| Start Date: | 3 October 2026 |
| End Date: | |
| Project Leader: | Hristo Kolev |
| Budget: | 163 000,00 лв. |
Abstract
Photocatalytic thin films are used in several priority technologies, including the removal of organic pollutants from water and air, the development of self-cleaning surfaces, photoelectrochemical water splitting for green hydrogen production, and the photoreduction of CO₂ into value-added products. These materials are commonly based on wide-bandgap semiconductors such as TiO₂ and ZnO, which generate photoexcited electrons and positively charged holes upon light absorption. The photogenerated charge carriers can participate in redox reactions with molecules adsorbed on the photocatalyst surface. A major limitation of photocatalytic processes is their low quantum yield, which is largely caused by the rapid recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. One approach to overcoming this limitation is the functionalisation of the photocatalytic surface with cocatalysts that facilitate charge separation and selectively promote oxidation or reduction reactions. The main objective of the project is to investigate methods for the direct photodeposition of functional layers of noble metals, including Ag, Pt and Pd, and transition-metal oxides, including MnOₓ, CoOₓ and NiOₓ, on TiO₂ and ZnO photocatalytic thin films. The relationship between deposition conditions, cocatalyst structure and chemical composition, photoelectrochemical behaviour, quantum efficiency and photocatalytic activity will be systematically investigated. The possibility of using photolithography to selectively deposit spatially separated cocatalysts on the same surface will also be explored in order to create areas with differentiated photochemical activity. The acquired knowledge may contribute to the rational design of photocatalytic surfaces for pollutant removal, high-efficiency photoanodes and photocathodes, sensors, and integrated photoelectrochemical devices for renewable solar-energy conversion.Назад...
