Department of Chemical Engineering

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    A Chemical Engineering Plant Design Project on the Production of 24000 tons per year of Aviation Fuel via Fischer-Tropsch Process using Biomass Gasification
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2023) Mehroz (FA19-CHE-003); Sahar Khan (FA19-CHE-009); Shafaq Imtiaz (FA19-CHE-019); Hafiz Muhammad Bilal (FA19-CHE-071); Maryam Fatima (FA19-CHE-083); LHR TP 8423; Dr. Zakir Khan
    The production of traditional jet fuel from fossil fuels has substantial environmental impacts and relies on finite resources. As a result, the search for renewable and economically viable alternatives has gained attention. Biomass-derived jet fuel has emerged as a promising solution, offering a renewable resource that can help address environmental concerns and meet the increasing demand for aviation fuel. This project focuses on producing 24,000 tons per year of aviation fuel in Pakistan using the Fischer-Tropsch process coupled with biomass gasification, with corn stover selected as the biomass feedstock. The project emphasizes the importance of expanding bio-jet fuel production to meet the growing demand and significantly reduce carbon footprints. It highlights the urgent need to invest in biomass conversion technologies and scale production to attain environmental goals. The successful implementation of large-scale bio-jet fuel production systems will reduce dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to the sustainable development of the aviation industry. Material and energy balance calculations are performed to assess the plant's feed requirements and energy consumption, providing crucial information for the process. Furthermore, design calculations for equipment are conducted to estimate the capital cost of the plant, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the project's financial implications. This project examines the potential of biomass-converted jet fuel as a sustainable and economically advantageous alternative to traditional jet fuel.
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    A Plant Design Project on the 67,000 tons per year of Green Ammonia Production through Novel Lithium-Mediated Pathway
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2024) M. Zubair Naeem (CIIT/FA20-CHE-001/LHR), Hamza Aasim (CIIT/FA20-CHE-013/LHR), Abdul Rehman Virk (CIIT/FA20-CHE-051/LHR), Habib Haider (CIIT/FA20-CHE-064/LHR), Shoaib Ali (CIIT/FA20-CHE-094/LHR); Dr. Wajih-ur-Rahman; LHR TP 9954
    Welcome to our Chemical Engineering Final Year Design Project (FYDP), where innovation meets sustainability. Our project revolves around the concept of utilizing ammonia as a carbon-free energy carrier, allowing for decentralized and remote energy distribution. This is a pivotal step in reducing our dependence on the energy-intensive and carbon-heavy Haber-Bosch method for ammonia production. Our FYDP presents a novel approach – lithium-mediated electrochemical ammonia synthesis at mild process conditions. We dive deep into this innovative solution, aiming to not only reduce energy consumption but also the cost associated with ammonia production. Moreover, our focus extends to environmental considerations, assessing the environmental impact from start to finish. In this proposal, we'll explore the world of electrochemical ammonia synthesis using lithium-ion conductive membranes and cryogenic distillation for nitrogen generation. Our aim is to provide a sustainable alternative that rivals traditional methods, both in terms of cost and environmental friendliness. Join us on this journey through the realms of chemical engineering, innovation, and sustainability, as we design a green chemical plant that could reshape the future of energy production. Our FYDP represents our commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable world and our readiness to make a significant impact in the field of green chemistry.
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    A Plant Design Project on the Production of 10,000 Tonnes per Year of Methyl Ethyl Ketone via Catalytic Dehydrogenation of 2-Butanol
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2023) Ashar Ali Khan (FA19-CHE-096); Faiza Shuja (FA19-CHE-023); Rana Bilal Akhtar (FA19-CHE-056); Adeel Abbas (FA19-CHE-076); Arham Naveed (FA19-CHE-060); LHR TP 8425; Dr. Abdul Razzaq
    This project aims to address the growing demand for Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) in Pakistan and foster growth in the organic solvent sector. To achieve this, various methods of producing MEK have been carefully analyzed and evaluated for cost effectiveness, and catalytic dehydrogenation of 2-butanol has been determined to be the most efficient and economical approach. This method involves a straightforward process of eliminating hydrogen from 2-butanol using a catalyst at the appropriate temperature and pressure to produce high-purity MEK. To design the MEK production plant, several critical steps have been undertaken, including conducting mass and energy balances, designing the primary equipment, developing process instrumentation and control, and estimating the process's cost. The significance of this initiative is its potential to drive growth in the organic solvent sector in Pakistan, given that this method has been successfully industrialized in other countries.
