Keywords

Bentonite, Zwitterion, Betaine, Membrane, Ion-conduction, antimicrobial

Abstract

The increasing use of non-sustainable materials in technology has led to severe environmental consequences, prompting a global search for more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Clay, with its low cost, non-toxicity, recyclability, natural abundance, and versatile properties, has emerged as a beacon of hope for a greener future. Since prehistoric times, clay has found extensive use in the pharmaceutical, petroleum, biomedical, and energy industries. Its high surface area, cation exchange capacity, intrinsic porosity, and ease of functionalization make it a versatile and sustainable choice for a variety of applications.

The dissertation focuses on synthesizing hybrid clays functionalized with zwitterionic molecules for antimicrobial and ionic membrane applications. It also studies the rheological properties of bentonite clay modified with betaines of different carbon chain lengths. The research aims to investigate the flow and stability of these functionalized clays. In addition, it offers valuable insights into how carbon chain length and pH affect the rheological properties of clays. This is followed by engineering pathogen-resistant clay composites embedded with antimicrobial agents like silver ions and terbinafine hydrochloride against pathogens (viz. S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans). Another part of the dissertation focuses on developing and investigating flexible and durable betaine-functionalized clay membranes as ion-conducting separators for batteries and fuel cells. The low-cost membranes exhibit excellent ionic conductivity, chemical-thermal stability, recyclability, and ease of engineering making them an exceptional material for such applications.

Overall, this dissertation presents a comprehensive study of the structure-property relationship of hybrid clays, bridging the fields of chemistry, materials engineering, electrochemistry, and biology. The research is poised to inspire the scientific and industrial communities with the potential of novel clay-based materials, encouraging them to embrace cleaner technologies and reduce their carbon footprints.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Mukhopadhyay Kausik

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Material Science and Engineering

Degree Program

Material Science and Engineering

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

DP0028610

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0028610

Language

English

Rights

In copyright

Release Date

August 2025

Length of Campus-only Access

1 year

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Campus-only Access)

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Accessibility Status

Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs

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Restricted to the UCF community until August 2025; it will then be open access.

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