„PNRR: Fonduri pentru România modernă și reformată!”
Host institution: National Institute of Research and Development for Technical Physics – IFT Iasi
Call for projects managed by the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization (MCID), funded through Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Investment 9 - Support for Private Sector, Research, Development and Innovation and launch of the competition, Reform I.9 – „Support for the holders of certificates of excellence received in the Marie Sklodowska Curie Individual Fellowship Award”
Title: Call no. PNRR-III-C9-2022 - I9
Project name: "Magnetic Field Assisted Visible Light Photocatalytic Water Treatment"
Project acronym: MAGNIPHY
Project code: 1/02.08.2022
Grant agreement no.: 760013/27.01.2023
Project duration: 24 months
Start date: 01.02.2023
End date: 31.01.2025
Overall objectives:
The main objective of the project is to enhance scientific knowledge and professional development of the researcher (fellow) by designing a research program based on the analysis of the magnetic field effect on the photocatalytic response of semiconductor nanocomposites activated in visible light for water decontamination.
Specific objectives:
In addition to the overall objective, the MAGNIPHY project will address specific objectives, consisting of the development of innovative magnetic nanocomposite materials with improved properties for acquiring fundamental knowledge about the process of photocatalysis in visible light under the action of magnetic field (AC/DC). The project proposal and, in particular, the analysis of the magnetic field effect on the photocatalytic response, represents a major contribution that will allow far exceeding the current stage of emerging magneto-photocatalytic technologies.
Total project value: 565,937.72 RON (115,368 EUR)
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The MAGNIPHY project is structured in five Work Packages (WPs) with milestones and deliverables set with each WP making the work plan falls into two principal phases, scientific-development and personal-development of the researcher. In particular WP1 and WP2 have been the materials-oriented WPs, and they have been devoted to synthesis of TiO2 based innovative nano-heterostructured photocatalysts, design and development of magnetic field assisted photoreactors and the evaluation of visible light photocatalytic activity under magnetic field effect, respectively. On the other hand, WP3, WP4 and WP5 have been focused on management, training, dissemination, exploitation of results and communication. The plan is structured such that there is overlap in the timing between the WPs which will allow feedback to be obtained so as to develop the system and materials effectively and combined synergistically with career development, administrative and financial aspects of MAGNIPHY project. Scientific milestones (M1.1, M2.1, M2.2) associated with the WP1 and WP2 are also clearly identified guaranteeing the effective project development with steering. A plan for dissemination is also provided (see D5.1) and progress reports (D1.2, D1.3, D2.2, D2.3) and annual reports (D3.2, D3.3) will allow the supervisor and the fellow to have an real-time evaluation on the project.
MAGNIPHY project firstly aims (WP1) to develop a novel cost-efficient and sustainable route to fabricate innovative and highly efficient core-shell nanoheterostructured photocatalysts. Namely, the project will develop facile synthetic strategy to fabricate photocatalytic nanocomposites for photodegradation of emerging organic pollutants under solar light. The work will be focused on the synthesis of (i) TiO2 nanoparticles (T1.1) and (ii) TiO2/XFe2O4,(T1.3). Materials characterisation will be carried out by using state-of-art complementary characterization techniques to get insights on structural, electronic and magnetic properties of hybrid materials (T1.2, T1.4, T1.5). The evaluation of the efficiency of the different photocatalytic materials synthesized over model experiments (different molecules to mineralize and different illumination conditions) will be implemented in order to compare the performance of the different materials under similar conditions (T1.6). Secondly, as the main innovative approach (WP2), the project is mainly devoted to the analysis of the effects of the magnetic field on the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized nanocomposites. Analysis and quantification of the degradation products as well as elucidation of the mechanism/process of photodegradation using the innovative titania based photocatalysts will help to confirm the effectiveness and the environmental impact of the engineered nanomaterials. The effect of the applied magnetic field on both single TiO2 and TiO2/XFe2O4, will be analysed in terms of the spin polarization contribution, Lorentz forces acting on the chemical radicals, and as the effects of the charge separation in the heterojunction. For this purpose, specific photoreactors will be adapted or designed (T2.1). On one side, the application of external DC magnetic fields to conventional photoreactors (T2.4). Furthermore, the use of innovative reactors (T2.1) that would allow to create a proof-of-concept technology guaranteeing an easy and homogenous application of the magnetic field that would be afterwards scalable to commercial wastewater treatment devices. With the help of this developed reactors, the photocatalytic response under the action of the alternating high-frequency magnetic field will be also evaluated (T2.5). In this case, the local increase of temperature associated to the magnetization process of the magnetic component will be evaluated and its effect of the photocatalytic response analysed. MAGNIPHY’s innovative originally inheres largely in the development of a flower-like TiO2/XFe2O4 photocatalyst to match the photocatalytic applications, particularly for water remediation purposes. The studies to be performed within MAGNIPHY project are of fundamental as well as practical interest as they are relevant to the development of novel efficient photocatalysts active under visible light.
