancerous Pollutants
21 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Julia Dolive, Rice University, NEWT Center
Developments in machine learning software and nanoparticles-assisted Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) techniques have remarkable potential in improving the detection accuracy and sensitivity of pollutants molecules. A cancerogenic class of environmental and biological pollutants of...
The Importance of Fish Poop
21 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Julie Cooper, Rice University, NEWT Center
Stony corals engage in symbiotic relationships with photosynthetic dinoflagellates (Family Symbiodiniaceae). As corals become more susceptible to bleaching events the rate at which they reacquire Symbiodiniaceae into their framework is key to their survival. Symbiodiniaceae can be dispersed...
A Boron Solution
20 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Carl Boyd, Rice University, NEWT Center, Mariana Quinn
What is a hexagonal Boron Nitride hBNs coating? This project focuses on developing a method for layering hBN coats on materials for their ability to prevent corrosion and abrasion.
TiO2 Everywhere!
20 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Tabatha Schacht, University of Texas - El Paso, NEWT Center
How much Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) is present in the water we drink? This research focuses on terephthalic acid (TPA) and UV light in order to detect the levels of TiO2 present in drinking water and thus ensuring the levels are within the safe parameters of consumption.
Size Matters
20 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Michael Sang, Yale University, NEWT Center
How can Iron nanoparticles be used for cleaning water? This research focuses on utilizing 8nm Iron (Fe) nanoparticles for cleaning water by testing different surfactants to stop these nanocrystals (NCs) from aggregating and thus keeping small and separate as possible.
Why Lithium is Important?
20 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Mallam Phillips, Rice University, NEWT Center
How is lithium obtained from the environment? Lithium is a highly reactive metal with unique properties including a high degree of heat and electric conductivity. This research focuses on using Electrodialysis to obtain lithium from brine reservoirs.
Desalination and Brackish Water
20 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Christina Pasillas, University of Texas- El Paso, NEWT Center
What is Electrocoagulation? This study focuses on utilizing Electrocoagulation in the removal of colloidal silica particles and thus improving the Reverse Osmosis (RO) recovery rate in brackish water.
Using UV-C LEDs for Water Disinfection
20 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Scott Currier, Arizona State University, NEWT Center
Biofilms can develop over treated water causing harm to humans. This project focuses on utilizing UV-C LEDs for disinfection of stored water.
Removal of PFOAS & Nitrate From Waste Water
20 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Sheena Carbaugh, Arizona State University, NEWT Center
How do per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs or PFOAs) and nitrates affect the food we consume? This study focuses on how naturally occurring PFAs/PFOAs and nitrates, which are harmful when consumed in large quantities, can be removed via biodegradation.
PhotoBleaching
20 Aug 2022 | Animations | Contributor(s): Jessica Dupa, Rice University, NEWT Center
What is PhotoBleaching? Is this shorting video, we will learning about pigments and how color can be lost due to photobleaching.
NEWT Diversity and Inclusion Module: The Story of Becky and the Disappearing Supplement
05 Feb 2021 | Online Presentations | Contributor(s): Theresa Chatman, NEWT Center
The Nano-enabled Water Treatment (NEWT) Center has a suite of online modules that has tips on best mentoring practices, the dynamic between students and their faculty advisors, underrepresented minority (URM) faculty hiring practices and more.
NEWT Diversity and Inclusion Module: The Story of Javier
NEWT Diversity and Inclusion Modules
05 Feb 2021 | Series | Contributor(s): Theresa Chatman, NEWT Center
NEWT Diversity and Inclusion Module: Best Mentoring Practices
Guidebook: High-Quality K-12 Engineering Instruction
05 Feb 2021 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): NEWT Center, carolyn a nichol, Christina Crawford, Robert Wimpelberg, Mallory Thawley, Manuel R. Gonzalez-Bert, Michelle Bass, Scott Currier, Ugochi M. Emenaha, Alison Cook-Davis, Steven Clemens, Maiya M. Moore, Veronica L. Romero, Tracy Swift, Travis Martin, Jean S. Larson, Krystle Dunn, Rebecca Hooper, Milton Johnson, Selene Verhofstad, Denise Thompson
A guide for novice engineering K-12 instructors to incorporate cultural differences in the classroom. The Teacher Leader Engineer Network (TaLENt) Project is a supplement to the NSF Nanosystems Engineering Research Centers' work agenda for...
Liquid Crystal Elastomer: A Stimuli Responsive Polymer
12 Jan 2021 | Online Presentations | Contributor(s): Selene Reyes Verhofstad, NEWT Center
This whiteboard video is designed to engage K-12 students in high-level nanotechnology research. Liquid Crystals (LCs) Commonly used in LCDs, calculator screens, tabletsState of matter between solid and liquidContains molecules shaped like rods to encourage...
Fabricating Superhydrophobic Membranes to Improve Water Recovery form Urine
12 Jan 2021 | Online Presentations | Contributor(s): Krystle Dunn, NEWT Center
This whiteboard video is designed to engage K-12 students in high-level nanotechnology research. In space there is a unique challenge to provide and sustain resourcesIt would is not cost-effective or feasible to do transport needed resourcesWater is an important resource that...