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    A Plant Design Project on the Production of 66000 Tons/year Formaldehyde from 9661.83 kg/hr of Processing Methanol Using Silver as a Catalyst
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2023) Hammad Ijaz (FA19-CHE-063); Muhammad Abdullah (FA19-CHE-059); Hammad Ali (FA19-CHE-093); Rana Ahsan Ali (FA19-CHE-097); Furqan Ahmed (FA19-CHE-104); LHR TP 8419; Dr. Noaman Ul Haq
    Formaldehyde can be manufactured through various processes, but most of it is manufactured using a oxidation of methanol using a silver process. In this process, reactants i.e., methanol is fed to the vaporizer where it exchanges heat with water, Heated methanol is then fed to the reactor where it reacts with Oxygen (Air) with steam injected to avoid deactivation of silver catalyst to form major product (Formaldehyde) along with some tail gases. Product is then fed to the absorption tower where water is used as a carrier solvent for methanol and tail gases are removed from the top of the absorption column. Formaldehyde along with water methanol mixture is fed to distillation column for the removal of major product on the basis boiling point difference. Recycled methanol is taken from the top of the column and heated product formaldehyde (formalin) is taken from the bottom of the column. This product is then sent to the final equipment of the process which is heat exchanger to cool down the main product. The conversion achieved is 92% of the overall product.
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    A Plant Design Report on the Production of 300 MTPD of Methanol from Syngas
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2023) Muhammad Asif (FA19-CHE-025); M. Abdullah Asif (FA19-CHE-085); Taimour Sultan (FA19-CHE-103); Ali Hamza (FA19-CHE-107); Dr. Awais Bukhari; LHR TP 8422
    This Plant Design Report focuses on the production of 300 MTPD of Methanol from Syngas. The report outlines the comprehensive design of a plant that efficiently converts syngas into methanol, highlighting the technical aspects, optimization strategies, and environmental considerations involved. The abstract provides an overview of the report, summarizing the key objectives, methodologies, and outcomes. It emphasizes the collaborative efforts of researchers, engineers, technicians, and environmentalists in designing a sustainable and efficient methanol production process. The abstract acknowledges the support and guidance of management and stakeholders, as well as the crucial role played by teachers in shaping the educational journey of the students involved in the project. Overall, the abstract provides a concise summary of the Plant Design Report, capturing the essence of the project and recognizing the contributions of all stakeholders involved.
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    Development of Experimental Testing Facility for Performance Evaluation Triboelectric Nanogenerator Device
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2025) Muhammad Nafees ul Hussain; CIIT/SP24-RNE-005/LHR; Dr Maria Mustafa; LHR TP 10011
    The study of Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs) a flexible system to harvest low-frequency mechanical energy has become more accelerated by the increasing global demand on sustainable energy. But variable performance reporting in the field is often occasioned by lack of standardized and uniform testing conditions. This gap is covered by creating an in-house testing laboratory that will be utilized to precisely describe and quantify the durability of TENG devices. The two main parts of the experimental setup are an Arduino-controlled solenoid system that can perform independent testing at constant contact forces (2 N) and various periods of time, and a Dynamic Load Applicator (DLA) that can perform uniform cyclic endurance testing between 50-550 rpm. High-performance TENGs were created by evaluating the facility utilizing a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix covered with sodium niobate (NaNbO3) and carbon black (CB).Hydrothermal methods were used to create NaNbO3, and solution-based processing was used to install the thin film. Numerical outputs of the experiements highlighted facility's capacity to capture high-resolution data. The results suggest that the solenoid system was able to separate voltage peaks of up to 23V for PVDF+CB-NaNbO₃ combinations, while the DLA achieved maximum open-circuit voltages of 50 V for PVDF+CB-NaNbO₃ compositions. Sensitivity was exhibited by microampere-level current responses, which were 5.84 µA for PVDF+CB-NaNbO₃ utilizing the DLA and 5.62 µA for PVDF+NaNbO₃ utilizing the push-pull system. This study delivers a reliable and scalable setup for systematic TENG performance analysis that is significant for the development of self-powered devices and sensing technologies.
