Synthesis and optimization of gas diffusion electrodes using nitrogen doped graphene for in situ generation of H2O2 aimed at urine stabilization in decentralized systems

• Grant number: 23/13260-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Roberto de Vasconcelos Lanza
• Grantee: Raul José Alves Felisardo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/12895-1 - Advanced processes for the degradation of emerging pollutants: catalytic materials, electroanalytical sensors and scientific dissemination, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/20854-9 - Development of an electrochemical reactor with In Situ H2O2 generation for decentralized urine treatment and electroconversion of value-added products, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The necessity for viable approaches to effluent management emerges as an urgent response tothe global challenge of water scarcity. The utilization of advanced oxidative processes, centered on the electrochemical generation of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), plays a pivotal role in thesestrategies. The effectiveness of these technologies is inherently linked to the selected catalytic material. Within this context, this project emerges as an approach aimed at addressing the identification and development of efficient catalysts for H2O2 generation. The crux of thisproposal is to surmount these challenges through the synthesis and characterization of catalyticmaterials, specifically gas diffus ion electrodes (GDEs) modified with nitrogen doped graphene(N graphene), thereby positioning itself as a sustainable approach for liquid waste, with a focus on human urine as a source for nutrient and water recovery. This will be accomplished throughthe stabilization of urine with electrogenerated H 2 O 2 and through the electrochemical capacityto concurrently effectuate urine disinfection. Within this framework, the proposal has beenstructured into 5 distinct phases, guided by appropriate analytical techn iques, which collectively pave the path toward the implementation of decentralized effluent management systems, emphasizing the sustainability of novel materials and the valorization of nutrients and water. Thus, by means of the conception of advanced cata lytic materials and modified electrochemical structures, this project makes a direct contribution to the advancement of science and technology, as it is capable of addressing pressing challenges, providing alternative solutions to the global water resource crisis.