Banca de DEFESA: REBECCA ROBERTA YSRAELLE OLIVEIRA VERDE WILSON

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : REBECCA ROBERTA YSRAELLE OLIVEIRA VERDE WILSON
DATE: 31/07/2024
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Sala virtual
TITLE:

Optimization of the photocatalytic degradation of levofloxacin using the Bi2WO6/CuO heterostructure.

KEY WORDS:

Heterostructure; Photocatalysis; Bismuth Tungstate; Copper Oxide; Levofloxacin.

PAGES: 133
BIG AREA: Engenharias
AREA: Engenharia de Materiais e Metalúrgica
SUBÁREA: Materiais Não-Metálicos
SPECIALTY: Cerâmicos
SUMMARY:

The improper disposal of pharmaceutical waste containing antibiotics contaminates aquatic systems, promoting the emergence of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Heterogeneous photocatalysis (HP) and binary heterostructures emerge as promising strategies to efficiently degrade these contaminants. In this study, a CuO nanosheets structure was decorated with Bi₂WO₆ nanoflower to form Bi₂WO₆/CuO n-p heterostructures through a simple two-step process using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal approach (MWHA). The synthesized photocatalysts were evaluated through the degradation of the antibiotic levofloxacin as the target pollutant under solar irradiation. The optical properties and structural morphology of the BWO/CuO photocatalysts were demonstrated. The XRD and FT-IR results corroborate, indicating the crystallinity and purity of the samples obtained by MWHA. The X-ray diffractograms showed the presence of crystalline phases of orthorhombic β-Bi2WO6 and monoclinic β-CuO, with no secondary phases. The FEG-SEM images of the heterostructures revealed a morphology resembling a three-dimensional flower with aggregated nanosheets, which are derived from the pure samples. The BW/Cu-10 heterostructure showed the highest photocatalytic capacity, degrading 95% of the antibiotic in 120 minutes. The enhanced photocatalytic abilities of the BWO/CuO heterostructures were attributed to the construction of an n-p heterojunction, effective charge separation according to the n-p type mechanism, and prolonged carrier lifetime, which efficiently suppressed the recombination of photo-induced electron/hole pairs. The obtained BWO/CuO heterostructures were stable over four consecutive cycles with almost constant degradation capacity. Therefore, due to their promising photocatalytic abilities, BWO/CuO are suitable photocatalysts for environmental treatment applications.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 1802888 - FABIANA VILLELA DA MOTTA
Interno - 1883170 - MAURICIO ROBERTO BOMIO DELMONTE
Externo ao Programa - 1508681 - FELIPE BOHN - UFRNExterna à Instituição - LAURA XIMENA LOVISA - UNIFEI