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    Efficient Sensor MAT For Energy Harvesting And
    (COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus Library Information Services, CUI Lahore, 2020) … By: Shahbaz Ali , Mudabbar Hussain , Umer Shoukat; FA15-BCE-031 , FA15-BCE-006 , FA15-BCE-059; Dr. Abbas Javaid, Assistant Profesor; LHR TP 5871
    In past few years, increase in production of less power consuming electronic devices made our lives more comfortable. Although, energy consumed by these moveable electronic devices will increase, the idea of energy harvesting in human surroundings arise a new interest among us. In our project we proposed a sensor mat which can harvest ambient energy source into usable electrical energy. As it will be successful approach to make power through a sensor mat. This objective can be accomplished by placing piezoelectric materials inside the mat and it placed at entrance where it allows maximum people to go through it. Whenever, the person steps on the mat it will generate a signal in the form of potential difference. This amount of potential difference will be dependent on the force exerted by human footstep. After receiving the threshold signal a program will run which will count the person and his direction. This would allow us to generate appropriate amount of electricity as well as counting the number of people and their direction.
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    Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4) based Photocatalytic membrane for enhanced Pharmaceutical Micropollutant Filtration and Degradation
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2025) MUHAMMAD FAIQ BUTT; CUI/SP23-RCH-005/LHR; Dr. Abdul Razzaq; LHR TP 9670
    In the 21st century, the world is facing major challenges in water quality and global climate change due to an exponential growth in human population, so green technology is the need of the time to mitigate climate change and to minimize further factors that play a vital role in climate pollution. So, a combination of two technologies emerges as a new technology for the treatment of wastewater. Graphitic carbon nitride (GCN) has been integrated into polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes via an immersion- precipitation phase-transition reaction. This addition enhances the structural and morphological investigations, showing that GCN nanoparticles are evenly distributed in the PAN matrix. Different performance tests and characterization techniques confirmed that as the content of GCN increased, the performance of highly concentrated GCN-PAN hybrid enhances such as 0.25wt.% GCN-PAN membrane became more hydrophilic and less prone to fouling. More so, GCN-PAN membranes displayed the function of photocatalysis. Regarding photocatalytic activity, different loadings of hybrid membranes are used. Continuous degradation of metformin under sunlight irradiation was performed using 0.25wt.% GCN-PAN with a degradation rate of metformin of 50%. The presence of photogenerated h+ is high, and reactive oxidative species proved that these are the ones that were the cause of the observed degradation of organics and bacterial inactivation. This study proves that the addition of GCN into polymeric membranes enhances the performance, like permeate flux, salt rejection, and antifouling, due to the hydrophilic properties exhibited by GCN. Finally, the hybrid 0.25wt.% GCN-PAN membrane under the exposure of sunlight degrades wastewater treatment performance.
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    Green & Sustainable Membranes for Efficient Bioethanol Purification via Pervaporation
    (Library Information Services COMSATS University Islamabad Lahore Campus, 2023-02-27) Abeera Naeem; SP22-RNE-002; Dr. Muhammad Yasin; LHR TP 8636
    Traditional membrane technologies, typically reliant on fossil-based polymers and hazardous solvents, pose significant environmental threats. To address these challenges, this study introduces an innovative approach: the development of hydrophobic mixed matrix membranes utilizing waste polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes and deep eutectic solvents (DES) based on thymol: urea as green additives. The research focuses on synthesizing two types of membranes: dense and asymmetrical. Each type is evaluated for its efficiency in terms of flux and selectivity. The asymmetric membranes undergo optimization processes, involving adjustments in polymer concentration, co-solvent use, and evaporation time, to enhance pervaporation performance. This optimization aims to achieve maximum ethanol flux and high separation factor. In contrast, the dense recycled PVC membranes exhibit comparable results to conventional polymeric membranes in terms of flux (1.98 kg/m2) and separation factor (16). Significantly, the incorporation of DES into the membrane matrix results in substantial performance improvements. The separation factor enhanced by approximately 125%, alongside a 36% increase in ethanol sorption capacity. Asymmetric membranes particularly demonstrate a higher potential in flux performance, reaching 5.12 kg/m2.hr, in contrast to dense membranes with a flux of 1.98 kg/m2.hr. These findings highlight the effectiveness of using recycled waste materials and DES in membrane fabrication. This approach not only enhances pervaporation performance but also aligns with the goals of green and sustainable membrane technology, offering a promising solution to environmental concerns in the field of membrane separation.
