(Invited) Photoactive Inorganic Nanosystems for Environmental and Energy-Related Applications

Abstract

Nowadays, one of the main technological challenges that we are facing is the ability to provide a sustainable supply of clean energy and, among all renewable sources, solar energy displays the greatest potential. Recently, the development of novel synthetic strategies has led to the preparation of nanostructured materials displaying unique properties compared to the bulk counterpart systems, with controlled and tunable morphologies able to enhance the activity and selectivity of a heterogenous process.This talk will focus on the importance of tuning the morphological features of a catalyst as a strategy to improve its photoactivity, focusing on how rationally designing inorganic materials at the nanoscale can lead to shapes and structures suitable to enhance the performance of industrially and environmentally important processes. The talk will discuss some energy and environmental applications that can be addressed by multi-component systems synthesized via the bottom–up approach, highlighting their structure-reactivity relationship. Photocatalytic H2 production and purification and drugs degradation will be presented as successful cases history [1-3].[1] E. Moretti, L. Storaro, A. Talon, P. Riello, A. Infantes Molina, E. Rodríguez-Castellón, Appl. Catal. B: Environmental 168 (2015) 385.[2] M. Telkhozhayeva, B. Hirsch, R. Konar, E. Teblum, R. Lavi, M. Weitman, B. Malik, E. Moretti, G.D. Nessim, Appl. Catal. B: Environmental 318 (2022) 121872.[3] L. Liccardo, M. Bordin, P.M. Sheverdyaeva, M. Belli, P. Moras, A. Vomiero, E. Moretti, Adv. Funct. Mater. (2023) in press.