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Sustainable Chemistry Sustainable Chemistry

Towards sustainable solutions for water cleaning using plasma technology

UvA researchers join forces with company Joining Minds Solutions

28 October 2024

The research group of Catalysis Engineering at the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, led by Dr Shiju Raveendran, is about to start a new project on developing plasma technology for cleaning wastewater. A dedicated set-up of more than half a million euros has just been installed and a postdoctoral researcher will commence the research shortly. The research is part of an agreement with the Dutch company Joining Minds Solutions.
The research reactor for plasma-assisted cleaning of wastewater installed at the Catalysis Engineering lab. Image: HIMS.

The research is motivated by the increasing demand for clean water worldwide. New methods for purifying wastewater will help meet this need. In particular, there will be a growing market for novel technologies capable of removing a broad spectrum of contaminants in an energy-efficient manner.

With this project, the Catalysis Engineering group extends the scope of plasma-assisted conversions to the liquid phase; earlier research from the group focused on plasma-enhanced gas-phase reactions such as CO2 conversion. The new state-of-the-art liquid-phase plasma-reactor that has recently been installed will be instrumental to investigating the feasibility of plasma-assisted methods for purifying waste water, generating clean water and possibly value-added byproducts.

The research will focus on optimizing all relevant parameters to arrive at the best possible wastewater treatment. At the same time, reactor development for achieving this target is part of the project. Furthermore, the project will explore various potential applications, investigating different types of wastewater. Finally, it will lead to recommendations for the practical implementation and scale-up of plasma-assisted water treatment technology.

Plasma shockwaves

The research is carried out in an agreement with the Dutch company Joining Minds Solutions. It has furnished the plasma-reactor set-up and will finance the appointment of a postdoc researcher. This is initially for one year but can be extended depending on the project progress.

Joining Minds Solutions is a technology-driven company focusing on applying plasma shockwaves as an energy efficient way to address physical and chemical challenges, first in liquid media, but eventually also in solid and gas phases. The company has its origins in Nijmegen, developing technology and understanding in a practical trial-and-error effort. It was established in response to a dedicated demand in the fields of mineral extraction and waste water treatment. Joining Minds Solutions is pleased to start the cooperation with the Catalysis Engineering group to work out this patented technology into practical applicability, based on sound scientific principles.

See also

Research group Catalysis Engineering