Search results for: ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposites

Authors: Zainab Dahrouch, Beatrix Petrovičová, Claudia Triolo, Fabiola Pantò, Angela Malara, Salvatore Patanè, Maria Allegrini, Saveria Santangelo

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Synthetic dyes dispersed in water cause environmental damage and have harmful effects on human health. Methylene blue (MB) is broadly used as a dye in the textile, pharmaceutical, printing, cosmetics, leather, and food industries. The complete removal of MB is difficult due to the presence of aromatic rings in its structure. The present study is focused on electrospun nanofibers (NFs) with engineered architecture and surface to be used as catalysts for the photodegradation of MB. Ti and/or Zn oxide NFs are produced by electrospinning precursor solutions with different Ti: Zn molar ratios (from 0:1 to 1:0). Subsequent calcination and cooling steps are operated at fast rates to generate porous NFs with capture centers to reduce the recombination rate of the photogenerated charges. The comparative evaluation of the NFs as photocatalysts for the removal of MB from an aqueous solution with a dye concentration of 15 µM under UV irradiation shows that the binary (wurtzite ZnO and anatase TiO₂) oxides exhibit higher catalytic activity compared to ternary (ZnTiO₃ and Zn₂TiO₄) oxides. The higher band gap and lower crystallinity of the ternary oxides are responsible for their lower photocatalytic activity. It has been found that the optimal load for the wurtzite ZnO is 0.66 mg mL⁻¹, obtaining a degradation rate of 7.94.10⁻² min⁻¹. The optimal load for anatase TiO₂ is lower (0.33 mg mL⁻¹) and the corresponding rate constant (1.12×10⁻¹ min⁻¹) is higher. This finding (higher activity with lower load) is of crucial importance for the scaling up of the process on an industrial scale. Indeed, the anatase NFs outperform even the commonly used P25-TiO₂ benchmark. Besides, they can be reused twice without any regeneration treatment, with 5.2% and 18.7% activity decrease after second and third use, respectively. Thanks to the scalability of the electrospinning technique, this laboratory-scale study provides a perspective towards the sustainable large-scale manufacture of photocatalysts for the treatment of industry effluents.

Keywords: anatase, capture centers, methylene blue dye, nanofibers, photodegradation, zinc oxide

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Authors: Shimaa A. Higazy, Mohamed S. Selim, Olfat E. El-Azabawy, Abeer A. Hassan

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We designed novel epoxy/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) nanocomposite materials as suitable surface coatings. g-C₃N₄ nanosheets were facilely prepared and dispersed in the epoxy resin via solution casting. This research focuses on the mechanical and anticorrosion properties of g-C₃N₄ nanofiller reinforced epoxy nanocomposites. The structures, sizes, and morphologies of designed polymeric nanocomposites and nanofillers were elucidated using various techniques such as FT-IR, NMR, FE-TEM, FE-SEM. The developed nanocomposite was applied as a surface coating by air-assisted spray method. The structure-property relationship was studied for different concentrations of nanofiller in the epoxy matrix. The anticorrosive properties were studied via electrochemical experiments, including potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance, and open-circuit potential analyses, as well as salt spray test. Mechanical durability was assessed by various methods, such as impact, T-bending, and crosscut tests. Surface heterogeneity, elasticity, and corrosion-resistance features are among the merits of developed composite. The highest improvement was achieved with well dispersion of g-C₃N₄ sheets fillers. This fascinating epoxy nanostructured coating provides a promising anticorrosive coatings for a sustainable future environment.

Keywords: epoxy, nanocomposite, surface coating, anticorrosive properties, mechanical durability

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Authors: Ines Nitoi, Petruta Oancea, Lucian Constantin, Laurentiu Dinu, Maria Crisan, Malina Raileanu, Ionut Cristea

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2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is the most common pollutant identified in wastewater generated from munitions plants where this explosive is synthesized or handled (munitions load, assembly and pack operations). Due to their toxic and suspected carcinogenic characteristics, nitroaromatic compounds like TNT are included on the list of prioritary pollutants and strictly regulated in EU countries. Since their presence in water bodies is risky for human health and aquatic life, development of powerful, modern treatment methods like photocatalysis are needed in order to assures environmental pollution mitigation. The photocatalytic degradation of TNT was carried out at pH=7.8, in aqueous TiO2 based catalyst suspension, under sunlight irradiation. The enhanced photo activity of catalyst in visible domain was assured by 0.5% Fe doping. TNT degradation experiments were performed using a tubular collector type solar photoreactor (26 UV permeable silica glass tubes series connected), plug in a total recycle loops. The influence of substrate concentration and catalyst dose on the pollutant degradation and mineralization by-products (NO2-, NO3-, NH4+) formation efficiencies was studied. In order to compare the experimental results obtained in various working conditions, the pollutant and mineralization by-products measured concentrations have been considered as functions of irradiation time and cumulative photonic energy Qhν incident on the reactor surface (kJ/L). In the tested experimental conditions, at tens mg/L pollutant concentration, increase of 0,5%-TiO2 dose up to 200mg/L leads to the enhancement of CB degradation efficiency. Since, doubling of TNT content has a negative effect on pollutant degradation efficiency, in similar experimental condition, prolonged irradiation time from 360 to 480 min was necessary in order to assures the compliance of treated effluent with limits imposed by EU legislation (TNT ≤ 10µg/L).

Keywords: wastewater treatment, TNT, photocatalysis, environmental engineering

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Authors: Mallikarjunachari Gangapuram

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Stimuli-responsive hydrogel nanocomposite membranes are gaining significant attention these days due to their potential applications in various engineering fields. For example, sensors, soft actuators, drug delivery, remote controlled therapy, water treatment, shape morphing, and magnetic refrigeration are few advanced applications of hydrogel nanocomposite membranes. In this work, hydrogel nanocomposite membranes are synthesized by embedding nanometer-sized (diameter - 300 nm) Fe₃O₄ magnetic particles into the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer. To understand the large deformation characteristics of these membranes, a well-known experimental method ball indentation technique is used. Different designing parameters such as membrane thickness, the concentration of magnetic particles and ball diameter on the viscoelastic properties are studied. All the experiments are carried out without and with a static magnetic field. Finite element simulations are carried out to validate the experimental results. It is observed, the creep response decreases and Young’s modulus increases as the thickness and concentration of magnetic particles increases. Image analysis revealed the hydrogel membranes are undergone global deformation for ball diameter 18 mm and local deformation when the diameter decreases from 18 mm to 0.5 mm.

