Seznam abstraktů 2025: POSTEROVÁ SEKCE B

In this work, we report the development of doped or undoped TiO₂ nanocoatings by asymmetric bipolar direct current pulsed sputtering on textile fibers. Low-temperature pulsed sputtering using Ti Target and transition metals was used to create functional nanocoatings on textile fiber surfaces. The phase formation and structural parameters were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), XPS and morphological parameters by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (FEG-SEM) and transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The photocatalytic activity was explored by measuring the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties and photodegradation of methylene blue and rhodamibe B aqueous dye solution under UV radiation. The experimental results show that the nanocoated textile fibers with doped TiO₂ exhibit hydrophobic, antimicrobial behavior and efficient self-cleaning properties, with a photocatalytic efficiency above 95% and a high degradation kinetics, based on the Angmuir Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism. Concluding that the nanocoated fibers can be used in several environmental applications.
Acknowledgements This research was supported by CARREFOUR group and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel- Brazil (CAPES)- Finance Code 001, as well as to the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) under projects number 400913/2023 - 2 and 404139/2022 - 1. Further thanks are due to the Graduate Program in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (PPGEQ/ UFRN) for providing technical assistance.

Polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyl(actic acid) (PLA) are biocompatible and biodegradable polymers widely used in biomedical applications. This study explores the fabrication and antifungal efficacy of electrospun nanofiber blends of PCL/PLA incorporated with clotrimazole, an imidazole-based antifungal agent, targeting Candida albicans. Nanofibers were produced by needless electrospinning with different clotrimazole concentrations. Morphological analysis using scanning electron microscopy confirmed smooth fiber formation with diameters affected by the clotrimazole content. In vitro antifungal assays were conducted using Candida albicans, assessing fungal growth inhibition through zone of inhibition tests and the effect on growth curve by nanofiber eluate. Results demonstrated that clotrimazole-loaded PCL/PLA nanofibers significantly inhibited Candida albicans growth compared to unloaded controls, with the most pronounced effect observed in nanofiber mats containing the highest dose of clotrimazole (~ 40 µg/ mg). Cytotoxicity assay confirmed biocompatibility of the nanofiber mats to human vaginal keratinocytes. This study highlights the potential of clotrimazole-loaded PCL/PLA nanofibers as a promising platform for localized antifungal therapy, particularly in treating vaginal candidiasis.

The aim of this work is the development of a new technology for the production of core-sheath nanofiber yarn based on applying a nanofiber bundle onto a ballooning yarn core in a parallel orientation. In contrast to the currently used perpendicular deposition methods, this concept enables the fibers to be applied at a single point, which is expected to achieve higher cohesion between the nanofiber sheath and the core.
An innovative design of a core spinning electrode enabling the passage of the yarn core through the center of the spinning electrode was proposed and manufactured. Several electrode variants, including single-stage and two-stage configurations, were experimentally tested, and their productivity, process stability, and yarn quality were evaluated. The best performance was achieved with a two-stage electrode, where a productivity of 0.35 ± 0.02 g/min was measured at a voltage of 50 kV.
Initial experiments confirmed the feasibility of long-term production of core-sheath nanofiber yarn using the proposed technology. However, several areas requiring further optimization were identified, particularly ensuring uniform fiber drying and minimizing defects in the yarn structure. The results indicate that the newly developed technology has significant potential to expand the possibilities of industrial production of nanofiber-based materials and open up new application areas.

The study investigates how electrospinning parameters affect polyether sulfone (PES) nanofiber fiber diameter, specifically for water treatment applications. In order to determine fiber morphology, it employs Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to create correlations between flow rate, tip-to-collector distance, PES concentration, and lithium chloride (LiCl) concentration. To improve the predictive accuracy of fiber diameter estimation based on electrospinning parameters, our implementation builds on this foundation by incorporating machine learning models. A number of models were trained to predict fiber diameter with high precision, including Random Forest (MSE: 5.27, R²: 0.997), Gradient Boosting (MSE: 10.84, R²: 0.993), Support Vector Regression (MSE: 29.13, R²: 0.982), XGBoost (MSE: 1.92, R²: 0.999), Linear Regression (MSE: 193.16, R²: 0.881), Lasso Regression (MSE: 216.08, R²: 0.866), Ridge Regression (MSE: 192.61, R²: 0.881), Elastic Net Regression (MS2E: 1235.45, R²: 0.236), and K-Nearest Neighbours (MSE: 0.00067, R²: 1.000). Linear Regression and XGBoost outperformed the others, producing predictions that were almost flawless. For the specified input parameters, the expected nanofiber diameters ranged from 323.11 nm to 328.24 nm, which closely matched the experimental values. The study demonstrates that real-time parameter optimization is made possible by combining machine learning with electrospinning technology[1], which improves control over nanofiber fabrication. Additionally, experimental confirmation demonstrates that while decreasing fiber diameter decreases water flux, it increases particle removal efficiency. These results demonstrate how data-driven methods can be used to improve membrane design for filtration applications.

