Browsing by Author "Sadiku Rotimi"

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Fabrication and Potential Applications of Nanoporous Membranes for Separation Processes
(Environmental Nanotechnology Volume 5 (Springer, Cham), 2021-07-05) Agboola Oluranti; Popoola Patricia; Sadiku Rotimi; Sanni Samuel Eshorame; Babatunde Damilola Elizabeth; Ayoola Ayodeji; Abatan Olubunmi Grace
Innovative membrane processes are considered a very important segment of controllable separation processes, such as water treatment, gas separation and organic purification. One of the challenges in membrane technology is the challenge of selecting and fabricating membrane material for excellent selectivity and good permeability for selected particle sizes. The utmost operational challenge perturbing the performance of membrane technology is membrane fouling which occur as a result of insoluble materials covering the membrane surface, leading to a reduction in water quality. Other factors perturbing the performance of membrane technology are energy usage and greenhouse emission. Furthermore, the necessity to react to climate change is another major challenge for membrane technology. An excellent membrane should have high stiffness in order to withstand high pressures applied, large surface area and micro- or nanopore structures for excellent selectivity and good permeability for selected particle sizes. The transport of ions and fluid at molecular level, controlled at the nanometer-scale using membranes provide substantial capacity for high selectivity and high fluxes. The potential applications of nanoporous membranes are strongly subjected to the chemical and physical properties of a membrane material. The effective pores size, porosity, uniformity, thickness, surface chemistry and morphology also have influence on membrane separation performance. We reviewed the fabrication and potential applications of nanoporous membranes for separation processes, operational challenge, energy usage, greenhouse emission and effect of climate change. Thus, the major points, include: (1) fabrication methods of nanoporous membranes for excellent selectivity and good permeability for selected particle sizes, (2) Theoretical modeling and simulations of nanoporous membranes, (3) potential applications of nanoporous membranes, (4) the recent discovery of novel nanoporous membrane structures aimed at overcoming the challenge of fouling, (5) the challenge of energy usage, (6) addressing climate change as a contributing factor to the challenges of water treatment industry and membrane technology.
Utilization of Bioresources: Towards Biomass Valorization for Biofuels
(Bioresource Utilization and Management, 2021) Sanni Samuel Eshorame; Agboola Oluranti; Moses Emetere; Okoro Emeka; Adefila Sam Sunday; Sadiku Rotimi; Alaba Peter
Biomass valorization has recently gained wide attention owing to the vast availability of wastes from which essential oils can be extracted, processed, and subsequently converted to energy utilities and value-added products by taking advantage of the free fatty acid contents of the parent bio-oils. The waste materials undergo a conversion process to give the prospective fuels. The two major final products of the conversion process are bioethanol and biodiesel. Recent findings have also indicated the usefulness of these products as intermediate products/raw materials for end products such as simple sugars or biolubes; this goes further to emphasize the huge potential in these substrates (agricultural wastes) when used as raw materials. In 252recent times, hydrogen from biomass is being sought as a means of energy to power cars, and this also brings to bear the need to underscore how far efforts have been made to introduce bioethanol-driven cars. Fossil fuels, besides being nonbiodegradable relative to bio-oils, are gradually being depleted, with no measures put in place for their replacement. This then suggests the need to look beyond the current situation for viable alternatives. This chapter provides background information on biofuels, their production processes, and their physicochemical characterization, application, and sustainability, since the world is like a vicious circle that currently tilts in the direction of "engineering for a sustainable world". Furthermore, the chapter unveils some gray areas of research that still remain untapped, thus opening up doors for revenue generation.