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    Production of 1500 kmol/day of Hydrogen from Biogas
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2023) Areeb Ahmad (FA19-CHE-001); Talha Hafeez (FA19-CHE-005); Usman Zahid (FA19-CHE-027); Furqan Qaiser (FA19-CHE-057); Abdul Moiz (FA19-CHE-073); LHR TP 8418; Dr. Farrukh Jamil
    As the energy demands of this rapidly progressing world are increasing day by day and the fossil fuel are depleting, new sources of energy are much needed, and hydrogen fuel can serve this purpose. Hydrogen can provide clean and eco-friendly energy and it can be generated by using renewable resources like biogas which is an alternate source of energy in a comparison with the natural gas. As compared to natural gas, the biogas is very cheap. We have worked out at a plant design for the synthesis of 1500 kmol/day of Hydrogen via 1000.56 kmol/day using a steam reforming method. We have applied material and energy balance on Adsorber, Steam reformer, a HTWGS reactor, CO2 Absorber, HX, LTWGS reactor, Condenser and Separator.
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    Simulation and Optimization of Mixed Refrigerant Hydrogen Liquefaction Process
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2025) Huzaifa Mahmood; CUI/SP23-RNE-001/LHR; Dr. Aqeel Ahmed Bazmi; LHR TP 9672
    Hydrogen liquefaction is critical for enabling long-distance transport and storage of hydrogen, a key enabler of the global energy transition. However, its high energy demand, with conventional mixed refrigerant cycles consuming 10–13.58 kWh/kg of liquid hydrogen (LH₂), poses significant challenges. This study presents an optimized hydrogen liquefaction process modeled in Aspen HYSYS V11 and enhanced using the Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) algorithm in MATLAB. The proposed process employs a three-stage refrigeration cycle (precooling, cooling, and liquefaction) with tailored mixed refrigerants (methane, ethane, propane, nitrogen, helium, and hydrogen) to minimize exergy losses and improve thermodynamic efficiency while converting the hydrogen from ortho-para during the process. Optimization results yield a specific energy consumption (SEC) of 7.37 kWh/kg LH₂, a 25–30% reduction compared to conventional Claude- based cycles (10–13 kWh/kg), alongside an exergy efficiency of 65.32%, nearly double that of base case defined in comparison to this study i.e. 34%. Cost analysis at 1 ton per day (TPD) capacity estimates a unit liquefaction cost of 3.86 $/kg, with compressors contributing 90% of equipment costs. These findings demonstrate the potential of the proposed process to enhance the energy and economic viability of hydrogen liquefaction, supporting its role in sustainable energy systems. Future work integrating renewable energy sources could further reduce SEC and operational costs.
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    Simulation-Based Development of Deep Eutectic Solvent-Driven Extractive Distillation for Butanol Separation
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2025) Shazam Ali; CUI/FA23-RCH-006/LHR; Dr. Muhammad Yasin; LHR TP 9671
    Overreliance on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas has led to severe environmental and human health concerns due to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and resource depletion. These issues have triggered the world to find renewable and environmentally friendly energy resources. Among these biofuels, biobutanol is the most promising fuel, primarily produced through the microbial fermentation process, and is a key component of the acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation process. However, the industrial scalability of biobutanol production is constrained by its low concentration in fermentation broths and the challenges of separating it from water due to azeotrope formation. Conventional separation processes, such as distillation, are energy-intensive and economically unviable for biobutanol recovery. Hybrid extractive distillation using ionic liquids (ILs) as an entrainer has shown potential as an alternative, with notable success in the dehydration of biobutanol. However, the limitations of ILs, such as toxicity, non- biodegradability, and high costs, pose significant barriers to their widespread adoption. To address these issues, deep eutectic solvents (DES) have emerged as a promising alternative. DES offers superior advantages over ILs, such as biodegradability, lower costs, and simple preparation. Recent research highlights their potential for separating lower alcohol, including biobutanol. However, the selection of optimal DES and the development of an efficient dehydration process for biobutanol remain unexplored. In this study, three new ideal hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were used for the effective extraction of butanol from aqueous mixtures: Thymol: Octanol (1:1), Thymol: Diphenyl (1:1), and Thymol: Octadecanol (3:1) in Aspen Plus V14. The DESs were used as selective entrainers to improve butanol recovery in the extractive distillation process, especially in cases in which the presence of azeotropes makes conventional separation energy intensive. At the distillate outlet, the Thymol: Octadecanol (3:1) mixture produced the highest 87% butanol purity among the evaluated DESs, demonstrating better performance. A thorough exergy analysis was carried out to assess the (DL-Menthol: Decanoic acid) and (Thymol: Octadecanol) DES-based configuration's sustainability and thermodynamic efficiency in further detail. The Thymol: Octadecanol (3:1) system had the best exergy efficiency, extractor column (99.96%), pump (99.99%), distillation column (5.03%), and cooler (99.99%), with the least amount of exergy destruction, according to the data, showing its capability as a highly efficient and energy-efficient solvent for sustainable butanol recovery. This work enhances the advancement of more environmentally friendly options for the purification of biofuels by offering a systematic method to choosing and evaluating the use of DESs in extractive distillation processes.
