Doctoral theses of the School of Electrical Engineering at Aaltodoc (external link)
Doctoral theses of the School of Electrical Engineering are available in the open access repository maintained by Aalto, Aaltodoc.
Public defence in Photonics and Nanotechnology, M.Sc. Daryna Ihnatiuk
Public defence from the Aalto University School of Electrical Engineering, Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering
The title of the thesis: Photocatalytic materials for sunlight-driven chemical and environmental applications
Thesis defender: Daryna Ihantiuk
Opponent: Prof. Maria Vittoria Diamanti, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Custos: Prof. Ilkka Tittonen, Aalto University School of Electrical Engineering
The growing amount of industrial waste and environmental pollution calls for sustainable technologies capable of removing contaminants and recovering valuable materials. This doctoral thesis examines photocatalytic materials that can use sunlight to drive chemical reactions for environmental remediation and resource recovery.
The purpose of the study was to understand how the synthesis conditions of photocatalytic materials affect their structure, optical properties, and performance. The research focuses on titanium dioxide and graphitic carbon nitride, two promising photocatalysts for solar-driven processes.
The work demonstrates that controlled synthesis can significantly influence photocatalytic activity. Titanium dioxide films co-doped with platinum and nitrogen were shown to enhance pollutant degradation and photoelectrochemical reactions. The study also revealed how different platinum species affect reactions such as nitrous oxide decomposition and oxygen and hydrogen evolution. Additionally, oxygen-starved magnetron sputtering produced hierarchical titanium dioxide structures with high surface area and photocatalytic activity. The latter part of the study shows that precursor chemistry strongly affects the morphology and efficiency of graphitic carbon nitride photocatalysts used for the photoreduction of noble metal ions relevant to electronic waste recycling.
The research provides new insights into how synthesis pathways determine the structure and performance of photocatalytic materials. These findings contribute to the broader field of photocatalysis by improving the understanding of structure-property relationships in photocatalysts.
The knowledge generated in this work can support the development of more efficient materials for environmental purification, solar-driven chemical processes, and recovery of valuable metals from waste streams. Overall, the study highlights the importance of controlled material design for advancing sustainable technologies based on photocatalysis.
Key words: Photocatalysis, synthesis, visible light, titanium dioxide, graphitic carbon nitride
Thesis available for public display 7 days prior to the defence at Aaltodoc.
Contact:
daryna.ihnatiuk@aalto.fi
Doctoral theses of the School of Electrical Engineering
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