Keywords: ball indentation, hydrogel membranes, nanocomposites, Young's modulus

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Authors: Gul Afreen, Sreedevi Upadhyayula, Mahendra K. Sunkara

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One-dimensional (1D) nanostructures like nanowires, nanotubes, and nanorods find variety of practical application owing to their unique physico-chemical properties. In this work, TiO₂ nanowires were synthesized by direct oxidation of titanium particles in a unique microwave plasma jet reactor. The prepared TiO₂ nanowires manifested the flexible features, and were characterized by using X-ray diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analyzer, UV-Visible and FTIR spectrophotometers, Scanning electron microscope, and Transmission electron microscope. Further, the photodegradation efficiency of these nanowires were tested against toxic organic dye like methylene blue (MB) and the results were compared with the commercial TiO₂. It was found that TiO₂ nanowires exhibited superior photocatalytic performance (89%) as compared to commercial TiO₂ (75%) after 60 min of reaction. This is attributed to the lower recombination rate and increased interfacial charge transfer in TiO₂ nanowire. Pseudo-first order kinetic modelling performed with the experimental results revealed that the rate constant of photodegradation in case of TiO₂ nanowire was 1.3 times higher than that of commercial TiO₂. Superoxide radical (O₂˙⁻) was found to be the major contributor in the photodegradation mechanism. Based on the trapping experiments, a plausible mechanism of the photocatalytic reaction is discussed.

Keywords: heterogeneous catalysis, photodegradation, reactive oxygen species, TiO₂ nanowires

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Authors: Z. Younsi, L. Koufi, H. Gidik, D. Lahem, W. Wim Thielemans

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This study investigated the efficiency of photocatalytic textile to remove the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) present in indoor air. Functionalization of the fabric was achieved by adding a photocatalyst material active in the visible spectrum of light. This is a modified titanium dioxide photocatalyst doped with non-metal ions synthesized via sol-gel process, which should allow the degradation of the pollutants – ideally into H₂O and CO₂ – using photocatalysis based on visible light and no additionnal external energy source. The visible light photocatalytic activity of textile sample was evaluated for toluene and benzene gaseous removal, under the visible irradiation, in a test chamber with the total volume of 1m³. The suggested approach involves experimental investigations of the global behavior of the photocatalytic textile. The experimental apparatus permits simultaneous measurements of the degradation of pollutants and presence of eventually formed by-products. It also allows imposing and measuring concentration variations with respect to selected time scales in the test chamber. The observed results showed that the amount of TiO₂ incorporation improved the photocatalytic efficiency of functionalized textile significantly under visible light. The results obtained with such textile are very promising.

Keywords: benzene, C₆H₆, efficiency, photocatalytic degradation, textile fabrics, titanium dioxide, TiO₂, toluene, C₇H₈, visible light

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Authors: M. Budakoglu, M. Karaman

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Lake Acıgöl is located in area with limited influences from urban and industrial pollution sources, there is nevertheless a need to understand all potential lithological and anthropogenic sources of priority contaminants in this closed basin. This study discusses vertical and horizontal distribution pattern of major, trace elements of recent lake sediments to better understand their current geochemical analog with lithological units in the Lake Acıgöl basin. This study also provides reliable background levels for the region by the detailed surfaced lithological units data. The detail results of surface, subsurface and shallow core sediments from these relatively unperturbed ecosystems, highlight its importance as conservation area, despite the high-scale industrial salt production activity. While P2O5/TiO2 versus MgO/CaO classification diagram indicate magmatic and sedimentary origin of lake sediment, Log(SiO2/Al2O3) versus Log(Na2O/K2O) classification diagrams express lithological assemblages of shale, iron-shale, vacke and arkose. The plot between TiO2 vs. SiO2 and P2O5/TiO2 vs. MgO/CaO also supports the origin of the primary magma source. The average compositions of the 20 different lithological units used as a proxy for geochemical background in the study area. As expected from weathered rock materials, there is a large variation in the major element content for all analyzed lake samples. The A-CN-K and A-CNK-FM ternary diagrams were used to deduce weathering trends. Surface and subsurface sediments display an intense weathering history according to these ternary diagrams. The most of the sediments samples plot around UCC and TTG, suggesting a low to moderate weathering history for the provenance. The sediments plot in a region clearly suggesting relative similar contents in Al2O3, CaO, Na2O, and K2O from those of lithological samples.

Keywords: Lake Acıgöl, recent lake sediment, geochemical speciation of major and trace elements, heavy metals, Denizli, Turkey

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Authors: Hussein M. Etmimi, Peter E. Mallon

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Electrospinning uses an electrical charge to draw very fine fibers (typically on the micro or nano scale) from a liquid or molten precursor. Over the years, this method has become a widely used and a successful technique to process polymer materials and their composites into nanofibers. The main focus of this work is to study the electrospinning of multi-phase amphiphilic copolymers and their nanocomposites, which contain graphene as the nanofiller material. In such amphiphilic materials, the constituents segments are incompatible and thus the solid state morphology will be determined by the composition of the various constituents as well as the method of preparation. In this study, amphiphilic block copolymers of poly(dimethyl siloxane) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PDMS-b-PMMA) with well-defined structures were synthesized and the solution electrospinning of these materials and their properties were investigated. Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was used to obtain the controlled block copolymers with relatively high molar masses and narrow dispersity. First, PDMS macroinitiators with different chain length of 1000, 5000 and 10000 g/mol were synthesized by the reaction of monocarbinol terminated PDMS with α-bromoisobutyryl bromide initiator. The obtained macroinitiators were used for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate monomer to obtain the desired block copolymers using the ATRP process. Graphene oxide (GO) of different loading was then added to the copolymer solution and the resultant nanocomposites were successfully electrospun into nanofibers. The electrospinning was achieved using dimethylformamide/chloroform mixture (60:40 vl%) as electrospinning solution medium. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the successful formation of the electrospun fibers with dimensions in the nanometer range. X-ray diffraction indicated that the GO nanosheets were of an exfoliated structure, irrespective of the filler loading. Thermogravimetric analysis also showed that the thermal stability of the nanofibers was improved in the presence of GO, which was not a function of the filler loading. Differential scanning calorimetry also showed that the mechanical properties (measured as glass transition temperature) of the nanofibers was improved significantly in the presence of GO, which was a function of the filler loading.

