Magnetic Microgels: Design, Synthesis, and Application

Afsar, Faranak

Magnetic Microgels: Design, Synthesis, and Application

dc.contributor.advisor	Bryant, Steven
dc.contributor.advisor	Hu, Jinguang
dc.contributor.author	Afsar, Faranak
dc.contributor.committeemember	Trifkovic, Milana
dc.contributor.committeemember	Nassar, Nashaat
dc.contributor.committeemember	Clarkson, Christopher
dc.contributor.committeemember	Trivedi, Japan
dc.date	2024-05
dc.date.accessioned	2024-05-03T16:52:55Z
dc.date.available	2024-05-03T16:52:55Z
dc.date.issued	2024-04-30
dc.description.abstract	Magnetite nanoparticles (NPs) have shown promising potential for different applications including drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging, environmental remediation, and catalysis. However, the main challenge limiting the magnetite NP applicability is its tendency to aggregate. As a result, a lot of research has been conducted on magnetite NP stabilization to improve their suitability for different applications. This thesis goal was to investigate the incorporation of magnetite NPs into microgels as a stabilization technique of the magnetite NPs and evaluate the magnetite NP-microgel hybrid system for two specific applications I) magnetic reservoir monitoring, and II) Lead removal from water. Microgels based on poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) containing different mole ratios of methacrylic acid (MAA) were designed as templates for the in-situ synthesis and incorporation of magnetite NPs. Subsequently, microgel colloidal stability regarding NaCl concentration and temperature was studied to assess their applicability for subsurface applications. It was shown that microgels with a PNIPAM/MAA mole ratio of 40/60 remained stable at elevated temperatures (80 °C) and salinity (up to 10 wt% NaCl) which makes them suitable for subsurface applications. Additionally, the core-flooding experiment indicated that the magnetite NPs-microgel is magnetically detectable and does not have permanent retention in the porous medium. The obtained results show that magnetite NP-PNIPAM-co-MAA microgel has great potential as a magnetic contrast agent for reservoir monitoring. Magnetite NPs incorporated into the PNIPAM microgel were used as adsorbent for Pb2+ removal from water. The designed adsorbent was efficient in Pb2+ removal from water with a maximum capacity of 46 mg Pb2+/g. The results indicated that using microgels as carriers for magnetite NPs is an effective method for adsorption applications due to the porous structure of the microgels which facilitates high mass exchange between magnetite NPs and aqueous medium. In conclusion, results obtained from this study show that the magnetite NP-microgel hybrid system as a multifunctional material provides design flexibility to create materials for applications in various fields including but not limited to lead uptake from water and magnetic reservoir monitoring.
dc.identifier.citation	Afsar, F. (2024). Magnetic microgels: design, synthesis, and application (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/1880/118671
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher.faculty	Graduate Studies
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	magnetite nanoparticles
dc.subject	microgel
dc.subject	magnetic reservoir monitoring
dc.subject	environmental remediation
dc.subject	reservoirs
dc.subject	materials
dc.subject.classification	Engineering--Chemical
dc.title	Magnetic Microgels: Design, Synthesis, and Application
dc.type	doctoral thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Engineering – Chemical & Petroleum
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent	I do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.