Graphene / semiconductor heterojunction for efficient photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics in wastewater

The project is focused on explaining the role of graphene additives in composite photocatalysts in the degradation of new types of environmental pollutants, namely  queous solutions of veterinary antibiotics. The acquired knowledge will help to optimize the structure of effective photocatalysts with respect to the nature and concentration of additives, the nature of contacts between the additive and the semiconductor component, their morphological properties and mechanical stability.

Composite layers containing TiO2 and graphene carbon components will be deposited by electrophoretic deposition on technologically important substrates.  ystematic photocatalytic experiments will be combined with mechanistic studies aimed at the detection of radicals and unstable intermediates. Based on the obtained data, the role of the graphene additive in the photocatalytic process will be explained. Special attention will be paid to achieving complete mineralization of the pollutant in order to suppress the formation of undesirable organic products.