The MAGNIPHY project employs methodologies from many different disciplines in chemistry, physics and materials science. This will enhance its outreach potential to impact a broad trans-European and international audience of experts and wider public, while additionally developing concrete career advancement prospects by positioning the fellow as an independent researcher bridging research fields and professional environments. The expected research outputs will make a positive contribution to the European excellence and competitiveness in water depollution, and with particular emphasis in demonstrating the potential commercial value of developmental visible light photocatalytic system. Recent years showed a growing number of European researchers focusing on applying concepts from chemistry, physics and materials science in developing new photocatalytic solutions.
The present project will broaden the field of expertise of the fellow by adding to the technical knowledge a complementary experience in the design of magnetic materials for applications in an emerging environmental context e.g. effect of the magnetic field on the photocatalytic response of semiconductor nanocomposites activated under visible light for water depollution.
In this context during this fellowship the reseracher will obtain the advanced knowledge in photocatalysis and magnetism with capacity:
(i) to produce advanced nanostructured photocatalytic composites
(ii) to investigate mechanisms and magnetic effects via innovative methods,
(iii) to develop innovative magnetic field assisted photoreactors contributing to the objectives of the Green Deal by providing technological clarifications enabling an economical/efficient alternative solution to the above-mentioned issues.
These cutting-edge technical skills will facilitate the development as a future researcher leader in emerging environmental advanced magneto-photocatalytic technologies. Besides that, more opportunities to collaborate with colleagues from other disciplines for interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary research and will open up the possibility of interacting with most of the European research centres in the field, and therefore open up new career opportunities.
- Press release - start of the project
https://www.ziarulevenimentul.ro/stiri/economie/institutul-national-de-cercetarea-dezvoltare-pentru-fizica-tehnica-a-ift-ia-i-a-pnrr-fonduri-pentru-romania-moderna-i-reformataa--217542593.html - Participation at the 13th Joint European Magnetic Symposium – JEMS 2023, Madrid, Spain, 27 August - 1 Septembrie 2023.
"Magneto-Amplification Of Visible-Light-Driven Total Photodegradation Of Noxious Dye Molecules By The Multifunctional TiO2@FexOy Core-Shell Nanoheterostructure"
Daniel Ghercă, Adrian Iulian Borhan, Daniel Dumitru Herea, Marian Grigoras, George Stoian, Gabriel Ababei, Horia Chiriac, Nicoleta Lupu.
3. Participation at European Researchers' Night– 29.09.2023. On the occasion of the unique event, all generations, from children to teenagers and even adults, had the opportunity to get involved directly in the exciting scientific experiment held at the stand of the National Institute of Research and Development for Technical Physics - IFT Iasi, to have interesting discussions and to explore their search and implementation.
National Institute of Research and Development for Technical Physics- IFT Iasi
47 Mangeron Boulevard, 700050 Iaşi, România
Tel.: 0232-430680
Fax: 0232-231132
E-mail: info@phys-iasi.ro , dgherca@phys-iasi.ro
Website: www.phys-iasi.ro
