Photocatalytic water splitting with noble-metal free cocatalysts for a comprehensive study of two nonidentical photoreactors designs

Here, the authors (i) discuss the most prominent co-catalyst for H2 generation struc tured in the form of Me-TiO2/MCM-41 (Me: Ag, Co, Cu, Ni) based on structural, electronic, textural, morphological and optical characterization techniques, such as XRD, wide and small angle, XPS, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, B.E.T., textural analysis, photoacoustic spectroscopy and photo luminescence spectroscopy; and (ii) evaluate the difference in hydrogen production in two distinct geometric reactors based on a theoretical study of light distribution inside the reactors supported by the experimental quantum yield calculation. As a result, copper-doped photocatalyst generated higher hydrogen amount compared to the others. The high photocatalyst performance was due to the greater lamp spec trum absorption, marked by the low bandgap value, and high photoactivity justified by the low rate of electronic recombination. The hydrogen generation in the quartz reactor was seven times higher than the annular one, and when at maximum light power, it is comparable to the most sophisticated reaction systems found in litera ture. The larger light exposure area per unit volume of the quartz reactor compared to the annular one is the reason why it obtained better results due to the lower emit ted photon blockade, with a 1.81% apparent quantum yield

Desenvolvimento e caracterização de filmes compósitos de quitosana e zeólitas com prata

Resumo Zeólitas foram submetidas à troca iônica ou impregnação com prata e posteriormente adicionadas em filmes de quitosana para a confecção de curativos para queimaduras. As zeólitas foram avaliadas por Ressonância magnética nuclear (RMN), Fluorescência de raios X por reflexão total (TXRF), Microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). Os filmes poliméricos foram analisados com relação às suas propriedades mecânicas, permeabilidade ao vapor d’água (PVA) e liberação de prata. Observou-se que o procedimento de troca iônica não alterou a morfologia das zeólitas de partida. Grumos de zeólita foram observados nas micrografias dos filmes e estes influenciaram nas propriedades mecânicas devido à desorganizaçao local no empacotamento das cadeiras poliméricas da quitosana. A metodologia de troca iônica ou impregnação influenciou diretamente na quantidade de prata presente superficialmente na zeólita e consequentemente alterou o perfil de liberação de prata em uma solução simulada de exudato de ferida. Os modelos cinéticos sugeriram que a liberação da prata não foi essencialmente regulada pela lei de difusão de Fick

Development of chitosan/silver sulfadiazine/zeolite composite films for wound dressing

Biopolymeric films with silver sulfadiazine (AgSD) are proposed as an alternative to the occlusive AgSD-containing creams and gauzes, which are commonly used in the treatment of conventional burns. While the recognized cytotoxicity of AgSD has been reported to compromise its use as an antimicrobial drug in pharmaceuticals, this limitation can be overcome by developing sustained-release formulations. Microporous materials as zeolites can be used as drug delivery systems for sustained release of AgSD. The purpose of this work was the development and characterization of chitosan/zeolite composite films to be used as wound dressings. Zeolite was impregnated with AgSD before the production of the composite films. The physicochemical properties of zeolites and the films were evaluated, as well as the antimicrobial activity of the polymeric films and the cytotoxicity of the films in fibroblasts Balb 3T3/c. Impregnated zeolite exhibited changes in FTIR spectra and XRD diffraction patterns, in comparison to non-impregnated composites, which corroborate the results obtained with EDX-SEM. The pure chitosan film was compact and without noticeable defects and macropores, while the film with zeolite was opaquer, more rigid, and efficient against Candida albicans and some gram-negative bacteria. The safety evaluation showed that although the AgSD films present cytotoxicity, they could be used in a concentration-dependent fashion.The authors wish to thank CAPES (Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior) for the scholarship granted to the first author. EBS acknowledges the financial support received from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT/MCT) and European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE) under the project reference M-ERA-NET/0004/2015-PAIRED, co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020. MCG and ESL wish to acknowledge the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology for the project ART(2018) and the Generalitat of Catalonia for the project 2017SGR-1477

Photocatalytic water splitting with noble‐metal free cocatalysts for a comprehensive study of two nonidentical photoreactors designs

Here, the authors (i) discuss the most prominent co-catalyst for H2 generation struc tured in the form of Me-TiO2/MCM-41 (Me: Ag, Co, Cu, Ni) based on structural, electronic, textural, morphological and optical characterization techniques, such as XRD, wide and small angle, XPS, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, B.E.T., textural analysis, photoacoustic spectroscopy and photo luminescence spectroscopy; and (ii) evaluate the difference in hydrogen production in two distinct geometric reactors based on a theoretical study of light distribution inside the reactors supported by the experimental quantum yield calculation. As a result, copper-doped photocatalyst generated higher hydrogen amount compared to the others. The high photocatalyst performance was due to the greater lamp spec trum absorption, marked by the low bandgap value, and high photoactivity justified by the low rate of electronic recombination. The hydrogen generation in the quartz reactor was seven times higher than the annular one, and when at maximum light power, it is comparable to the most sophisticated reaction systems found in litera ture. The larger light exposure area per unit volume of the quartz reactor compared to the annular one is the reason why it obtained better results due to the lower emit ted photon blockade, with a 1.81% apparent quantum yield