Keywords: elctrospinning, graphene oxide, nanofibers, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)

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Authors: Gizachew Belay Adugna, Yu-Tai Tao

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Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been gaining impressive progress with excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.5% in small-area devices. However, the conventional film coating approach is not applicable to large-area module fabrication. Meniscus-guided coating, including blade coating, slot-die coating, and bar coating, is solution processing and promising for large-area and cost-effective film coating to industrial-scale PSCs. Here, we develop simple and scalable solution shearing (SS) and bar coating (BC) methods to coat all layers on large-area (10x10 cm²) substrate in FTO/c-TiO₂/mp-TiO₂/ CH₃NH₃PbI₃/Spiro-OMeTAD/Ag device structure, except the Ag electrode. All solution-sheared PSC exhibited a champion power conversion efficiency of 15.89% in the conational DMF/DMSO solvent. Whereas a very high PCE of 20.30% compared to the controlled spin-coated device (SC, 17.60%) was achieved from the large area sheared perovskite film in a green ACN/MA solvent. Similarly, a remarkable PCE of 18.50% was achieved for a device fabricated from a large-area perovskite film in a simpler and more compatible Bar-coating system. This strategy demonstrates the huge potential for module fabrication and future PSC commercialization.

Keywords: Perovskite solar cells, larger area film coating, meniscus-guided film coating, solution-shearing, bar-coating, power conversion efficiency

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Authors: Javeria Ahmad, Ayesha Maryam, Zahid Rizwan, Nadeem Nasir, Yasir Nawab, Hafiz Shehbaz Ahmad

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Mitigation of electromagnetic interference (EMI) through thin, lightweight, and cost-effective materials is critical for electronic appliances as well as human health. The present research work discusses the design of composites that are suitable to minimize EMI through various stacking sequences. The carbon fibers reinforced composite structures impregnated with dielectric (MWCNTs) and magnetic nanofillers (Fe₂O₃) were developed to investigate their microwave absorption properties. The composite structure comprising a single type of nanofillers, each of MWCNTs & Fe₂O₃, was developed, and then their layers were stacked over each other with various stacking sequences to investigate the best stacking sequence, which presents good microwave absorption characteristics. A vector network analyzer (VNA) was used to analyze the microwave absorption properties of these developed composite structures. The composite structures impregnated with the layers of a dielectric nanofiller and sandwiched between the layers of a magnetic nanofiller show the highest EMI shielding value of 59 dB and a dielectric conductivity of 35 S/cm in the frequency range of 0.1 to 13.6 GHz. The results also demonstrate that the microwave absorption properties of the developed composite structures were dominant over reflection properties. The absence of an external peak in X-ray diffraction (XRD), marked the purity of the added nanofillers.

Keywords: nanocomposites, microwave absorption, EMI shielding, skin depth, reflection loss

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Authors: Ayushi Arora

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Solar photocatalysis has the potential to treat drinking water in a sustainable and cost effective manner. According to WHO, there should not be any colony forming units (CFU) per 100 mL present in drinking water, and as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India, the bathing water should have less than 500 CFU/100 mL and the maximum permissible limit is 2500 CFU/100 mL. In this study, 8 water sources near our collaborators, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India, were analysed, and it was found that 6 out of 8 sources of water had significant coliform count in them. Two of them were chosen to be treated by solar photocatalysis a) well water which had a count of 4800 CFU/100 mL for total coliforms and was used by people for drinking purposes, and b) pond water which had a count of 92000 CFU/100 mL for total coliforms and 3000 CFU/mL for E.Coli and was used by people for washing and bathing purposes. In this study, a semiconductor-semiconductor, composite BTO-TiO2-RMSG & TiO2-SiO2 were tested for their ability to be activated under solar light and to reduce Total Coliforms and E.Coli bacteria in real world contaminated water, and it was found that both catalysts were both able to reduce the total coliform count in water by 99.7% and 98.2 % in 2 hrs respectively. They have also shown promising results in reusability tests. This study demonstrates the ability of solar photocatalysis to be used in real world drinking water treatment and will promote future advancements in this field.

Keywords: sustainable water treatment, waterpurification technologies, water policies, water pollution and environmental engineering

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Authors: K. Saravanan, K. A.Rameshkumar, P. Maadeswaran

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The depletion of fossil resources and the rise in global temperatures are two of the most important concerns we confront today. There are numerous renewable energy sources like solar power, tidal power, wind energy, radiant energy, hydroelectricity, geothermal energy, and biomass available to generate the needed energy demand. Engineers and scientists around the world are facing a massive barrier in the development of storage technologies for the energy developed from renewable energy sources. The development of electrochemical capacitors as a future energy storage technology is at the forefront of current research and development. This is due to the fact that the electrochemical capacitors have a significantly higher energy density, a faster charging-discharging rate, and a longer life span than capacitors, and they also have a higher power density than batteries, making them superior to both. In this research, electrochemical capacitors using the Nd2O3/Mn3O4/ N-rGO electrode material is chosen since the of hexagonal and tetragonal crystal structures of Nd2O3 and Mn3O4 and also has cycling stability of 68% over a long time at 50mVs-1 and a high coulombic efficiency of 99.64% at 5 Ag-1. This approach may also be used to create novel electrode materials with improved electrochemical and cyclic stability for high-performance supercapacitors.