Electrospinning has attracted increasing attention due to their exceptional versatility, performance, customization and scalability, offering great potential for various areas. Those include biomedical sector, personal protective equipment, food packaging, environmental applications, among others. Electrospun membranes exhibit outstanding characteristics, like large surface area-to-volume ratio, high porosity with interconnectivity, flexibility, ability to incorporate and release several bioactive agents, vast surface functionalization, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, which makes electrospinning a powerful technology for the development of the next-generation materials for several industrial domains. More than ever, the search for sustainable materials to produce micro- and nanofiber membranes is a priority across academic research and industry. In this context, seaweed stands out as a renewable source of several biopolymers (alginate, carrageenan, etc) and bioactive compounds with distinct functionalities. Aligned with this, the atypical proliferation and accumulation of some marine seaweed species in coastal areas represents a threat for both ecosystems and humans. Since this biomass is discarded in landfills or left to accumulate on beaches, valorisation strategies of these algae wastes should be a priority instead of its disposal, following the circular economy concept. Therefore, this work aimed to use four brown macroalgae species harvested from various locations in Portugal, Laminaria ochroleuca, Sargassum muticum, Saccorhiza polyschides and Rugulopteryx okamurae, to extract sodium alginate (SA), using sustainable methodologies. The species with the highest extraction yield was selected for the extraction of bioactive compounds. Finally, electrospun nanofibers were produced using the extracted SA blended with PVA, and functionalized with the extracted bioactive compounds to develop bioactive membranes.

The global push for eco-friendly and biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics has intensified interest in natural polymers for sustainable functional materials. In this contribution, we present a robust formulation for highly sustainable, flexible composite films engineered from a synergistic combination of two abundant polysaccharides, carrageenan (CG) and sodium alginate (SA). These abundant biopolymers were selected for their intrinsic film-forming ability, non-toxicity, and biodegradability, offering a green alternative for advanced material design. Using a solvent-casting technique without toxic crosslinkers, we engineered CG-SA composite films with tailored structural and mechanical performance by modulating the CG:SA ratio.
A thorough investigation of the films' structural, thermal, optical, surface, and mechanical properties reveals a strong compositional dependence, with the most pronounced synergistic effect observed in mechanical performance. Notably, a CG:SA ratio of 40:60 permits a synergistic molecular interaction between the polysaccharides, enabling a fourfold increase in tensile strength and over twofold improvement in elongation at break compared to films made from single-component systems. Given their biodegradable nature, processability, and mechanical resilience, these films are strong candidates for supporting nanomaterials traditionally implemented in real-world applications such as eco-conscious food packaging using ZnO or nanoclays, in flexible electronics with carbon nanostructures, in wearable sensors employing plasmonic nanoparticles, or in bio-integrated substrates with polymer nanoparticles. This work, thus, contributes to the growing field of green nanomaterial supporting platforms, offering a scalable, non-toxic route aligned with the objectives of sustainable nanotechnology.

Detection of hurtful and noxious gases has become more and more crucial for the environmental monitoring, manufacturing/monitoring of industrial products and for human health safety. Into this bargain, an innovative ammonia (NH3) gas sensor based on ternary composites of ZnO/PPy-Ag, deposited in ITO-PET thin film was successfully synthesized via photopolymerization process. The chemical structural state and morphology of ZnO/PPy-Ag (0.5 to 3M), PPy-Ag (1M) and ZnO nanofibers samples were fully revealed by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), RAMAN Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), confirming its successful fabrication. The electrical conductivity was carried out using the common four probes method. Obviously, the ternary ZnO/PPy-Ag (1M) composites sensor exhibited a highest conductivity of 0.699 S.cm-1 with an extremely low detecting level. Moreover, the composites ternary layers showed an ultra-fast response/recovery time at room temperature and robust operation reproducibility during five cycles. Meanwhile, the experimental results promising an alternative approach for the production of a new ternary materials and a novel insight for high-performance ammonia sensing applications.

Diamond coatings provide outstanding hardness and wear resistance for cutting tools, but their deployment on cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co) is often limited by inadequate adhesion. In an industry-academia collaboration between the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences and SHM, s.r.o., we address this challenge by introducing a thin nanocrystalline-diamond (NCD) buffer to promote the adhesion of subsequently grown microcrystalline-diamond (MCD) coatings. Additionally, two types of interlayers routinely used in industry, TiAlSiN and a SiC-based, were deposited on commercially WC-Co inserts by magnetron sputtering. The NCD buffer was prepared in the linear-antenna microwave plasma CVD system at substrate temperatures as low as 565 °C with a thickness of 0.6-0.8 µm. After that, the MCD coatings were deposited on both interlayers in focused microwave plasma CVD (0.40-0.75 µm on TiAlSiN and 0.61-0.84 µm on SiC-based) with and without NCD buffer layer. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy (sp³ diamond peak near 1331-1337 cm⁻¹) confirmed diamond crystalline quality and film continuity across conditions. While the low-temperature deposition process (575 °C, 15 h) resulted in good diamond adhesion, the high-temperature deposition (800-860 °C, 15 h) or long-duration growth at low-temperature (100 h, 580-610 °C) exhibited extensive delamination. Samples with SiC-based interlayer showed less peeling than TiAlSiN under otherwise comparable conditions.
Overall, employing an NCD buffer markedly improves adhesion, and interlayer selection is critical: the SiC-based interlayer combined with NCD consistently yields more homogeneous coverage with minimal delamination compared to TiAlSiN. These results provide a robust, industrially relevant pathway towards adherent, uniform MCD coatings on carbide tools.

