Semiconductor Nanomaterials Group

The major research activities of the group are in the areas of Nanotechnology, ceramics for Functional Applications, semiconductors, and Photocatalysis. Current activities include the development of functional coatings for ceramics, development of nanoparticles for environmental, energy and electronic applications, development of self-cleaning probes for biofilm sensors, photocatalytic solar disinfection and the development of anti-bacterial functional coatings. The group actively collaborate with Dr. Declan McCormack and Dr. Michael Seery of the School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical sciences. Since 2004, the group’s activity has secured over €1.4 million in funding, delivering one license, 15 peer-reviewed publications, ten invited talks, two patents and a spinout due for 2010.

Research on Titania Nanomaterials

Nanocrystalline titania is an eco-friendly material and has found applications in various fields such as photovoltaics, photocatalysis, anti-microbial agents and self-cleaning coatings. Among the three forms of titania (anatase, rutile and brookite), anatase usually exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity. The anatase phase is irreversibly converted to the less-reactive rutile phase at 500-600 ºC under normal conditions, which limits its suitability for high temperature applications.

The objective of this research is to develop visible light active hygienic ceramic coatings which will have applications in bathrooms, swimming pools, hospital wards, and operation theatres. The self-cleaning or anti-bacterial coating on the ceramic tiles currently available in the market are prepared after a sintering step but they are not visible light active; some of them are claimed to be sunlight active which utilizes the 3-5% UV found in solar irradiation. The efficiency can be improved many fold if the coatings can utilise the visible (indoor) light for electronic excitations in titania. The UV active catalysts are virtually inactive in indoor environments, where the UV component is low or non-existent. Mechanism of photocatalysis is given in Figure 1.

Group Members

Dr. Suresh C. Pillai (Senior R&D Manager) Dr. Niall Stobie (Research Scientist) Dr. Darragh Ryan (Research Scientist) Dr. Donal Keane (Research Scientist) Dr. Nicholas Nolan (Researcher) Mr. Vinod Etacheri (PhD Researcher) Mr. Damian Synnott (PhD researcher)

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