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    Source Apportionment of PM2.5 in Lahore: Chemical Mass Balance Modeling and Inter-Study variability Assessment
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2025) Muhammad Nabeel Khan; CIIT/FA23-RNE-04/LHR; Dr. Wajih Ur Rehman; LHR TP 10010
    Elevated concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) pose a serious public health risk in Lahore due to their ability to penetrate deep into the respiratory system. This thesis applies the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chemical Mass Balance receptor model (CMB v8.2) to apportion PM₂.₅ sources using three independent, chemically speciated datasets from Lahore: a winter campaign (February 2019), a year-long monthly study (2019), and paired summer–winter measurements (2022). U.S. EPA source profiles for gasoline and diesel vehicles, biomass burning, coal combustion, road/soil dust, industrial emissions, and secondary Sulfate and Nitrate were employed. Model performance was evaluated using standard diagnostics (R², χ², percent mass explained, t-statistics, and residuals). The winter 2019 analysis showed good model performance (R² = 0.72, χ² = 3.8), with dominant contributions from petrol vehicles (101 µg·m⁻³) and biomass burning (81 µg·m⁻³), along with substantial secondary Nitrate and Sulfate. Monthly CMB runs for 2019 yielded R² values between 0.73 and 0.87, indicating stable performance across seasons. Diesel vehicle emissions peaked during late autumn and winter, while petrol vehicle contributions increased in warmer months. Coal and industrial combustion, together with secondary inorganic aerosols, contributed persistently throughout the year. Seasonal analysis of 2022 data showed PM₂.₅ increasing from approximately 130 µg·m⁻³ in summer to 303 µg·m⁻³ in winter, with acceptable mass closure and statistically significant source contributions. Across all datasets, combustion-related sources—vehicular emissions, biomass burning, and coal combustion—along with seasonally enhanced secondary inorganic aerosols were the dominant contributors to PM₂.₅ in Lahore, while dust sources were more influential during pre-monsoon periods. These results provide higher source resolution than previous PMF/PCA studies and support targeted mitigation strategies focused on vehicle emissions, combustion sources, and precursor gas control
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    Surface Modification of Layered Double Hydroxides for Reinforcement in Nitrile Butadiene Rubber
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2025) Ahmad Ali; CIIT/SP22-RCH-002/LHR; Dr. Khaliq Majeed; LHR TP 10007
    This study examines the reinforcement of the nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) composites with Zinc-aluminium layered double hydroxides (LDH) with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to enhance filler-matrix compatibility and mechanical properties. The pure LDH was prepared by the co-precipitation method, after which modification was done on the surface by the SDS, to enhance the hydrophobicity and interfacial contact with NBR. The successful intercalation of the SDS and increased basal spacing in the modified LDH were verified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Tensile tests on the modified and unmodified LDH-NBR composites showed that SDS modification had a significant enhanced dispersion behavior of the filler, which resulted in an enhancement of mechanisms. The force- elongation curves exhibited linear behavior to some elongation after which there was sudden material failure, which was regarded as tensile limits of the composite. Even though, the SDS-modified LDH-NBR composites exhibited better reinforcement than the unmodified systems, unexpected failure in higher elongations indicated that additional optimization is necessary in filler dispersion and bonding between phases. The study has given a valuable insight into the potential of SDS-modified LDH as a reinforcing agent in NBR composites, with future studies aiming to optimize the filler dispersion, investigate alternative methods of modification, and evaluate the long-term performance within different environmental conditions.