Herein, we report a comparative study focused on various microcrystalline and nanostructured diamonds, examining the effects of surface chemistry and doping on the properties of the ultra-small size-selected catalytic clusters. We prepared eight diamond types: hydrogen-terminated intrinsic, oxygen-terminated intrinsic, boron-doped hydrogen-terminated intrinsic, and boron-doped oxygen-terminated diamond films in both microcrystalline and nanocrystalline morphologies. The latter is expected to feature an increased density of grain boundaries. These samples cover a wide range of surface structures and chemical composition, from insulating intrinsic diamonds to conductive boron-doped diamonds. This variability enables control of mechanistic and electronic interactions with other systems. This is particularly relevant for ultra-small, size-selected metallic clusters CuxPdy for catalysis. Vice versa, the clusters’ unique electronic structures can further tailor the diamonds’ properties through metal-support interactions. These cluster-decorated diamonds were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Kelvin probe measurements. On microcrystalline samples, AFM showed a uniform cluster distribution with an average height of ~0.5 nm, confirming effective anchoring of the clusters to the diamond surface and their stability. Kelvin probe measurements revealed a shift to a higher work function (5.5 ± 0.1 eV) after cluster deposition that was to some extent modulated by the type and surface termination of the diamond support. The selected samples were tested in the model oxidative reaction, revealing that their catalytic activity depends on the type of diamond support. In addition to the work function shifts after clusters deposition identified by Kelvin-probe, near-ambient-pressure XPS showed that the dominant C 1s component at ≈285.0 eV corresponds to sp3-hybridized carbon, and the reduction of the oxidation state of the deposited clusters was found to be essential for catalytic activity. The results confirm the existence of unique metal-support interactions improving catalytic activity and selectivity that are governed by adsorption strength and electronic coupling to the reactants.

Synthetic natural gas produced via catalytic hydrogenation of CO₂ to methane represents one of the viable pathways for large-scale and long-term renewable energy storage. An energy-efficient methanation process requires the development of low-temperature and low-pressure catalysts that enable complete conversion of pure CO₂ to methane without the need for recycling. Nickel clusters supported on zeolites belong to active catalysts. However, the microporous zeolites possess a relatively limited capacity for Ni clusters, and their hydrophilic character adversely affects catalytic activity. This study demonstrates how post-synthetic modification of zeolites influences the dispersion of supported Ni clusters and their activity in the selective low-temperature hydrogenation of CO2 with hydrogen to methane, and shows how post-synthetic modification affects the surface hydrophobicity and the stabilization of Ni clusters on the zeolite surface. The optimal structure of Ni particles enables high conversion in the favourable low-temperature region, allowing for efficient CO2 conversion and methane selectivity.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The authors acknowledge the support of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (Project No. TS01030146) for this study. Support was provided by the Research Infrastructure NanoEnviCz under Projects No. LM2023066, EF18_046/0015586, and LM2018124, funded by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic.

Manganese-iron Fe3Mn3O8 ferrite represents an important functional material for as catalytic purposes. In this study, Fe3Mn3O8 ferrite particles were synthesized and investigated with the aim of understanding its structure and magnetic behaviour. As a starting material, a manganese-iron precursor was prepared and its chemical composition verified by SEM/EDX, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Mössbauer spectroscopy provided insights into its crystal structure and local environment of iron. The precursor was subsequently annealed in a hydrogen atmosphere to obtain the final ferrite phase. The resulting Mn-Fe ferrite was analysed using the same structural and spectroscopic methods to confirm the transformation and purity of the product. In addition, its magnetic properties were investigated to obtain a comprehensive picture of its structural and magnetic characteristics.

The development of efficient and stable electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for sustainable hydrogen production. This work presents a high-performance catalyst comprising palladium-nickel (PdNi) bimetallic nanoparticles supported on activated carboxylated graphene. The synergistic interplay between the PdNi alloy and the highly conductive, functionalized carbon support was engineered to optimize the adsorption energetics of hydrogen intermediates. Electrochemical evaluation in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ revealed exceptional HER kinetics, as evidenced by a small Tafel slope of 44 mV dec⁻¹, which indicates a rapid Volmer-Heyrovsky reaction mechanism. These results highlight the strategic advantage of utilizing bimetallic alloys on functionalized carbon supports to create cost-effective alternatives to platinum-based catalysts.