Keywords: Nd2O3/Mn3O4/N-rGO, nanocomposites, hydrothermal method, electrode material, specific capacitance, use of supercapacitors

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Authors: Mustafa Abu Ghalia, Yaser Dahman

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A new class of polyurethane (PU) reinforced with green bacterial cellulose nanofibers (BC) were prepared using a solvent casting method, with the goal of fabricating green nanocomposites. Four series classes of BC (1, 2.5, 5, and 10 wt%) were reinforced into PU matrices via BC surface modification and subsequently BC-grafted into PU throughout silane coupling agent to improve BC dispersion and its interfacial interaction. The experiment results from the tensile tester were evaluated according to the response surface method (RSM) for optimizing the impacts of variable parameters, pore size, porosity, and BC contents on the mechanical properties. The compressive strength for PU-5 BC wt% was about 9.8 MPa, and decrease when being generated prosperity to recorded at 4.9 MPa. Nielson model was applied to investigate the BC stress concentration on the PU matrices. Likewise, krenche and Hapli-Tasi model were employed to evaluate the BC nanofiber reinforcement potential and BC orientation into PU matrices. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrated that only BC loading has a significant effect in increases tensile strength, young’s modulus, and a flexural modulus of the PU-BC nanocomposites. The optimal factors of the variables experiment confirmed to be 5 wt% for BC, 230 for pore size, and 80 % for porosity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs showed that the uniform distribution of nanofibers in the PU matrices with the addition of BC 5 wt %. Hydrolytic degradation revealed that the weight loss in PU-BC scaffold is higher than PU-BC wt %.

Keywords: polyurethane scaffold, mechanical properties, tissue engineering, polyurethane

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Authors: Rayhaneh Amooaghaie, Maryam Norouzi

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In this study, the effects of nTiO₂ on seed germination and growth of six plant species (wheat, soybean, tomato, canola, cucumber, and lettuce) were evaluated in petri dish (direct exposure) and in soil in a greenhouse experiment (soil exposure). Data demonstrate that under both culture conditions, low or mild concentrations of nTiO₂ either stimulated or had no effect on seed germination, root growth and vegetative biomass while high concentrations had an inhibitory effect. However, results showed that the impacts of nTiO₂ on plant growth in soil were partially consistent with those observed in pure culture. Based on both experiment sets, among above six species, lettuce and canola were the most susceptible and the most tolerant species to nTiO₂ toxicity. However, results revealed the impacts of nTiO₂ on plant growth in soil were less than petri dish exposure probability due to dilution in soil and complexation/aggregation of nTiO₂ that would lead to lower exposure of plants. The high concentrations of nTiO₂ caused significant reductions in fresh and dry weight of aerial parts and root and chlorophyll and carotenoids contents of all species which also coincided with further accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA). These findings suggest that decreasing growth might be the result of an nTiO₂-induced oxidative stress and disturbance of photosynthesis systems.

Keywords: chlorophyll, lipid peroxidation, nano TiO₂, seed germination

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Authors: Zhao Bo

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The TiO2-Na2SO3 and SiO2-Na2SO3 nano-fluids were prepared using ultrasonic dispertion method without any surfactant addition to study the influence of nano-fluids on the mass transfer during forced sulfite oxidation in a thermostatic stirred tank, and the kinetic viscosity of nano-fluids was measured. The influence of temperature (30 ℃ ~ 50 ℃), solid loading of fine particle (0 Kg/m³~1.0 Kg/m³), stirring speed (50 r/min ~ 400 r/min), and particle size (10 nm~100 nm) on the average oxygen absorption rate were investigated in detail. Both TiO2 nano-particles and SiO2 nano-particles could remarkably improve the gas-liquid mass transfer. Oxygen absorption enhancement factor increases with the increase of solid loading of nano-particles to a critical value and then decreases with further increase of solid loading under 30℃. Oxygen absorption rate together with absorption enhancement factor increases with stirring speed. However, oxygen absorption enhancement factor decreases with the increase of temperature due to aggregation of nano-particles. Further inherent relationship between particle size, loading, surface area, viscosity, stirring speed, temperature, adsorption, desorption, and mass transfer was discussed in depth by analyzing the interaction mechanism.

Keywords: fine particles, nano-fluid, mass transfer enhancement, solid loading

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Authors: Fadimatou Ngounouno Yamgouota, Isaac Bertrand Gbambié Mbowoub, Ismaila Ngounounob

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Barium and titanium bearing biotite from alkaline trachyte of Upper Benue valley, Northern Cameroon is studied. The iron enrichment index of mica (average I.E.=0.40) is intermediate between annite and phlogopite. The biotite phenocrysts contain up to 6.2 wt. % BaO and 9.8 wt. % TiO2. The BaO content of electron-microprobe mica is positively correlated with the Al2O3, TiO2, and FeO contents, and negatively correlated with the SiO2, K2O, and MgO contents. Ba and Ti rich micas are generally found in in SiO2 deficient rocks, whereas Ba and Ti bearing mica in this study occur in silica-saturated rocks. Most of the phenocrysts analysed have deficiencies in their octahedral and interlayer sites. Deficiencies in the octahedral sites may arise from the Ti vacancy and partly the Ti tschermakite substitution. On the other hand, deficiencies in the interlayer-site are due to the replacement of K by Ba. The substitution mechanism in the Upper Benue valley mica is characterized by Ba + 2Ti + 3Al =(K + Na + Ca) + 3(Mg + Fe + Mn) + 3Si, with an excellent correlation coefficient. Biotite compositions from the Upper Benue valley area fall between the quartz-fayalite-magnetite (QFM) and nickel-nickel-oxide (NNO) oxygen fugacity buffers. All these show that Upper Benue valley mica with high Ba and Ti contents may be formed from magmas rich in these elements.

