LM thesis proposal
Supervisors: Michele Orlandi (michele.orlandi@unitn.it) & Antonio Miotello (antonio.miotello@unitn.it)
Solar chemistry, where sunlight is employed to drive complex chemical reactions, can be used for a variety of applications, from the photosynthesis of value-added products such as pharmaceuticals, to solar wastewater treatments. In particular, solid-state materials designed as catalytic platforms capable of performing multiple reactions would be a breakthrough in the field. The student will: (1) design photoactive materials matching thermodynamics, optics and catalytic properties with application requirements; (2) synthesize them by using the most appropriate combination of physical and chemical methods; (3) evaluate the efficiency of the process. In particular, the effect of solar concentration will be investigated by comparing performance under simulated sunlight and sunlight provided by a parabolic through or parabolic dish concentrator.
The student will be an integral part of the IdEA laboratory, a well-equipped multidisciplinary research group boasting decades of experience in the field.
Starting date: January 2023.