Methyl red is a toxic azo dye widely used in industries such as textile dyeing and paper printing. It exhibits carcinogenic and mutagenic effects, raising serious environmental and health concerns. Conventionally, such dyes are degraded using techniques like photocatalysis, adsorption, electrochemical treatment, biodegradation, Fenton reaction, and ozonation. However, these methods often require complex setups, longer treatment durations, or any external agents like sunlight, ozone, microorganisms, etc. In this study, we present a novel, simple, and highly effective approach for the complete degradation of methyl red using a hydrothermally synthesized orthorhombic MoO₃ nanocatalyst. The addition of a catalyst to the dye solution leads to complete degradation within a short reaction time. The process is remarkably fast and does not require any external agents, including sunlight. Adding 1 mg of MoO₃ to a 10 ml solution of 10 ppm methyl red dye achieved complete degradation within 2 hours at 25 °C, which lowered to 1 hour under UV light or at 50 °C. The degradation process can occur across a broad spectrum of temperatures spanning from 15 °C onwards, thereby facilitating the utilization of MoO3 nanocatalysts across diverse climatic conditions suitable in various regions worldwide. In addition, the catalyst retains its ability to degrade the dye even after the fifth cycle. No reports are available with such a simple and easy degradation mechanism of methyl red dye, suggesting the potential for commercialization of the synthesized catalyst.

The Nanotechnology industry is growing rapidly, leading to concerns about the potential commercial uses of nanostructures. Nanostructures of titanium dioxide (TiO2) with the shapes of nanofibers (TNFs), nanorods (TNRs), and nanograss (TNGs) were created. The morphology and phase that are formed are greatly influenced by synthetic processes. The anatase phase is present in both TNFs and TNRs. On the other hand, TNGs that crystallise in the rutile phase are produced. Morphology is directly related to the exposed crystal planes. According to XRD measurements, the {101} facet is exposed in anatase nanomaterials (TNFs, TNRs) and the {110} facet is exposed in rutile nanomaterials (TNGs). The photocatalytic properties are greatly influenced by the interaction of morphology, the same most stable facets, and modification with silver. The strongest photoactivity towards the breakdown of rhodamine B (RhB) is exhibited by anatase nanomaterials, particularly those with low crystallinity (TNFs). In contrast, highly crystalline rutile crystals do not demonstrate good photocatalytic performance, neither in UV nor in simulated solar light (SSL). However, by adding metallic silver to the surface and forming a Schottky barrier, the photoactive performance of most materials can be improved. Finally, hydroxyl radicals, superoxide anion radicals, and hole scavengers were used to uncover the mechanisms of photocatalytic breakdown. This study demonstrates that high-performance photocatalysts in UV and SSL may be created by selecting the right morphology (crystal shape), exposing the necessary facets, and altering the chemical composition.

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains a key bottleneck in electrochemical energy storage and conversion. In this work, we present a top-down reconstruction of a Ni-based metal-organic framework (Ni-MOF), built from 1D Ni-(μ3-OH)/(μ2-H2O)-Ni chains and 1,4-ndc linkers, into catalytically active, defect-rich β-Ni(OH)2 nanosheets (~1.5-2.6 nm thick). The catalyst achieves a low overpotential of 300 mV at 10 mA·cm-2, surpassing commercial IrO2. In situ Raman and PXRD reveal pH- and potential-dependent phase transitions, while in situ XAS confirms structural evolution, including Ni-O bond contraction from 2.06 Å to 1.89 Å, indicative of a dynamic NiOOH-like phase. DFT studies show that exposed Ni2+ centers favor stabilization of OER intermediates via the adsorbed oxygen evolution mechanism (AEM). The catalyst also maintains high activity at elevated temperatures. This work provides mechanistic insights into MOF-to-hydroxide transformation and offers a robust strategy for developing efficient MOF-derived OER electrocatalysts.

Self cleaning properties of the surfaces of the building materials represent an important benefit which reduce the operational costs connected to meintanace of the building structures. In principle, the self cleaning phenomenon can be achieved by three effects: i) hydrophobic, ii) photocatalytic, and iii) combination of hydrophobic and photocatalytic effects. In our work we focused on evaluation of self cleaning performance of blocks of pastes made of white cement achieved by photocatalytic effect. The photocatalyst g-C3N4 was applied on the surface of hardened cement pastes and self-cleaning performance of such treated surfaces were evaluated using UNI 11259 ‘Determination of the photocatalytic activity of hidraulic binders - Rodammina test method, and ČSN ISO 27448 ‘ine ceramics (advanced ceramics, advanced technical ceramics) — Test method for self-cleaning performance of semiconducting photocatalytic materials — Measurement of water contact angle’. Although the principle of both methods is different, the results obtained using both methods show that the surfaces covered with g-C3N4 shows significant self-cleaning performance.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This research was supported by the Czech Science Foundation under the project 24-10949S, while the infrastructure has been utilized in the frame of project No. CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004631 Materials and technologies for sustainable development within the Jan Amos Komensky Operational Program financed by the European Union and from the state budget of the Czech Republic. The support of the project SGS SP2025/044 is also greatly acknowledged.