Keywords: Benue valley, trachyte, biotite, mineral chemistry, enrichment

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Authors: L. F. Tamele Jr., G. Buonocore, H. F. Muiambo

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Asphalt binders play an essential role in the performance and properties of asphalt mixtures. The increase in heavy loads, greater traffic volume, and high tire pressure, combined with a substantial variation in daily and seasonal pavement temperatures, are the main responsible for the failure of asphalt pavements. To avoid or mitigate these failures, the present research proposes the use of thermoplastic polymers, HDPE and LLDPE, and nanoclay Dellite 43B for modification of asphalt in order to improve its thermomechanical and rheological properties. The nanocomposites were prepared by the solution intercalation method in a high shear mixer for a mixing time of 2 h, at 180℃ and 5000 rpm. The addition of Dellite 43B improved the physical, rheological, and thermal properties of asphalt, either separated or in the form of polymer/bitumen blends. The results of the physical characterization showed a decrease in penetration and an increase in softening point, thermal susceptibility, viscosity, and stiffness. On the other hand, thermal characterization showed that the nanocomposites have greater stability at higher temperatures by exhibiting greater amounts of residues and improved initial and final decomposition temperatures. Thus, the modification of asphalt by polymers and nanoclays seems to be a suitable solution for road pavement in countries which experiment with high temperatures combined with long heavy rain seasons.

Keywords: asphalt, nanoclay dellite 43B, polymer modified asphalt, thermal and rheological properties

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Authors: A. E. Kobryn

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We present both descriptive and predictive modeling of structural properties of blends of PCBM or organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites of the type CH3NH3PbX3 (X=Cl, Br, I) with P3HT, P3BT or squaraine SQ2 dye sensitizer, including adsorption on TiO2 clusters having rutile (110) surface. In our study, we use a methodology that allows computing the microscopic structure of blends on the nanometer scale and getting insight on miscibility of its components at various thermodynamic conditions. The methodology is based on the integral equation theory of molecular liquids in the reference interaction site representation/model (RISM) and uses the universal force field. Input parameters for RISM, such as optimized molecular geometries and charge distribution of interaction sites, are derived with the use of the density functional theory methods. To compare the diffusivity of the PCBM in binary blends with P3HT and P3BT, respectively, the study is complemented with MD simulation. A very good agreement with experiment and the reports of alternative modeling or simulation is observed for PCBM in P3HT system. The performance of P3BT with perovskites, however, seems as expected. The calculated nanoscale morphologies of blends of P3HT, P3BT or SQ2 with perovskites, including adsorption on TiO2, are all new and serve as an instrument in rational design of organic/hybrid photovoltaics. They are used in collaboration with experts who actually make prototypes or devices for practical applications.

Keywords: multiscale theory and modeling, nanoscale morphology, organic-inorganic halide perovskites, three dimensional distribution

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Authors: Ahmad Umar, Sheikh Akbar, Ahmed A. Ibrahim, Mohsen A. Alhamami

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The development of advanced materials for energy storage and gas sensing applications has gained significant attention in recent years. In this study, we synthesized and characterized PANI@MnO2@rGO ternary nanocomposites (NCs) to explore their potential in supercapacitors and gas sensing devices. The ternary NCs were synthesized through a multi-step process involving the hydrothermal synthesis of MnO2 nanoparticles, preparation of PANI@rGO composites and the assembly to the ternary PANI@MnO2@rGO ternary NCs. The structural, morphological, and compositional characteristics of the materials were thoroughly analyzed using techniques such as XRD, FESEM, TEM, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. In the realm of gas sensing, the ternary NCs exhibited excellent performance as NH3 gas sensors. The optimized operating temperature of 100 °C yielded a peak response of 15.56 towards 50 ppm NH3. The nanocomposites demonstrated fast response and recovery times of 6 s and 10 s, respectively, and displayed remarkable selectivity for NH3 gas over other tested gases. For supercapacitor applications, the electrochemical performance of the ternary NCs was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge techniques. The composites exhibited pseudocapacitive behavior, with the capacitance reaching up to 185 F/g at 1 A/g and excellent capacitance retention of approximately 88.54% over 4000 charge-discharge cycles. The unique combination of rGO, PANI, and MnO2 nanoparticles in these ternary NCs offer synergistic advantages, showcasing their potential to address challenges in energy storage and gas sensing technologies.

Keywords: paniI@mnO2@rGO ternary NCs, synergistic effects, supercapacitors, gas sensing, energy storage

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Authors: Sanjeeb Sutradhar, Archita Patnaik

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Histidine is one of the twenty-two naturally occurring essential amino acids exhibiting two conformations, L-histidine and D-histidine. D-Histidine is biologically inert, while L-histidine is bioactive because of its conversion to neurotransmitter or neuromodulator histamine in both brain as well as central nervous system. The deficiency of L-histidine causes serious diseases like Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and the failure of normal erythropoiesis development. Gold nanocomposites are attractive materials due to their excellent biocompatibility and are easy to adsorb on the electrode surface. In the present investigation, hydrophobic fullerene-C60 was functionalized with homocysteine via nucleophilic addition reaction to make it hydrophilic and to successively make the nanocomposite with in-situ prepared gold nanoparticles with ascorbic acid as reducing agent. The electronic structure calculations of the AuNPs@Hcys-C60 nanocomposite showed a drastic reduction of HOMO-LUMO gap compared to the corresponding molecules of interest, indicating enhanced electron transportability to the electrode surface. In addition, the electrostatic potential map of the nanocomposite showed the charge was distributed over either end of the nanocomposite, evidencing faster direct electron transfer from nanocomposite to the electrode surface. This nanocomposite showed catalytic activity; the nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode showed a tenfold higher kₑt, the electron transfer rate constant than the bare glassy carbon electrode. Significant improvement in its sensing behavior by square wave voltammetry was noted.

Keywords: fullerene-C60, gold nanocomposites, L-Histidine, square wave voltammetry

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Authors: Ifeyinwa Ijeoma Obianyo, Luqman Adedeji Taiwo, Olugbenga O. Amu, Azikiwe Peter Onwualu

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Improving the durability of building materials saves maintenance costs, construction time, and energy. In this study, titanium dioxide coated conventional and non-conventional composites were produced, and the effects of titanium dioxide coatings were investigated. Conventional composites were produced using river sand and Portland cement, whereas non-conventional composites were produced by partially replacing river sand and Portland cement with quarry dust and rice husk ash. Water absorption and thickness swelling tests were conducted on the produced coated and non-coated block samples. A reduction in water absorption was observed in the coated composite samples when compared to the non-coated composite samples, and this is an indication of the improved durability of the samples coated with titanium dioxide. However, there was an increase in the thickness swelling of coatings on the coated block samples, but this increase has a slight influence on the compressive strength of the coated samples. The outcome of this study indicates that coating composite building blocks with titanium dioxide will improve theirdurability. Also, the site exposure experiments revealed the self-cleansing properties of TiO2-coated composite block samples, while the Rhodamine B discolouration test confirmed the photocatalytic features of TiO2-coated composite block samples.

