Natural zeolite is widely used in removing ammonia via adsorption process because of its superior ion-exchange properties. Ceramic particle size affects the adsorptivity of particles toward ammonia. In this study, hollow fiber ceramic membrane (HFCM) was fabricated from natural zeolite via phase inversion. The effect of natural zeolite particle size toward the properties and performance of HFCM was evaluated. The results show that the HFCM with smaller particle sizes exhibited a more compact morphological structure with better mechanical strength. The adsorption performance of HFCM was significantly improved with smaller particle sizes because of longer residence time, as proven by the lower water permeability. A high adsorption performance of 96.67% was achieved for HFCM with the smallest particle size (36 μm). These findings provide a new perspective on the promising properties of the natural zeolite-derived HFCM for ammonia removal.

Focusing on the photocatalytic degradation of phenol under visible light, the synthesized lanthanum orthoferrites (LaFeO₃) by gel combustion method using citric acid as sacrificial agent were investigated. With the highest reaction temperature of 200 °C, the physicochemical properties of synthesized samples were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET), and Energy Dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS). On the other hand, UV–Vis spectroscopy analysis was carried out to determine the phenol photodegradation activities and mechanism. The results suggested the well-defined LaFeO₃ nanocrystals with specific area of 28 m² g⁻¹ were successfully synthesized. Besides that, variations in operating parameters such as pH, catalyst dosage and initial concentration of phenol in synthetic wastewater were also examined. In conclusion, LaFeO₃ nanocrystalline exhibited an exceptional photocatalytic activity for phenol degradation, thus providing a perfect alternative for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.

Polysilazanes functionalized with alkoxy groups were designed and synthesized as single source precursors for fabrication of micro and mesoporous amorphous silica-based materials. The pyrolytic behaviors during the polymer to ceramic conversion were studied by the simultaneous thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) analysis. The porosity of the resulting ceramics was characterized by the N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherm measurements. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopic analyses as well as elemental composition analysis were performed on the polymer-derived amorphous silica-based materials, and the role of the alkoxy group as a sacrificial template for the micro and mesopore formations was discussed from a viewpoint to establish novel micro and mesoporous structure controlling technologies through the polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) route.