Carbonylation reactions play a crucial role in modern organic synthesis, enabling the formation of valuable carbonyl-containing compounds such as amides, esters, acids, and ketones having high relevance in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and fine chemicals. The use of nano-catalysts for carbonylation reactions has earned significant attention due to their unique physicochemical properties, including high surface area, enhanced catalytic activity, tunable reactivity, lower catalyst loadings, greater selectivity, and recyclability, contributing to the development of greener and more sustainable chemical processes. Herein, well-characterized polystyrene-anchored bimetallic palladium-gold (Pd-Au@PS) and monometallic palladium (Pd@PS) nano-catalysts have been demonstrated for executing the challenging carbonylative transformations. The Pd-Au@PS nano-catalyst exhibited outstanding catalytic activity for CO and C1 insertion reactions via significantly outperforming its monometallic counterparts (Pd@PS and Au@PS) for carbonylative synthesis of aryl S-methylthioesters and bis(indolyl)methanes from aryl iodides. In addition, Pd@PS nano-catalyst showcased high efficiency for carbonylative synthesis of 2-aryl benzimidazoles from aryl iodides and aromatic diamines. Overall, this infusion of nano-catalysis with carbonylation strategies represents a transformative advancement in the pursuit of efficient, scalable, and eco-conscious synthetic methodologies.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is an intensively studied photocatalyst active in the VIS range of spectra. The most commonly used method for g-C3N4 preparation is the thermal polycondensation of melamine at temperatures in the range of 500-600°C, resulting in the so-called bulk g-C3N4. Such prepared g-C3N4 suffers from low photodegradation activity associated mainly with its low specific surface area and fast e-/h+ recombination. One way to suppress electron-hole recombination is to prepare composite materials in which g-C3N4 is combined with another semiconductor, such as TiO₂, ZnO, and Fe₂O₃. These composites are often prepared from the individual components by their mechanical mixing followed by heat-treatment of the prepared mixture. This paper focuses on the study of the thermal stability of g-C3N4 in the presence of selected oxides. The prepared mixtures of g-C3N4 with the corresponding oxide phase were subjected to simultaneous thermal analysis at temperatures up to 800°C, as well as heating in a muffle furnace at temperatures ranging from 400 to 525°C.

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) are a promising clean energy technology, but its widespread adoption is often limited by high operating temperatures and complex fabrication routes. Advanced electrode architectures are critical for enabling lower-temperature operation. In this work, we demonstrate the fabrication of Nickel Oxide-Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (NiO-YSZ) anodes using a unique hybrid water-argon stabilized plasma torch (WSP-H). This technique offers a high deposition throughput and precise microstructural control, making it ideal for creating efficient SOFC anodes from liquid feedstocks.
We present a comparative study of anodes produced from ethanol-based and water-based suspensions/solutions to investigate the solvent's influence on the microstructural and electrical properties of these anodes. Our findings show that ethanol-based feedstock yields a more favourable microstructure, promoting the in situ formation of metallic nickel and creating optimal porosity. These characteristics are directly linked to enhanced electrochemical performance. In contrast, anodes deposited from the water-based feedstock, while exhibiting lower porosity and larger splat morphology, demonstrated significantly superior redox stability, which is crucial for long-term operational durability. This study highlights the critical trade-off between performance and stability, underscoring how feedstock engineering via hybrid plasma spraying is a key strategy for tailoring next-generation SOFC anodes.

Conventional silicon-based production methods for modern energy-harvesting systems and electronic devices do not meet the requirements for low-cost fabrication. The commercialization of flexible and printed electronics is expected to rely on rapid and cost-effective roll-to-roll manufacturing, which requires the use of flexible and inexpensive substrates such as PET, PEN, and, more recently, eco-friendly alternatives like nano-paper. For these materials, the fabrication temperature is a critical factor and typically must not exceed 150 °C. Low-temperature plasma, therefore, represents a promising approach to enable the next generation of scalable manufacturing techniques.
We present proprietary diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge (DCSBD) as a large-area plasma source with an exceptionally high-power density of up to 100 W·cm⁻³, capable of generating diffuse, homogeneous, and cold plasma (<70 °C) in open air and in various gases, including nitrogen, argon, and methane [1]. Despite its low operating temperature, the plasma provides sufficient energy to modify the surfaces of nanostructured materials and semiconductors, such as graphene oxide [2], titanium dioxide [3], tin oxide [4], graphitic carbon nitride [5,6], and MXenes [7], by altering their crystallinity, optoelectronic properties, and wettability. Owing to its low temperature and short treatment times (1-10 s), this plasma technology is well-suited for integration into roll-to-roll manufacturing, thereby enhancing the commercial feasibility of flexible and printed electronics.
Here, we demonstrate several applications of plasma in the fabrication of perovskite solar cells [8]. These include (i) plasma treatment of indium tin oxide electrodes, serving as a rapid alternative to the extensive chemical pretreatment typically required before depositing conductive films, and (ii) plasma processing of mesoporous titanium dioxide electron transport layers, offering a fast, low-temperature substitute for conventional high-temperature sintering, among others.
Funding for this research was provided by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic through projects No. 9F23003 and LM2023039.