Keywords: titanium dioxide, water absorption, durability, mechanical properties, building composite

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Authors: Anjana Jain, S. Jayanth Kumar

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Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a well-known material for remarkable mechanical properties, resistance to chemicals and superior ferroelectric performances. This endows PVDF the potential for application in supercapacitor devices. The dielectric properties of PVDF, however, are not very high. To improve the dielectric properties of Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), Piezoelectric polymer nanocomposites are prepared without affecting the other useful properties of PVDF. Polyaniline (PANI) was chosen as a filler material to prepare the nanocomposites. PVDF-PANI nanocomposite films were prepared using solvent cast method with different volume fractions of PANI varying from 0.04% to 0.048% of PANI content. The films are characterized for structural, mechanical, and surface morphological properties using X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimeter, Raman spectra, Infrared spectra, tensile testing, and scanning electron microscopy. The X-ray diffraction analysis shows that, prepared films were in β-phase. The DSC scans indicated that the degree of crystallinity in PVDF-PANI is improved. Raman and Infrared spectrum further confirm the presence of β-phase of PVDF-PANI film. Tensile properties of PVDF-PANI films were in good agreement with those reported in literature. The surface feature shows that PANI is uniformly distributed in PVDF and also results in disappearance of spherulites. The influence of volume fraction of PANI in PVDF on dielectric properties was analyzed. The results showed that the dielectric permittivity of PVDF-PANI (120) was much higher than that of PVDF (12). The sensitivity of these films was studied on application of a pressure and a constant output voltage was obtained.

Keywords: dielectric Properties, PANI, PVDF, smart materials

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Authors: Ildiko Fekete-Kertesz, Jade Chaker, Sylvain Berthelot, Viktoria Feigl, Monika Molnar, Lidia Favier

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There has been growing concern about emerging micropollutants in recent years, because of the possible environmental and health risk posed by these substances, which are released into the environment as a consequence of anthropogenic activities. Among them pharmaceuticals are currently not considered under water quality regulations; however, their potential effect on the environment have become more frequent in recent years. Due to the fact that these compounds can be detected in natural water matrices, it can be concluded, that the currently applied water treatment processes are not efficient enough for their effective elimination. To date, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are considered as highly competitive water treatment technologies for the removal of those organic micropollutants not treatable by conventional techniques due to their high chemical stability and/or low biodegradability. AOPs such as (photo)chemical oxidation and heterogeneous photocatalysis have proven their potential in degrading harmful organic compounds from aqueous matrices. However, some of these technologies generate reaction by-products, which can even be more toxic to aquatic organisms than the parent compounds. Thus, target compound removal does not necessarily result in the removal of toxicity. Therefore, to evaluate process efficiency the determination of the toxicity and ecotoxicity of the reaction intermediates is crucial to estimate the environmental risk of such techniques. In this context, the present study investigates the effectiveness of TiO2 assisted photodegradation for the removal of emerging water contaminants. Two drugs named losartan (used in high blood pressure medication) and levetiracetam (used to treat epilepsy) were considered in this work. The photocatalytic reactions were carried out with a commercial catalyst usually employed in photocatalysis. Moreover, the toxicity of the by-products generated during the process was assessed with various ecotoxicological methods applying aquatic test organisms from different trophic levels. A series of experiments were performed to evaluate the toxicity of untreated and treated solutions applying the Aliivibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition test, the Tetrahymena pyriformis proliferation inhibition test, the Daphnia magna lethality and immobilization tests and the Lemna minor growth inhibition test. The applied ecotoxicological methodology indicated sensitively the toxic effects of the treated and untreated water samples, hence the applied test battery is suitable for the ecotoxicological characterization of TiO2 based photocatalytic water treatment technologies and the indication of the formation of toxic by-products from the parent chemical compounds. Obtained results clearly showed that the TiO2 assisted photodegradation was more efficient in the elimination of losartan than levetiracetam. It was also observed that the treated levetiracetam solutions had more severe effect on the applied test organisms. A possible explanation would be the production of levetiracetam by-products, which are more toxic than the parent compound. The increased toxicity and the risk of formation of toxic metabolites represent one possible limitation to the implementation of photocatalytic treatment using TiO2 for the removal of losartan and levetiracetam. Our results proved that, the battery of ecotoxicity tests used in this work can be a promising investigation tool for the environmental risk assessment of photocatalytic processes.

Keywords: aquatic micropollutants, ecotoxicology, nano titanium dioxide, photocatalysis, water treatment

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Authors: Babak Safaei, A. M. Fattahi

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Polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposites have a wide range of promising applications Due to their enhanced properties. In this work, free vibration analysis of single-walled carbon nanotube-reinforced composite plates is conducted in which carbon nanotubes are embedded in an amorphous polyethylene. The rule of mixture based on various types of plate model namely classical plate theory (CLPT), first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT), and higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT) was employed to obtain fundamental frequencies of the nanocomposite plates. Generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method was used to discretize the governing differential equations along with the simply supported and clamped boundary conditions. The material properties of the nanocomposite plates were evaluated using molecular dynamic (MD) simulation corresponding to both short-(10,10) SWCNT and long-(10,10) SWCNT composites. Then the results obtained directly from MD simulations were fitted with those calculated by the rule of mixture to extract appropriate values of carbon nanotube efficiency parameters accounting for the scale-dependent material properties. The selected numerical results are presented to address the influences of nanotube volume fraction and edge supports on the value of fundamental frequency of carbon nanotube-reinforced composite plates corresponding to both long- and short-nanotube composites.