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    Technoeconomic and environmental assessment of green methanol concept based on biogas upgradation and alkaline water electrolysis
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2025) Sahibzada Mansoor Ul Hassan; CUI/SP22-RCH-003/LHR; Dr. Arif Hussain; LHR TP 9669
    To adopt the change of using sustainable fuel, it is very important to reduce the use of fossil fuels. The research presented is based upon the production of methanol by green pathway, which includes the biogas upgradation coupled with alkaline electrolyser, and the technoeconomic and life cycle assessment analysis discussion. The CO2 is obtained from biogas upgradation and H2 is produced from alkaline electrolyser which is powered with wind green electricity source to achieve the synthesis of methanol with the help of catalytic hydrogenation. The concept is simulated using ASPEN PLUS-V14, which was latest version, and it gave the best results to check the feasibility of the process, which includes: The mass energy balance to see the flow of mass and energy throughout the process. Technoeconomic analysis (TEA), to calculate overall cost of the process, cost of each equipment, electricity cost of all process equipment and electrolyser which was the major consumer of the process electricity use, after the compressors, used in biogas upgradation. It was also found that the electrolyzer has the highest equipment and installation cost which impacted the MFSP of methanol. At the last of technoeconomic analysis, the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) was calculated to match the feasibility of the process with the existing research. The MFSP analysis was concluded as: the MFSP of current study was at the lower bound of the price range of the methanol from biogas by electrolysis back by literature values. At last life cycle assessment (LCA) of the process was evaluated to have an estimation of the carbon footprint of the process over the 100- and 20-year time horizon. The LCA was conducted by changing different scenarios of process. These scenarios were mainly under the umbrella of global warming potential 100 (GWP-100) and global warming potential 20 (GWP-20). The findings revealed that, when powered by low-carbon or renewable electricity sources, the green methanol route significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil-derived methanol. In some configurations, the process even achieved net-negative CO₂ emissions. These outcomes suggest that utilizing biogenic CO₂ and green hydrogen for methanol synthesis can offer a promising low-carbon fuel alternative particularly in future energy systems that rely heavily on renewable electricity and are governed by carbon pricing mechanisms. Overall, this study contributes meaningful data and recommendations to guide policymakers, industrial stakeholders, and investors toward the development of Power-to-X technologies and the broader transition to carbon-neutral circular economies
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    Transforming Waste PET Bottles into High-Value MOF Adsorbents for the Removal of Emerging Pollutants from Wastewater
    (Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2025) Beenish Shazadi; CUI/FA23-RNE-002/LHR; Prof. Dr. Aqeel Ahmed Bazmi; LHR TP 9673
    Aggressive urbanization and globalization have led to severe environmental consequences in the past few decades. Among the major environmental challenges, water scarcity and plastic pollution are one of the most concerning. Waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, a durable and non-biodegradable plastic, takes centuries to degrade and has damaging consequences for aquatic and human life. On the other hand, several emerging contaminants in wastewater have called for new research to control their spread and reduce environmental impact. Pharmaceuticals are one of the emerging contaminants from the industrials and hospitals that are classified as a concerning and emerging contaminant in wastewater. This Master’s thesis addresses this dual challenge of waste PET bottle and pharmaceutical pollution in wastewater by upcycling waste PET bottles into a metal organic framework, an emerging adsorbent for wastewater treatment. Disodium terephthalate (DST), which is made by alkaline hydrolysis of PET, is used as the organic ligand in this study to convert PET waste into useful aluminum-based metal-organic frameworks (Al-MOFs) in a sustainable and economical manner. The synthesis complies with green chemistry and the circular economy by avoiding hazardous solvents and energy-intensive processes. Several characterization techniques were used to thoroughly characterize the resultant Al-DST MOFs. The successful creation of distinct, thermally stable, porous Al-DST structures with large surface areas that are suitable for adsorption was confirmed by characterization. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the adsorption efficiency of the as-synthesized Al-DST MOFs against Tetracycline (TC), a common antibiotic and a typical developing contaminant. The adsorption efficiency was evaluated by varying several parameters, including pH, contact time, starting concentration, and temperature. The Al-DST MOFs demonstrated excellent reusability over multiple cycles, rapid adsorption kinetics, and a high TC adsorption capacity. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models provided the best description of the adsorption data, demonstrating chemisorption-mediated uptake and monolayer adsorption onto a homogenous surface. This work demonstrates the potential of Al- DST MOFs extracted from waste PET bottles as efficient adsorbents in eliminating pharmaceutical contaminants from wastewater in addition to providing a sustainable and easily accessible route for PET upcycling. The plan offers a promising future for addressing the problems of plastic pollution and water contamination while also supporting the development of renewable materials