The 10th International Conference on Water Resource and Environment (WRE 2024)

Abstract: Sustainable, emission-free, and eco-friendly methods for fabricating high-quality materials have gained considerable attention in recent years. Moving away from the traditional linear synthesis process, which depends on a continuous input of finite virgin resources, a circular model can be adopted, where end-of-life products are strategically recycled and reused as feedstock.
Currently, nanomaterials are predominantly synthesized from costly raw materials using complex and inefficient processes. Although these materials enhance the functionality of various products, their disposal creates increasingly complex waste streams, contributing to a growing global waste problem and low recycling rates.
This paper outlines a pathway for transforming problematic waste streams into nanoscale, value-added materials with advanced applications, such as environmental monitoring and water purification. Target products, including silicon carbide (SiC), Au-doped TiO₂ quantum dots, and activated carbon with engineered structures, morphologies, surface areas, and physicochemical properties, have been synthesized from various problematic wastes such as electronic waste, biosolids, and industrial waste through chemical and thermal processing. The feasibility of producing microstructure-engineered materials for wastewater treatment and pollutant removal was explored, demonstrating that these waste-derived products could be excellent candidates for water purification.
These findings advocate for integrating recycled materials into high-performance applications, advancing the circular and sustainable economy. This approach reduces dependence on non-renewable resources while addressing pressing environmental challenges. By converting waste into nanostructured materials, this method not only tackles critical waste management issues but also creates new economic opportunities by providing high-value materials for advanced industrial applications.

Biography: Dr. Samane Maroufi is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW, where she teaches and conducts research. Her expertise spans high temperature pyrometallurgical processing, sustainable materials processes (including waste recycling and materials transformation), and the synthesis of nanostructured materials from waste for various applications. As an expert in developing innovative green solutions for waste challenges, she has substantial experience collaborating with industries, leading industrial projects, securing grant funding, and integrating research into the manufacturing sector.
Since 2018, Dr. Maroufi has made significant contributions to education by fully designing, developing, and delivering courses related to waste recycling and sustainability. Her reflective approach to teaching pedagogy earned her recognition as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), awarded by Advance HE in 2021. In 2022, she received the UNSW Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (Early Career).