Keywords: nanocomposites, molecular dynamics simulation, free vibration, generalized, differential quadrature (GDQ) method

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Authors: Sanjukta Badhai, Durga Barik, Bairagi C. Mallick

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In the present study, Beta-Sitosterol in Lawsonia methanolic leaf extract embedded in controlled release nanocomposite was prepared and evaluated for in vivo anticancer efficacy in dimethyl hydrazine (DMH) induced colon cancer. In the present study, colon cancer was induced by s.c injection of DMH (20 mg/kg b.wt) for 15 weeks. The animals were divided into five groups as follows control, DMH alone, DMH and Beta Sitosterol nanocomposite (50mg/kg), DMH and Beta Sitosterol nanocomposite (100 mg/kg) and DMH and Standard Silymarin (100mg/kg) and the treatment was carried out for 15 weeks. At the end of the study period, the blood was withdrawn, and serum was separated for haematological, biochemical analysis and tumor markers. Further, the colonic tissue was removed for the estimation of antioxidants and histopathological analysis. The results of the study displays that DMH intoxication elicits altered haematological parameters (RBC,WBC, and Hb), elevated lipid peroxidation and decreased antioxidants level (SOD, CAT, GPX, GST and GSH), elevated lipid profiles (cholesterol and triglycerides), tumor markers (CEA and AFP) and altered colonic tissue histology. Meanwhile, treatment with Beta Sitosterol nanocomposites significantly restored the altered biochemicals parameters in DMH induced colon cancer mediated by its anticancer efficacy. Further, Beta Sitosterol nanocomposite (100 mg/kg) showed marked efficacy.

Keywords: nanocomposites, herbal formulation, henna, beta sitosterol, colon cancer, dimethyl hydrazine, antioxidant, lipid peroxidation

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Authors: S. Divya, M. Jose

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Over the past years, industrial dyes have emerged as a significant threat to aquatic life, extensively detected in drinking water and groundwater, thus contributing to water pollution due to their improper and excessive use. To address this issue, the utilization of core-shell structures has been prioritized as it demonstrates remarkable efficiency in utilizing light energy for catalytic reactions and exhibiting excellent photocatalytic activity despite the availability of various photocatalysts. This work focuses on the photocatalytic degradation of Nd₂O₃@SiO₂ CSNs under UV light irradiation against MB and RhB dyes. Different characterization techniques, including XRD, FTIR, and TEM analyses, were employed to reveal the material's structure, functional groups, and morphological features. VSM and XPS analyses confirmed the soft, paramagnetic nature and chemical states with respective atomic percentages, respectively. Optical band gaps, determined using the Tauc plot model, indicated 4.24 eV and 4.13 eV for Nd₂O₃ NPs and Nd₂O₃@SiO₂ CSNs, respectively. The reduced bandgap energy of Nd₂O₃@SiO₂ CSNs enhances light absorption in the UV range, potentially leading to improved photocatalytic efficiency. The Nd₂O₃@SiO₂ CSNs exhibited greater degradation efficiency, reaching 95% and 96% against MB and RhB dyes, while Nd₂O₃ NPs showed 90% and 92%, respectively. The enhanced efficiency of Nd₂O₃@SiO₂ CSNs can be attributed to the larger specific surface area provided by the SiO₂ shell, as confirmed by surface area analysis using the BET surface area analyzer through N₂ adsorption-desorption.

Keywords: core shell nanocomposites, rare earth oxides, photocatalysis, advanced oxidation process

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Authors: Sayed M. Ahmed, Sawsan S. Darwish, Nagib A. Elmarzugi, Mohammad A. Al-Dosari, Mahmoud A. Adam, Nadia A. Al-Mouallimi

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Historical stone surfaces and architectural heritage may undergo unwanted changes due to the exposure to many physical and chemical deterioration factors, the innovative properties of the nano - materials can have advantageous application in the restoration and conservation of the cultural heritage with relation to the tailoring of new products for protection and consolidation of stone. The current work evaluates the effectiveness of inorganic compatible treatments; based on nanosized particles of silica (SiO2) dispersed in silicon based product, commonly used as a water-repellent/ consolidation for the construction materials affected by different kinds of decay. The nanocomposites obtained by dispersing the silica nanoparticles in polymeric matrices SILRES® BS OH 100 (solventless mixtures of ethyl silicates), in order to obtain a new nanocomposite, with hydrophobic and consolidation properties, to improve the physical and mechanical properties of the stone material. The nanocomposites obtained and pure SILRES® BS OH 100 were applied by brush Experimental stone blocks. The efficacy of the treatments has been evaluated after consolidation and artificial Thermal aging, through capillary water absorption measurements, Ultraviolet-light exposure to evaluate photo-induced and the hydrophobic effects of the treated surface, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination is performed to evaluate penetration depth, re-aggregating effects of the deposited phase and the surface morphology before and after artificialaging. Sterio microscopy investigation is performed to evaluate the resistant to the effects of the erosion, acids and salts. Improving of stone mechanical properties were evaluated by compressive strength tests, colorimetric measurements were used to evaluate the optical appearance. All the results get together with the apparent effect that, silica/polymer nanocomposite is efficient material for the consolidation of artistic and architectural sandstone monuments, completely compatible, enhanced the durability of sandstone toward thermal and UV aging. In addition, the obtained nanocomposite improved the stone mechanical properties and the resistant to the effects of the erosion, acids and salts compared to the samples treated with pure SILRES® BS OH 100 without silica nanoparticles.

Keywords: colorimetric measurements, compressive strength, nanocomposites, porous stone consolidation, silica nanoparticles, sandstone

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Authors: Renata De Toledo Cintra, Bruno Ramos, Douglas Gouvêa

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There is a huge global concern due to the emission of greenhouse gases, consequent environmental problems, and the increase in the average temperature of the planet, caused mainly by fossil fuels, petroleum derivatives represent a big part. One of the main greenhouse gases, in terms of volume, is CO₂. Recovering a part of this product through chemical reactions that use sunlight as an energy source and even producing renewable fuel (such as ethane, methane, ethanol, among others) is a great opportunity. The process of artificial photosynthesis, through the conversion of CO₂ and H₂O into organic products and oxygen using a metallic oxide catalyst, and incidence of sunlight, is one of the promising solutions. Therefore, this research is of great relevance. To this reaction take place efficiently, an optimized reactor was developed through simulation and prior analysis so that the geometry of the internal channel is an efficient route and allows the reaction to happen, in a controlled and optimized way, in flow continuously and offering the least possible resistance. The design of this reactor prototype can be made in different materials, such as polymers, ceramics and metals, and made through different processes, such as additive manufacturing (3D printer), CNC, among others. To carry out the photocatalysis in the reactors, different types of catalysts will be used, such as ZnO deposited by spray pyrolysis in the lighting window, probably modified ZnO, TiO₂ and modified TiO₂, among others, aiming to increase the production of organic molecules, with the lowest possible energy.

