NanoLund: Centre for Nanoscience, Sweden
Title: Materials for sustainability at NanoLund
Abstract: NanoLund is the centre for research, education and innovation within nanoscience at Lund University. NanoLund engages researchers within the faculties of engineering, science and medicine, supporting interdisciplinary research and shared infrastructures for synthesis and characterization of nanostructured materials. I will present an overview of ongoing projects connected to sustainability, ranging from efficient nanowire-based photovoltaics and light-emitting diods, low-power computing for AI applications, and photocatalysis. Finally, I will highlight one of my own projects within NanoLund (together with collaborators at the Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences), where I have studied the resilience of coatings for metal cutting tools with an aim to increase longevity and facilitiating circularity.
the Deputy Director of MAX IV laboratory, Sweden
MAX IV Laboratory is a Swedish national synchrotron laboratory that has operated as a user facility since 2016. It is the successor to MAX-lab, which was in operation between 1987 and 2015. MAX IV offers access to 16 beamlines that provide modern X-ray spectroscopy, scattering/diffraction, and imaging techniques to contribute to solving scientific questions in a wide range of areas.
Department of Chemistry, North-West University, South Africa.
Title: X-ray diffraction profile analysis of green synthesized ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles
Abstract: The study involves the synthesis of ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles using plant-extract-mediated hydrothermal synthesis. The obtained nanoparticles were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to confirm their crystalline nature and phase characteristics. Further analysis was conducted using XRD profile models such as Williamson-Hall analysis, size-strain plot, and Rietveld analysis to evaluate their microstructural parameters. The results showed that the calculated particle size using all the models was consistent, with values ranging from 55.46-87.6 nm for ZnO and 33.82-41.9 nm for TiO2. The microstrain varied based on the model, while the stress in the nanoparticles was evaluated at 3.8 and 13.7 MPa for ZnO and TiO2, respectively. TiO2 nanoparticles had a higher energy density of 8.96 × 10-8 KJ/m3 compared to 7.12 × 10-8 KJ/m3 obtained for ZnO.
Department of Industrial Chemistry, First Technical University, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Title: Promotional effects of iron oxide-carbon black on palladium nanoparticles toward ethylene glycol electrooxidation in alkaline medium.
Abstract: The continued utilization of non-renewable fossil fuels in energy generation for electricity production poses significant risks to both environment and human health. Currently, direct alcohol fuel cells are considered the most future's advanced energy sources due to their exceptional power density. Palladium (Pd) electrocatalysts have great potential for improving alcohol oxidation in alkaline environments, but their use and commercialization are hindered by their high cost and vulnerability to CO poisoning. To combat these associated challenges, our study has shown that it is imperative to enhance the efficacy of Pd electrocatalysts by the implementation of a dual supporting system. The synthesis of Pd nanoparticles supported on iron oxide-carbon black material (Pd/Fe2O3-CB) was achieved by the utilization of a cost-effective microwave-assisted polyol technique. The as-synthesized electrocatalysts were subjected to physiochemical characterization and electrochemical properties toward ethylene glycol electrooxidation reaction. The Pd/Fe2O3-CB composite exhibited an enhanced kinetics, evidencing by a higher current density of 59 mA/cm2, as well as improved stability and durability compared to its pristine counterpart. These improvements can be attributed to the integration of Fe2O3 and CB. Density functional theory demonstrates that the carbon atom in CO exhibits more resilient interactions with the surface of Pd, thereby elucidating the enhanced C-O binding characteristic of Pd. The results of the orbital analysis indicate that the 3d orbitals of Pd are involved in the process of hybridization with the 2p orbitals of C and O. Consequently, the domain overlap between the C2p and Pd3d/Fe3d orbitals significantly broadened, resulting in the solid adsorption of CO onto the Pd/Fe2O3 surface.
Department of Chemistry, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
Title: Development of Analytical Chemistry Tools for Aquatic Ecosystem Monitoring
Abstract: Environmental concerns threatening aquatic and ecosystem health are the state of water resources. Improving water quality and ecosystems is an important UN goal for sustainable development. In developing countries, effluent discharges from wastewater treatment plants are the leading cause of ecosystem degradation due to micropollutants. These compounds, which cover a wide range of chemical species of inorganic and organic nature, are poorly degraded in conventional wastewater treatment, and their presence in water bodies remains at low concentrations (ug/l), causing adverse effects due to chronic exposure.
The Environmental Chemistry Research Group aims to investigate the prevalence of pharmaceutical compounds, various metals, and emerging pollutants in wastewater, freshwater, sediment, and biota samples.
To achieve the above objective, analytical techniques such as electroanalysis, spectroscopy, chromatography, materials science, nanotechnology, and adsorption studies are applied to investigate pollutants in the aquatic ecosystem.
The results obtained from analysing rare earth elements, heavy metals, platinum group metals, and benzodiazepines will be presented.
PGK Mandal’s Haribhai V. Desai Arts, Science & Commerce College, Pune-411002, India
Title: Water Purification and Hydrogen Generation using Multifunctional Organic & Inorganic Photocatalysts Materials
Abstract: Complex organic dyes and pigments are serious waste which damages the ecosystem as well as aquatic life. Researchers are working to overcome this serious issue for many years, but to developed cost-effective and eco-friendly method is unsolved challenge. Of late, inorganic based photocatalysis helps to treat industrial wastewater to some extent. Various inorganic semiconductor photocatalysts with high efficiency have been reported with different dyes degradation study.
We have synthesized 6,13-Pentacenequinone (PQ) an intermediate required to synthesize Pentacene which is well known organic semiconductor. After complete characterization we explored PQ for Industrial Dye degradation and photocatalytical H2S splitting for the first time. We also synthesized the composite system of PQ-TiO2 with inorganic semiconductor photocatalyst. Recently a report of PQ-MoS2 photocatalyst also covers the water splitting area. This organic PQ photocatalyst has high potential in photocatalysis field which can be utilized for the clean environment and for Hydrogen generation.
