Projects
Ultrasound- and microwave- assisted non- aqueous solvent extraction in milliflow reactors KU Leuven
To investigate the extraction of critical metals in flow reactors. To study the effects of ultrasound and microwaves on solvent extraction with non-aqueous fluids such as ionic liquids. To understand the potential of solvent extraction applied in flow reactors and actuated by alternative energy forms. Proof-of-principle that critical metals can be extracted in continuous flow reactors. Enhanced extraction rates achieved by the application of ...
Study of electron transfer processes in plasmonic photocatalysis KU Leuven
Over the past few years, the use of plasmonics to improve the photocatalytic efficiency of titanium dioxide (TiO2) has gained a lot of interest in the scientific community. By modifying the TiO2 photocatalyst with noble metal nanoparticles displaying surface plasmon resonance, its activity under both UV and a broad range of visible light can be substantially enhanced. Surface plasmon resonance is an optical phenomenon that gives the noble ...
Production of Potable Water for Small Scale Communities using Low-Cost Filtration Membrane KU Leuven
The use of ultrafiltration (UF) technology in treating groundwater for the supply of potable water in the impoverished rural Tshaanda village is demonstrated in this dissertation, along with the potential of using novel membranes derived from plastic waste. The technical and administrative processes critical for the successful installation of the pilot plant were developed. Given the rural nature of Tshaanda (the study area), the cultural and ...
Model-based active thermography for contactless quality assessment in the agro-food industry KU Leuven
In the agro-food industry, there is an increasing demand for non-destructive quality inspection tools that allow to inspect every individual product. This is the result of an increased focus on food safety and quality over the past decades. Several fast, non-destructive and contactless technologies have been studied for food quality inspection, many of them based on the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the food product. ...
Synthesis and characterization of polyoligosiloxysilicones KU Leuven
Silicon-based materials are of vital importance in today’s society. From the sand and clay dug up from the Earth to be used in construction, to the highly purified forms used in the production of electronics, computers and medical implants, the chemical element Si has found its way into nearly every aspect of our lives. Nevertheless, our highly technological world is fueled by an ever-lasting quest for progress. This search continuously ...
TiO2 Gas Phase Photocatalysis from Morphological Design to Plasmonic Enhancement KU Leuven
The past decades, photocatalysis has emerged as a powerful technology for pollution abatement and energy applications, but its use in gaseous environment is less obvious than in water borne applications. Therefore this thesis specifically aims at understanding and improving TiO2-based photocatalysis in all its facets towards gas phase processes.
In first instance a suitable photoreactor is developed and validated. A simple ...