Keywords: artificial photosynthesis, CO₂ reduction, photocatalysis, photoreactor design, 3D printed reactors, solar fuels

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Authors: Xue Ma, Yang Fu, Dangyuan Lei

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Passive daytime radiative cooling is an emerging technology which has attracted worldwide attention in recent years due to its huge potential in cooling buildings without the use of electricity. Various coating materials with different optical properties have been developed to improve the daytime radiative cooling performance. However, commercial cooling coatings comprising functional fillers with optical bandgaps within the solar spectral range suffers from severe intrinsic absorption, limiting their cooling performance. Fortunately, it has recently been demonstrated that introducing fluorescent materials into polymeric coatings can covert the absorbed sunlight to fluorescent emissions and hence increase the effective solar reflectance and cooling performance. In this paper, we experimentally investigate the key factors for fluorescence-assisted radiative cooling with TiO2-based white coatings. The surrounding TiO2 nanoparticles, which enable spatial and temporal light confinement through multiple Mie scattering, lead to Purcell enhancement of phosphors in the coating. Photoluminescence lifetimes of two phosphors (BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ and (Sr, Ba)SiO4:Eu2+) exhibit significant reduction of ~61% and ~23%, indicating Purcell factors of 2.6 and 1.3, respectively. Moreover, smaller Stokes shifts of the phosphors are preferred to further diminish solar absorption. Field test of fluorescent cooling coatings demonstrate an improvement of ~4% solar reflectance for the BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+-based fluorescent cooling coating. However, to maximize solar reflectance, a white appearance is introduced based on multiple Mie scattering by the broad size distribution of fillers, which is visually pressurized and aesthetically bored. Besides, most colored pigments absorb visible light significantly and convert it to non-radiative thermal energy, offsetting the cooling effect. Therefore, current colored cooling coatings are facing the compromise between color saturation and cooling effect. To solve this problem, we introduced colored fluorescent materials into white coating based on SiO2 microspheres as a top layer, covering a white cooling coating based on TiO2. Compared with the colored pigments, fluorescent materials could re-emit the absorbed light, reducing the solar absorption introduced by coloration. Our work investigated the scattering properties of SiO2 dielectric spheres with different diameters and detailly discussed their impact on the PL properties of phosphors, paving the way for colored fluorescent-assisted cooling coting to application and industrialization.

Keywords: solar reflection, infrared emissivity, mie scattering, photoluminescent emission, radiative cooling

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Authors: Tahani Mashikhi

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Countries worldwide rely on electric power as a critical economic growth and progress factor. Renewable energy sources, often referred to as alternative energy sources, such as wind, solar energy, geothermal energy, biomass, and hydropower, have garnered significant interest in response to the rising consumption of fossil fuels. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are a highly promising alternative for energy production as they possess numerous advantages compared to traditional silicon solar cells and thin-film solar cells. These include their low cost, high flexibility, straightforward preparation methodology, ease of production, low toxicity, different colors, semi-transparent quality, and high power conversion efficiency. A solar cell, also known as a photovoltaic cell, is a device that converts the energy of light from the sun into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect. The Gratzel cell is the initial dye-sensitized solar cell made from colloidal titanium dioxide. The operational mechanism of DSSCs relies on various key elements, such as a layer composed of wide band gap semiconducting oxide materials (e.g. titanium dioxide [TiO₂]), as well as a photosensitizer or dye that absorbs sunlight to inject electrons into the conduction band, the electrolyte utilizes the triiodide/iodide redox pair (I− /I₃−) to regenerate dye molecules and a counter electrode made of carbon or platinum facilitates the movement of electrons across the circuit. Electrospray deposition permits the deposition of fragile, non-volatile molecules in a vacuum environment, including dye sensitizers, complex molecules, nanoparticles, and biomolecules. Surface science techniques, particularly X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, are employed to examine dye-sensitized solar cells. This study investigates the possible application of electrospray deposition to build high-quality layers in situ in a vacuum. Two distinct categories of dyes can be employed as sensitizers in DSSCs: organometallic semiconductor sensitizers and purely organic dyes. Most organometallic dyes, including Ru533, RuC, and RuP, contain a ruthenium atom, which is a rare element. This ruthenium atom enhances the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). These dyes are characterized by their high cost and typically appear as dark purple powders. On the other hand, organic dyes, such as SQ2, RK1, D5, SC4, and R6, exhibit reduced efficacy due to the lack of a ruthenium atom. These dyes appear in green, red, orange, and blue powder-colored. This study will specifically concentrate on metal-organic dyes. The adsorption of dye molecules onto the rutile TiO₂ (110) surface has been deposited in situ under ultra-high vacuum conditions by combining an electrospray deposition method with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique examines chemical bonds and interactions between molecules and TiO₂ surfaces. The dyes were deposited at varying times, from 5 minutes to 40 minutes, to achieve distinct layers of coverage categorized as sub-monolayer, monolayer, few layers, or multilayer. Based on the O 1s photoelectron spectra data, it can be observed that the monolayer establishes a strong chemical bond with the Ti atoms of the oxide substrate by deprotonating the carboxylic acid groups through 2M-bidentate bridging anchors. The C 1s and N 1s photoelectron spectra indicate that the molecule remains intact at the surface. This can be due to the existence of all functional groups and a ruthenium atom, where the binding energy of Ru 3d is consistent with Ru2+.

Keywords: deposit, dye, electrospray, TiO₂, XPS

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