Currently, the demand for new technologies and materials capable of efficiently converting waste heat into electricity is particularly acute. One promising research direction is the development of low-cost ionic thermoelectric materials based on aqueous electrolyte solutions. In bulk electrolytes, the thermoelectric effect arises from the movement of ions under a temperature gradient (the Soret effect). In nanochannels, where electrical double layers overlap, charge separation becomes more efficient, leading to higher voltages compared to bulk electrolytes.
In this work, the thermal diffusion of sodium ions in aqueous electrolytes confined within nanochannels of anodic alumina, silica aerogels, and biopolymer matrices was investigated. The nanochannels were impregnated with aqueous solutions of sodium salts (Na₂SO₄ and NaCl) at concentrations ranging from 10⁻⁵ M to 1 M. Ion transport was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry.
Applying a temperature gradient to nanoconfined aqueous electrolytes increased the output voltage, due to thermally induced ion transport. For nanoconfined electrolytes, the generated voltage decreased with increasing salt concentration. The significant enhancement of thermovoltage in nanochannels with overlapping electrical double layers highlights nanoconfinement as an effective strategy to improve the efficiency of waste heat-to-electricity conversion in liquid electrolyte-based materials.
Furthermore, the feasibility of employing these materials to develop nanochannel-confined Na-based aqueous electrolyte ionic supercapacitors has been demonstrated.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The work was performed within European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under TRANSLATE “The Recycling of waste heat through the Application of Nanofluidic ChannelS: Advances in the Conversion of Thermal to Electrical energy” project (Grant agreement: 964251).

Developing efficient and cost-effective bifunctional electrocatalysts is crucial for future renewable energy systems. The production of hydrogen via the dissociation of water molecules, and the oxidation of methanol to produce direct methanol fuel cells are essential for achieving sustainable energy solutions. However, robust electrocatalysts exhibiting high efficiencies and stabilities have not yet been reported. Herein, a novel Pr-doped PtTiP electrocatalyst supported on engineered N-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PrPtTiP/N-MWCNTs) is developed and evaluated for use in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). For HER in 0.3 M H2SO4 electrolyte, PrPtTiP/N-MWCNT exhibits remarkably low overpotentials of 8.2 and 12.2 mV at 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively, outperforming PtP/N-MWCNT and commercial Pt/C catalysts. PrPtTiP/N-MWCNT demonstrates an exceptional electrochemical stability and activity at 50 and 150 mA cm−2. Subsequently, PrPtTiP/N-MWCNT delivers a significantly enhance MOR mass activity of 5.83 A mg−1Pt (i.e., 3.3- and 8.3-fold greater than those of PtP/N-MWCNT and Pt/C, respectively). Moreover, this catalyst displays excellent durability over 10,000 potential cycles and chronoamperometric tests with preserved nanoparticle integrity on the N-MWCNT support. These results position PrPtTiP/N-MWCNT as a promising electrocatalyst for HER and MOR applications in acidic media.

In this work, we present a novel, environmentally sustainable approach for synthesizing ligand-free Tin Telluride (SnTe) nanoparticles via a hot-injection method using water as a solvent - a significant departure from traditional organic-solvent-based protocols. This green chemistry route enables precise control over nucleation and growth, yielding phase-pure, uniformly distributed SnTe nanoparticles with enhanced pseudocapacitive properties. Comprehensive structural, morphological, and surface analyses confirmed the formation of crystalline SnTe with a porous architecture conducive to ion transport. Electrochemical testing in a three-electrode configuration using 1 M NaClO4 electrolyte revealed a high specific capacitance of 602 F/g and capacitance retention of 89% after 5000 cycles, attributed to a diffusion-controlled pseudocapacitive mechanism. Building upon these results, we fabricated a flexible all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor (FSSC) using SnTe electrodes on stainless steel and PVA-NaClO4 gel polymer electrolyte. The device delivered an energy density of 17.8 Wh/kg and power density of 3.1 kW/kg, with 96.56% retention over 5000 cycles and excellent mechanical flexibility, retaining 95% capacitance even at a 160° bend. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of SnTe as a high-performance electrode for flexible energy storage and establish a cost-effective, scalable synthesis route aligned with sustainable materials development.

The effect of a thin layer of nickel on lithium diffusion, deposited between the solid electrolyte and the cathode, was studied using neutron depth profiling (NDP) in an in situ configuration [xx]. Half-cells consisting of a LIPO solid electrolyte, a MoS2 cathode, and an Au current collector were deposited on a titanium substrate by ion beam sputtering. Selected samples were coated with a thin intermediate layer of nickel between LIPO and MoS2 to study the possible effect on lithium diffusion. Nickel is believed to suppress the shuttle effect in Li-S batteries [xx], but its possible influence on lithium-ion diffusivity is not fully understood. To clarify the effect of nickel, the samples were connected to an electrochemical station and several voltage steps were applied in situ during the NDP measurements. Neutron depth profiling is highly sensitive to the natural isotope 6Li and allows the depth distribution of lithium to be studied with high accuracy. Further analyses were performed using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy to analyze the depth distribution of other elements.
Funding: This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) CR under the project CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004591.

Advancing electrode materials is crucial for enhancing the performance and reliability of next-generation energy storage devices. In this work, we present a one-step synthesis approach to produce nitrogen-doped graphene functionalized with both amine groups. This method simultaneously incorporates nitrogen containing functionalities into the graphene structure. Detailed structural and spectroscopic studies confirm the successful integration of nitrogen and oxygen groups into the graphene framework. These functional groups act as active coordination sites, strengthening the interaction between the electrode and metal ions during charge-discharge cycles. The modified graphene exhibits improved structural features, including higher porosity and enhanced electronic conductivity, leading to better ion diffusion and redox behaviour. Compared to traditional graphene materials, the functionalized nitrogen-doped graphene shows a higher chemical affinity for metal ions, particularly due to the presence of N-functional groups, enabling efficient and reversible ion adsorption/desorption. This study introduces a scalable design strategy for advanced carbon-based electrodes, offering a promising route toward high-performance cathodes for rechargeable batteries and energy storage systems.

