Supervisors info:
Μαργαρίτα Νίκη Ασημακοπούλου, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Φυσικής, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Nanotechnology in the construction industry offers interesting new opportunities for advancing construction systems, building materials, and design methods. Moreover, the incorporation of recycled construction materials and 3-D printing in construction industry is a further step towards sustainability. Photocatalytic nanomaterials with self-cleaning properties can be used as coatings on building blocks or pavements, but also on interior decorative items such as ceiling panels, curtains and wallpapers, in order to avoid the removal of the protection layer of the surfaces, the color change of pigmented elements, and the chemical contaminants from cleaning. Nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO2) and other oxides, can be used as photocatalytic products with self-cleaning properties. The nanomaterial TiO2 is studied in this Master thesis, because of its high photocatalytic activity, the high stability and the low cost. Metal doping has proved to be a successful approach for enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency of photocatalysts. Undoped and In-Ni-, Mn-In-, Mn-Cu-, Mn-Ni- bimetallic doped TiO2 nanostructures were synthesized using the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. Photocatalytic efficiency of applied nanocoatings on 3-D printed panels and fabrics was studied, using a self-cleaning and a de-pollution test, Methylene Blue (MB) decolorization. Nanocoated samples showed high MB decolorization and great potential in self-cleaning applications.
Keywords:
Nanomaterials, TiO2, self-cleaning, anti-pollution, decolorization
