Anna Cybula in National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) in Tsukuba

I was visiting National Institute for Environmental Studies in Tsukuba (Japan) between 02.05.2013 and 29.07.2013 within Work Package 2: Carrying out experiments to produce necessary (missing) data for nanoparticles. During this time thirty photocatalysts TiO₂ modified with noble metal nanoparticles prepared by two different method (microemulsion and sol-gel) were characterized. Samples were obtained in different conditions (various: method, amount of metal and calcination temperature). This photocatalysts can be use for photodegradation of pollutants in the gas phase (eg, removal of VOCs from the air), water (for example, removal of phenols from water and wastewater) removing the odor of the enclosed space, the inactivation of bacteria, and in self-cleaning surfaces, to generate hydrogen and CO₂ photoconversion for light hydrocarbons. The photocatalysts were systematically characterized using different analytical methods like X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), BET and Atomic Force Miscroscope (AFM). I also acquainted with procedure of toxicity measurements for TiO₂-based nanocomposites. Based on obtained experimental data (BET surface area, crystal structure, morphology and toxicity) computational model will be developed to evaluate environmental risk of TiO₂-based nanoparticles.