Graphical presentation of the preparation of the composite obtained, i.e. the combination of titanium(IV) oxide surface-modified with carboxyl groups with an organometallic skeleton, and symbolic representation of the synergy of action in the photocatalytic process.
A scientific article developed by members of the Department of Environmental Technology of the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Gdańsk has been published in the latest issue of the journal 'Applied Catalysis B: Environmental'. The interdisciplinary research is the result of cooperation between a research group from the University of Gdańsk and scientists from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Gdańsk University of Technology and the Wrocław University of Technology.
The article, entitled 'Visible-light-driven lanthanide-organic-frameworks modified TiO2 photocatalysts utilizing up-conversion effect', was prepared by members of the Department of Environmental Technology of the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Gdańsk - prof. Adriana Zaleska-Medynska and mgr Patrycja Parnicka. The interdisciplinary research described in the article is the result of cooperation between a research group from the University of Gdansk and scientists from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Gdańsk University of Technology and Wrocław University of Technology.
The journal 'Applied Catalysis B: Environmental' publishes results of research concerning broadly understood environmental protection, including among others photocatalytic elimination of environmental pollution. The journal has a high citation index (impact factor), currently at the level of 16,683 (the number of points allocated to the journal is 200).
The paper presents the results of research on the preparation of new photocatalytic systems based on metal-organic structures of lanthanides and titanium dioxide, which in this system reacts to visible radiation (i.e. light accounting for ~38% of the radiation reaching the earth's surface).
- 'This is of great importance because usually for an effective photocatalysis process ultraviolet radiation is necessary (constituting only 3-5% of solar radiation), which significantly increases the costs of conducting the process due to high electric energy consumption, among others, due to the use of artificial UV radiators,' - explains prof. Adriana Zaleska-Medynska. - 'We managed to produce a very efficient and quite stable composite with a core-shell architecture, in which an expanded shell made of a network of lanthanides and carboxylates improves the efficiency of the photocatalysis process - i.e. catalysis under the influence of electromagnetic radiation,' - she adds.
These days, this method is used to purify air and water, remove pollutants from sewage, and also to destroy bacteria, fungi or cancer cells.
The research, the results of which are described in the article, was carried out within the project 'New nanomaterials of REOF@TiO2 type with potential application in photocatalytic processes', financed from the funds of the National Science Centre, whose supervisor was Patrycja Parnicka from the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk.
You can read the article here.