Title
Use of patented cavitation WaterJet disintegrator for preparation of exfoliated layered materials and their use in photocatalysis
Code
SP2020/15
Summary
The project is focused on the study and the use of new exfoliation method on layered materials using patented cavitation WaterJet disintegrator. This is a unique exfoliation method that has not been studied yet. Thus exfoliated materials will be characterized by several analytical techniques (DLS, HRTEM, XRD, SEM, UV-Vis-DRS, BET-analysis of specific surface area, PL), not only to verify the effectiveness of the exfoliation cavitation WaterJet disintegrator, but also the influence of this new exfoliation method on the microstructure and physico-chemical properties of the exfoliated materials.
These materials will be subsequently used in the synthesis of photocatalytic composite nanostructures. Among studied materials will be included especially graphite (graphene preparation) and graphitized carbon nitride (g-C3N4). These are lamellar materials in which exfoliation is currently carried out either mechanically, chemically, thermally, or using ultrasonic waves in a suitable solution. Disadvantages of these established methods consist in low efficiency of exfoliation, and often low yield of final product. In addition, there is a significant disruption of the structure in the material and undesirable chemical interaction between the material and the chemicals used during the exfoliation reaction, thereby modifying the surface of the prepared material by various undesirable functional groups.
In addition to the technical aspect of optimization of the disintegration process, the research will be focused on the analysis of the structure of exfoliated materials and its effect on the photocatalytic activity of the final composite nanomaterials.
Project time schedule:
1. quarter
-selection of the most suitable graphite for exfoliation with regard to quality/price ratio
-preparation of graphenes of different degrees of exfoliation by cavitation WaterJet disintegrator
- their characterization using the above mentioned instrumental methods
- comparison of final materials with conventionally exfoliated materials
2. quarter
- synthesis of C3N4 primary laminate
- preparation of C3N4 graphitic nanostructures with different degrees of exfoliation by cavitation WaterJet disintegrator
- preparation of photocatalytic composite nanostructures based on multilayered C3N4 and graphene
- testing photocatalytic activity and optimization of C3N4 and graphene
- preparation of project outputs
3. quarter
- complex determination of photocatalytic activity of prepared materials by testing prepared materials in reactor for continuous measurement of photocatalytic activity in liquid phase
- modification of exfoliated nanostructures by inorganic compounds and analysis of their influence on photocatalytic activity, especially with regard to the visible light radiation
- tests of antibacterial activity of prepared nanocomposites
- preparation of project outputs
4. quarter
- measurement of photocatalytic activity of the best materials from the previous period in the gas phase in a new photocatalytic reactor of its own construction with a quadrupole mass spectrometer
- tests of antibacterial activity of prepared nanocomposites
- preparation of project outputs
Start year
2020
End year
2020
Provider
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
Category
SGS
Type
Specifický výzkum VŠB-TUO