In the contemporary context, the escalating global apprehension regarding environmental degradation, encompassing the pollution of water, air, and land, has prompted an amplified focus on renewable energies. Consequently, there has been a surge of interest in diversifying energy storage methodologies, aiming to foster the development of novel energy storage devices (e.g., supercapacitors, batteries, capacitors) and enhance the performance of existing ones. Concurrently, the prevailing epoch confronts a paramount challenge associated with water contamination attributed to diverse agents such as paints, pharmaceutical waste, pharmaceutical residues, and assorted microorganisms. In response to these challenges, the scientific community is progressively seeking environmentally benign technologies for the effective elimination of contaminants. Among these technologies, photocatalysis has emerged as a particularly promising method for water purification.
In recent times, considerable scientific attention has been directed towards the synthesis of various binary combinations of transition metal oxides, including ZnCo2O4, CuCo2O4, FeCo2O4, MgCo2O4, and NiCo2O4. A central focus of these investigations has been the exploration of their inherent bifunctional attributes, particularly in terms of capacitive and electrochemical properties. Furthermore, the fabrication of thin-film coatings comprising mixed Zn-Co oxides has garnered interest, and research endeavors have extended to the scrutiny of their photocatalytic and capacitive characteristics. Empirical findings underscore the pivotal role played by the deposition method, the development of a stable suspension, and the presence of organic impurities in shaping the structure, morphology, and functional attributes of these oxide coatings.
These findings assume significance in the quest for efficient bifunctional materials tailored for energy storage and photocatalytic applications. Notably, such materials hold the potential for practical deployment in photocatalytic redox processes, as well as energy storage endeavors, including but not limited to the oxidation of organic compounds, photoreduction of CO2, water splitting, and water treatment.
Period of project implementation: 2023-10-04 - 2024-04-30
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
