Piezoelectrochemical Filtration for Dye Degradation in Wastewater

Over het initiatief / About the initiative

In welke fase zit jouw initiatief? / In what stage is your initiative?

Ideefase

Heb je jouw initiatief al gevalideerd? / Did you validate your initiative?

No, our work until now has been purely theoretical and all based on an extensive literature review on the topic and research conducted so far in this field.

Meer informatie over jouw initiatief / More info about your initiative

Textile dyeing is one of the most polluting industries on the planet and it is responsible for 20% of the global water pollution. The presence of toxic dyes in water has many detrimental effects on the affected communities: from causing cancer to problems with fertility and fetus development. While the problem is most relevant in the Global South, the West bears significant responsibility and must take meaningful action as it is driving the fast fashion industry. Our initiative leverages piezoelectric materials in a novel way, distinct from their conventional applications. Mechanical vibrations from the water generate a charge on the materials, which is then used to start reactions that break down toxic dyes. Our solution is designed to be low-maintenance, scalable, and requiring no external energy source, ideal for decentralized or low-resource environments.

Wat is er anders/nieuw aan jouw idee/oplossing t.o.v. bestaande oplossingen? / What is different/new about your idea/solution compared to existing solutions??

Currently implemented methods to address dye pollution in wastewater include physical (i.e., reverse osmosis), chemical (i.e., chlorination), and biological (i.e., microbial degradation) methods. These often require energy, produce secondary waste, or are cost-ineffective. Our solution differentiates itself by using piezoelectrochemistry: mechanical vibrations coming from the water itself induce charges on the piezoelectric materials, which then induce chemical degradation reactions of dye molecules. This means the dye-polluted water is cleaned without external energy and with no harmful byproducts generated during the process, making it a self-sustaining and cleaner alternative.

Wat zijn jouw volgende stappen om het verder te ontwikkelen? / What are your next steps to develop the initiative?

1. Gain access to chemistry labs for material testing and dye degradation experiments to find and select the optimal material (i.e., BaTiO₃, BiFeO₃).

2. Develop a prototype and test it

3. Get feedback from industry professionals

Wat heb je nodig om (nog meer) impact te maken met dit initiatief? / What do you need to make (more) impact with this initiative?

• Access to labs and chemicals for experimenting
• Chemistry students (we are planning on expanding our team)
• Funding for prototyping and testing
• Mentorship/partnerships with industry and NGOs