Materials and Environment

Learning Outcomes: 

The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the field of materials science and the application of materials in the field of environmental engineering. The course includes basic concepts, molecular-chemical properties of materials (natural and synthetic) and how they are related to environmental parameters. Students will be introduced in modern methods of materials development from nano to macro-scale and how they can be modified to have the desired characteristics for applications in specific environmental issues. The basic physicochemical principles of chemical pollution and the use of materials to address specific environmental problems will be developed. Heterogeneous catalytic and photocatalytic processes using materials in environmental issues and physicochemical liquid-solid interactions will be analyzed. The course also includes the development of innovative multicomponent / multifunctional nanocomposites with advanced properties and targeted functionalities in environmental applications of pollution (liquid and gaseous), energy production (utilization of solar energy for fuel production) and sensors development.

General Skills:
The course offers the following skills:
• Categorize materials based on their crystal and electronic structure
• Working in an interdisciplinary environment
• Production of new research ideas
• Project design and management
• Sustainability
• Critical thinking
• Promoting free, creative and inductive reasoning
• Skills for autonomous work
• Research in chemical analysis
• Design and perform of chemical studies and research

Course Content: 
1. Introduction to environmental pollution
2. Physicalchemistry of nanomaterials
3. Solid/liquid interaction
4. Methods for the development of metal oxides and metal nanoparticles
5. Porous materials
6. Use of materials for depollution applications
7. Heterogeneous catalysis
8. Heterogeneous photocatalysis
9. Materials for the utilization of solar energy
10. Low cost absorbers
11. Molecular imprinting
12. Polymers
13. Biodegradable polymers
14. Sensors for environmental monitoring

Suggested Bibliography:
Materials and Environment