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Acronym: PHYCOMAT
Project code: PN-III-P4-PCE-2021-0933
No.: PCE 33/2022
Contract Authority: UEFISCDI
Contractor: ICMPP
Budget: 1 200 000 lei
Duration: 31 months
The project aims to develop competitive photoactive hybrid composite coatings based on functionalized metal oxides/polyurethane elastomers in order to produce versatile photocatalysts with enhanced efficiency in the photodegradation of environmentally harmful pollutants, and especially, to extend their photoresponse towards visible light domain.
The main objective of the proposal is to extend our research topics towards the development of flexible nanocomposite coatings based on polyurethane elastomers bearing on the same macromolecular chain fluorescent sequences along with covalently linked inorganic nanoparticles.
The scientific goal of the proposal will be achieved by combining different synthesis techniques (preparation and functionalization of metal oxide nanoparticles, synthesis of photoactive monomers and polyurethanes, assembly of hybrid composites), the use of various characterization methods and photocatalysis competences, in order to develop viable nanocomposites with optical properties adapted for the efficient removal of environmental contaminants. The convenient coupling between the inorganic nanoparticles and the organic chromophores is expected to promote charge separation and a better suppression of electron-hole pair recombination, extending the catalytic activity to visible light. Also, an advantage of immobilizing the catalysts into the polymeric supports is the effortless recycling, without a significant loss of the photocatalytic potential. | 