The use of a thin layer of solid electrolyte on a polyethylene (PE) separator has been tested as a strategy to mitigate the shuttle effect relating to polysulfides in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries and significantly shortens their lifetime. While some solid electrolytes, such as LAGP (Li₁₊ₓAlₓGe₂₋ₓ(PO₄)₃), have shown the potential to effectively suppress the shuttle effect, their brittle ceramic nature limits their widespread application, especially in flexible electronics. Coating PE separators with LAGP nanofilms offers a promising solution by combining the mechanical flexibility and thinness of polymer separators with the electrochemical advantages of LAGP due to their NASICON-like structure and high ionic conductivity. In this study, PE separators were coated with LAGP nanofilms by ion sputtering and analyzed using a set of relevant methods: thermal neutron depth profiling (TNDP) was used to investigate the diffusion of lithium ions through the separator, the surface morphology was analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for phase identification, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to evaluate the electrochemical performance. The work presents original results that show that the use of PE separators with a thin LAGP layer strongly influences the shuttle effect and thus allows to limit unwanted processes in Li-S batteries.

Solid electrolytes (SEs) for sodium-based superionic conductor (NaSICON) was first introduced in 1976 and was recognized for their excellent ionic conductivity. Although much effort has been devoted to the development of thin electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs), only a few composites have been successfully prepared as thin solid sodium-based SEs. They are desirable for their reduced electrical resistance, which increases with the SE thickness. Thinning the SEs to a nanometer thickness can significantly increase their ionic conductivity. In this study, the starting NASICON composite was prepared in the form of pellets by the mixed oxide technique using a planetary ball mill and synthesized by the solid-state method at 1300 °C. The obtained pellets were used as a sputtering target in low-energy ion facility to prepare a continuous NASICON nanofilms. To study the effect of ion implantation on electrical properties of NASICON, the prepared films were bombarded with Ni ions of 1.1 MeV at different fluences using a Tandetron accelerator in CANAM infrastructure (NPI Řež). The electrical properties of the synthesized and implanted films were analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Here, results describing effect of irradiation on NASICON parameters are presented.

This study provides a description of a simplified, accelerated and economically advantageous method for determining the catalytic activity of carbon compounds based on graphene oxide (GO) and graphitic carbon nitride g-C3N4 during the electrolysis of water. The method proposed in this study for determining the catalytic activity of carbon compounds based on graphene oxide and graphitic carbon nitride is based on measuring the amount of H2 bubbles formed by the process of the dissociation of water on a cathode. The amount of bubbles indicated the efficiency of the catalysts. The principle of the proposed method for determining catalytic activity comprises the measurement of changes in the intensity of the light that illuminates the cathode. Such changes are influenced by the amount of bubbles formed. The experiments confirmed that the nanostructures employed enhanced reactivity and provided support for the photocatalytic reactions involved in the production of hydrogen.

Dispersants such as SDS, PVP, SLES, and CB play a crucial role in shaping the morphology and availability of active sites on the electrode surface.
The aim of this study was to investigate their influence on the efficiency of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which is critical for fuel cells and energy storage systems. Electrodes modified with dispersants were characterized using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) to evaluate changes in electrochemical performance. In addition, heterogeneous electron transfer (HET) kinetics were investigated using ferrocene/ferrocenium and hexacyanoferrate(III)/(II) redox probes, allowing for a deeper understanding of the impact of dispersant type on the electrochemical processes occurring at the electrode surface.
Comparative analysis revealed that the choice of dispersant significantly affected the oxygen reduction kinetics, the electrochemically active surface area (ECSA), and the charge transfer resistance.

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) plays a central role in electrochemical energy and chemical conversion processes. Through a 2-electron pathway, ORR enables the direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), an attractive and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional oxidants. However, this pathway competes with the 4-electron reduction to water, which often dominates. Carbon-based, metal-free electrocatalysts have emerged as promising materials for tuning ORR selectivity and efficiency. In this study, a hyper-crosslinked polymer with an aminal triazine network (mt-HCP) was thermally treated between 400°C and 800°C to modulate its structural and electronic features. The use of mt-HCP as a starting synthetic platform allows the assembly of novel ORR electrocatalysts through thermal treatment, offering high surface area and well-defined structure. Higher graphitization temperatures improved ORR catalytic activity, but also reduced selectivity for H₂O₂, while lower-temperature materials retained nitrogen-rich polymeric features that favored the 2-electron route. In addition, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that excessive microporosity in the highly graphitized samples restricted mass transport, promoting full reduction to water. Detailed characterization by nitrogen physisorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, nanoscale infrared imaging and electrocatalytic studies by rotating ring-disk electrode analysis and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, established the clear correlations between materials’ morphology and ORR electrocatalytic performance. These results underscore the potential of thermally tunable porous organic polymers for selective ORR electrocatalysis, providing valuable insights into the application of this class of materials for ORR.

