Nanoparticles and nanocomposites applied to targeted applications sustainable energy, water remediation, and biomedical applications
Website conceptualization and administration: Erwan Rauwel
Research overview:
Sustainable energy, climate change mitigation, water remediation, and biomedical applications
Our research activities are in the frame of 5 UN sustainable development goals: Good health and well being, Cleaner water and sanitation, Affordable and cleaner energy, Climate actions, and Partnership for the goals. Our projects objectives fall in EU-decarbonized energy transition of 2050, and EU Green Deal principles of sustainability and green industry by promoting reusability of new technology and circular economy. Our research team regroups PhD students, researchers and professors from Estonian University of Life Science and Estonian Aviation Academy. Our main goal is to develop solutions based on nanotechnology to present societal problems related to climate change, energy and water scarcity and health.
Our research activities are presently mainly funded by the ETAg TEAM Grant (PRG2115), Thematic research and development programs from Estonian Ministry of Research / ETAg (TEM-TA144) and Mobilitas+ grant (MOBJD1204).
We are a material science and nano-engineering research group with the main research focus on metal oxide and metal nanoparticle synthesis. Our research group is more particularly interested by silver, cobalt, copper, copper nitride, zinc oxide, hafnium dioxide, and hybrid nanomaterials. The main targeted applications are sustainable energy, biocidal coatings, water purification, optoelectronics, photovoltaics, photocatalysis, decrease of air freight carbon footprint, and biomedical application.
In addition to the conventional synthesis methods, green synthesis is an objective of ours. Team main expertise includes also thin film synthesis (ALD, MOCVD, PLD, sputtering), sol-gel chemistry, transmission electron microscopy and related techniques, vacuum techniques, CMOS technology, photoluminescence, scientific writing, research projects.
Our previous research activities were partially funded by the Estonian Centre of Excellence EQUiTANT TK134 (2015-2023), ETAg personal research funding PUT431 and EMÜ Bridge Funding (P200030VLVB) (2020-2024).
Latest updates
30/01/2025
Today, we successfully tested the gas turbine for the combustion tests. The gas turbine is equipped with different sensors to control the combustion and turbine functionning. All parameters are monitored on live. Thanks to Neethu, Shafiqu and Madis for their excellent work. Most of the reseach team was there for the first test and you can watch the video of the first test HERE! Congratulations to all the team!
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All The research Team wish you a Happy and Successful New Year 2025
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17/12/2024
Patrico Paredes who is PhD student just published his third paper on the study of the photocatalytic degradation of dyes using copper-based nanoparticles. He compared the utilization of free-standing nanoparticles and a films of nanoparticles asnchored on a glass substrate that make easier their reclamation after use in Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Springer). Congratulations Patricio!
01/11/2024
Dr. Glemarie Hermosa started a new position as Postdoctoral researcher in our research team. She will work in the frame of the PRG2115 team grant on the heavy metal ions extraction from polluted soil and water, and Tem-TA144 project. Welcome in the team Glemarie!
01/10/2024
Dr. Emmanuel Umejuru started a new position as Postdoctoral researcher in our research team. He will work in the frame of the PRG2115 team grant on the heavy metal ions extraction from polluted water. Welcome in the team Emmanuel!
19/09/2024
Our research team attended the E-MRS conference 2024 in Warsaw. It was a good opportunity for the PhD students and the postdoc to present their research outcomes. A total of 6 contributions have been presented there (2 oral presentations and 4 poster presentations). It was a nice experience and stay for Priyanka, Sadaf, Keshav, Patrico and Reynald.
26/08/2024
Congratulations to our PhD student Keshav Nagpal who successfully defended his PhD thesis on ZnO nanostructures applied to photodiode at EMÜ, in Tartu, Estonia. He enjoyed the fruitful discussion with his two opponents Prof. Ola Nilsen and Prof. Bertrand Vilquin. We thank them for the very constructive questions and discussion.
Polymer encapsulation of zinc oxide nanostructures for photodiode for LED applications
Congratulation Keshav!