Publications
Below are my research papers and posters.
Green Electronics: A Prospective Proof-of-Concept Study
Modern electronic equipment and devices have brought unprecedented convenience to people's everyday life. At the same time, it also posed a serious threat to our health and environment: For example, in 2019 only, more than 50 million tons of E-waste (electronic waste) was generated globally. These E-wastes will not only slowly release toxic chemicals, but also because most of them are made of non-degradable synthetic materials, and they will exist in the natural environment for a long time. Can we make personal used electronics degradable? The objective of this research is to conduct a prospective proof-of-concept study to explore the use of 100% degradable materials in the fabrication of electronics. Simple electronic devices were fabricated on a biodegradable composite substrate and then their degradation behavior was studied. Polylactic acid (PLA), a most used biodegradable polymer was reinforced with biomass particles (English nutshell powder), and then they were employed as base substrates for the fabrication of electronic devices. The degradation experiment was conducted in water at 50℃ for weeks until the polymer substrates were visually fully degraded. The progress of degradation was monitored by measuring the weight change of the device, and the amount of lactic acid (LA) released from the hydrolysis degradation. This study suggested that it is completely possible and practical to make personal use electronics degradable and recyclable. We call on the legislature to pass laws and regulations pushing electronic manufacturers to use degradable materials for the fabrication of personal electronics.
The use of sustained releasing technology to reduce deicing salt pollution in MN water
Freshwater, a vital resource that sustains all life forms on Earth, is facing an alarming increase in salinity due to human activities, particularly the excessive production and use of salt. Road deicing salt has emerged as a significant contributor to this issue. In the United States alone, an astonishing twenty million tons of road salt is annually dumped on public roads, accounting for over 41% of the country's total salt consumption. As these salts dissolve, they flow into streams, rivers, and lakes, posing a severe threat to our environment, ecosystems, and infrastructure. The objective of this research was to address this problem by reducing the reliance on chloride salt deicers and developing a more environmentally friendly deicing system. To achieve this, we designed a core-shell structured capsule that enables controlled and sustained release of deicer agents precisely when, where, and in the required amount. Moreover, the core-shell structures allowed us to combine natural deicers, such as beetroot juice, with chloride deicers in a unique manner. The beetroot was encapsulated within a NaCl particle-walled vessel using a rolling coating process, reinforced with a composite binder. When the capsule is subjected to external compression (e.g., road traffic), the beet juice stored in the beet is extracted, partially dissolving the sodium chloride to form a synergistic deicing composition. The structure of the core-shell prototypes was characterized, and their deicing performance was tested in both laboratory and small area field. Preliminary data shows that the method developed in this research effectively de-ices and can reduce salt pollution by 35% in water under mild winter road conditions, offering a more eco-friendly and cost-effective deicing system. This research presents a promising solution to mitigate the environmental impact of road salt deicers while maintaining effective deicing capabilities. Considering that beetroot is cheap and easily accessible, the core-shell structured deicers developed in this study can be produced on a large scale and have the potential to be used in practical applications.
Developing a Solar-Enhanced Biomass-based Filtration System for Removing Microplastics and Heavy Metals from Water
Microplastics (MPs) are a growing environmental concern due to their high-risk nature as contaminants that have infiltrated nearly every ecosystem, including our food and body tissues. Their irregular size, complex composition, and inherent hydrophobicity present significant removal challenges, prompting ongoing research into advanced, sustainable, and clean energy-based removal techniques. This research introduces a novel biomass-based filtration system powered by green energy (solar heat), demonstrating effective removal of MPs and heavy metal contaminants from water. The system uses polyacrylonitrile- based carbon fiber felt (PAN-CFF) as the base filter, treated with chitosan, plant-derived tannic acid, and natural beeswax—all naturally sourced biomass-based materials—to create pattern-coated hydrophilic and hydrophobic (oleophilic) zones. The hydrophilic zones absorb pollutants such as heavy metal ions, while the oleophilic zones target contaminants like MPs, pesticides, and spilled oil. A key innovation of this study is the application of natural beeswax in the form of an emulsion to the surface of carbon fibers. Under solar heating, the beeswax melts into a viscous liquid coating, capturing oleophilic microplastic particles. The beeswax then solidifies, immobilizing the microplastic particles for further recycling. The filtration system's performance was evaluated in both laboratory and real-world conditions, successfully removing 90.4% of lead and 92.8% of MPs. The new filtration system was further tested by removing lead and MPs from Mississippi River water. This research offers a biomass-based, sustainable, green energy-driven, and reusable solution for removing microplastic and heavy metal contamination from water.