Browsing by Author "Dr. Asim Laeeq Khan"

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Fabrication of Deep Eutectic Solvents functionalized Metal Organic Framework based Thin Film Nanocomposite Membranes for Heavy Metals Removal from Wastewater
(Library Information Services COMSATS University Islamabad Lahore Campus, 2021-02-26) Zobila; SP20-R06-021; Dr. Asim Laeeq Khan; LHR TP 7575
The human population on our planet is continuously rising, consequently, the demand for clean water is increasing with the same proportion. Due to industrialization, water is continuously being polluted with heavy metals. Heavy metals are a major contaminant of water that have drastic effects on the life of humans as well as plants and animals. Numerous programs and technologies have been developed till now to eradicate the problem of water shortness and to treat the polluted water. Conventional technologies for water treatment include adsorption, ion exchange, chemical precipitation, and oxidation. However, these techniques have the disadvantage of high sludge production, high energy requirement, and low heavy metal ion rejection that limits their use in heavy metals removal. Membrane technology, specifically thin film nanocomposite membranes are considered a potential alternative for heavy metals removal from wastewater owing to its low energy requirements and high metal rejection. In this dissertation, we investigated the incorporation of Zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks namely UiO66 functionalized with deep eutectic solvents (DES) in thin-film composite membranes for heavy metals removal. Three different DESs comprising of choline chloride as hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and ethylene glycol, urea, and glycerol as hydrogen bond donors (HBD) were used for MOF functionalization.
Fabrication of High Value PET Based Membranes from Waste Plastic Bottles
(Library Information Services COMSATS University Islamabad Lahore Campus, 2021-02-23) Sajjad Hussain; FA19-R06-015; Dr. Asim Laeeq Khan; LHR TP 7317
Use of organic membranes for purification and separation purpose is enhanced in modern era. Fabrication of these membranes is based on availability of different type of polymers. Recent literature has documented the effects of these polymers. Furthermore, use of these polymers boosts the cost of the membranes. At present, environment friendly, viable and cost effective materials are replacing these expensive polymers for the fabrication of membranes. In this view, current research work aims at the fabrication of polymeric membranes by incorporating eco-friendly and abundantly available waste plastic bottles (PET: polyethylene terephthalate) as a substrate. Initially PET was extracted from waste plastic bottles and then, was used to fabricate cost effective membranes. The extracted PET was characterized through FTIR analysis. Fabricated membranes were tested for desalination purpose. Water flux and salt rejection was measured and graphs were plotted. The results showed that an increase in polymer concentration resulted in form of decline in water flux and enhancement of salt rejection. This study also aims to provide easy and cost effective way to remove salts from sea water.
Next Generation Ionic Liquid based Membranes for Dehydration of Bioethanol
(Library Information Services COMSATS University Islamabad Lahore Campus, 2023-02-26) Ilza Amjad; FA21-R06-002; Dr. Asim Laeeq Khan; LHR TP 8440
As the world looks for practical alternatives to fossil fuels, biofuels created from renewable energies have emerged as a promising solution. Bioethanol, in particular, has become the leading biofuel for transportation. But producing bioethanol can be challenging, especially when it comes to removing excess water. This study aims to explore a cutting-edge method for eliminating water from bioethanol: using solid dense membranes in a process called pervaporation. The use of Ionic liquid based membranes is particularly attractive because they can separate azeotropic mixtures with a high rate of molecular diffusion, low energy consumption, and no phase change or chemical reactions. To evaluate the performance of these membranes, we used Polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) based membranes as a benchmark and studied the use of ionic liquids (ILs) as a way to improve ethanol selectivity. We synthesized three specific ILs, Tributyl methyl Phosphonium Bis [(trifluoromethyl) sulfonyl] imide, trihexyl tetradecyl phosphonium bis 2,4,4 trimethyl pentyl phosphinate and Tetrabutyl phosphonium bis [(trifluoromethyl) sulfonyl] imide and tested them in custom-built pervaporation se-up. We used various characterization methods like FTIR, BET, XRD, SEM and TEM to evaluate their performance in removing water from bioethanol. The study demonstrated that employing supported ionic liquid membranes (SLMs) effectively enhanced the dehydration process of bioethanol
Production of 500 metric tons/day of Nitric Acid from Ammonia by Ostwald Process
(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2023) Hashir Arshad, FA19-CHE-012; Abdul Manan Amjad, FA19-CHE-040; Uzair Ahmad, FA19-CHE-068; Awais Afzal Sial, FA19-CHE-088; Zeeshan Sarwar, FA19-CHE-102; LHR TP 8426; Dr. Asim Laeeq Khan
This final year project report presents a comprehensive study on the production of 500 metric tons per day of nitric acid through the implementation of Ostwald's process using ammonia as the primary feedstock. The report provides a detailed analysis of the process flow, reaction kinetics, equipment design, and optimization techniques employed to achieve the desired production capacity. Additionally, the project explores the environmental impact of the nitric acid production process and proposes innovative strategies for minimizing waste and maximizing resource efficiency. The findings of this report contribute to the understanding and advancement of industrial-scale nitric acid production, providing valuable insights for the chemical engineering community and facilitating sustainable practices within the chemical manufacturing sector