Academic CentreThe goal of the project is to develop new ZnO/porphyrin nanosensors with enhanced properties for the detection of benzene, toluene, phenol, acetic acid and acetone. The detection these volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will help to provide an early diagnostic for human diseases, such as lung cancer, diabetes, liver disease and to some infections in cattle.
Experimental part
1) Synthesis of ZnO nanostructures by chemical bath deposition and electrospinning.
2) Functionalization of nanostructures with porphyrines, with different thickness.
3) Formation of ZnO/Porphyrin templates and structural analysis by means of XRD, TEM and SEM.
4) Analysis of electronic properties FTIR, Raman, XPS/UPS.
5) Photoluminiscence and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.
Theoretical part
1) Modeling a slab of ZnO and optimization of the structure.
2) Modeling and optimization of the porphyrins and structural optimization.
3) Interaction of porphyrin with ZnO surface.
4) Structural parameters, electronic populations, atomic charges, vibrational analysis (IR, Raman).