The increasing global demand for sustainable energy sources has driven extensive research into photocatalytic water splitting as a clean method for hydrogen production. The development of green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy sources, is a key step in achieving a truly sustainable energy future. Indium gallium nitride (InGaN) is a very attractive material for such applications due to its good chemical stability in both acidic and neutral electrolytes, high absorption coefficient, tunable bandgap, |and high electron mobility. Moreover, InGaN can be prepared in form of various nanostructures like nanorods, nanowires or nanopyramids with a high surface-to-volume ratio, leading to increased light absorption and improved charge carrier transport.
In this work, we report on a photocatalytic application of InGaN heterostructures based on different types of 3D nitride heterostructures: self-assembled core-shell InGaN/GaN nanorods prepared at different temperatures on sapphire substrate, top-down etched nanostructures based on thick InGaN layers prepared directly on sapphire, InGaN/GaN MQW structures prepared on 3D GaN surfaces. The structural and optical properties of prepared InGaN/GaN heterostructures were characterized by SEM, photoluminescence, cathodoluminescence and compared with respect to their efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen generation using a batch photoreactor. Hydrogen was detected as the only product of the photocatalytic decomposition of methanol-water solution. The stability of the photocatalyst was verified by repeated use of the same batch with reproducible results. We show that the photocatalytic activity of InGaN/GaN heterostructures is strongly dependent on the material quality, for example influenced by the temperature of the preparation of the InGaN shell around the GaN core. The heterostructures are required to allow fast separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. We propose different ways of carrier separation for each type of structure and compare their efficiency. This research was funded by MEYS in the frame of CzechNanoLab infrastructure LM2023051.

Hydrogen has been widely recognized as a potential source of clean energy for the next generation due to its ultra-high energy density and zero emission. However, the conventional methods utilized for hydrogen production (e.g., methane reforming and biogas stream reforming) are accompanied by the releases of greenhouse gases (e.g., CO2) into the environment. Therefore, the photocatalysis of water to produce green hydrogen has been considered as an ideal option from economic and environmental viewpoints. In recent years, the high entropy oxides (HEOx) with five or more cations randomly distributed in the cationic site of the structure have gained growing attention in the area of catalysis/photo,catalysis mostly attributed to highly tuneable optical properties [1, 2]. Moreover, the synergy between multi-element in HEOx provides a diverse range of adsorption and defects sites (e.g., oxygen defects) to facilitate the catalytic process [3, 4].
In this respect, the present work describes the photocatalytic potential of rock-salt HEOx nanoparticles for photocatalytic hydrogen production with visible light. The materials were synthesized via a new and easy-to-implement process combining solid-state high temperature reaction and mechanical ball-milling. A series of HEOx nanoparticles were formed by varying the process conditions and their impact on optical properties and hydrogen production will be discussed. Overall, It was observed that the HEOx NPs exhibited 8-fold higher photocatalytic activity relative to bulk HEOx.
REFERENCES: [1] Edalati, P., et al., Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution on a high-entropy oxide. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2020. 8(7): p. 3814-3821; [2] Yu, H., et al., Self-Floating Nanoporous High-Entropy Oxides with Tunable Bandgap for Efficient Solar Seawater Desalination. Nano Letters, 2023. 23(22): p. 10554-10562; [3] Akrami, S., et al., Defective high-entropy oxide photocatalyst with high activity for CO 2 conversion; Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2022. 303: p. 120896; [4] Gu, K., et al., Defect‐rich high‐entropy oxide nanosheets for efficient 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural electrooxidation. Angewandte Chemie, 2021. 133(37): p. 20415-20420.

Maintaining the cleanliness of building facades, particularly glass surfaces, imposes significant operational costs and water consumption, especially in high-rise urban environments. This research aims to develop a cost-effective and environmentally friendly self-cleaning glass by engineering its surface at the nano-scale to achieve hydrophobicity. Inspired by natural surfaces such as lotus leaves, the glass is modified through nano-scale surface structuring techniques to repel water and dust without the need for chemical detergents or manual cleaning.
The study investigates using nano-scale laser surface structuring followed by chemical surface treatment, to create a water- and dust-repellent surface without the need for chemical detergents or manual cleaning. The hydrophobic performance is characterized by measuring water contact angles, sliding angles, and resistance to fouling.
Future work will include studying the impact of the nano-structured surface on optical transmittance and thermal insulation performance, to evaluate its suitability for energy-efficient building design. Additionally, an economic evaluation will be conducted to quantify potential reductions in water usage and maintenance costs, reinforcing the practical value of this approach for sustainable architecture.

The use of fine-grained glass waste as alternative fillers for concrete composites has been recognized as reasonable disposal strategy. However, chemical composition and physical characteristics of glass particles’ surface can significantly affect interactions with the binder disrupting the composites microstructure and deteriorating its mechanical strength or improving hydration kinetic. For instance, for soda-lime glass due to the higher alkali mobility than that of silicon and oxygen (network formers), Na or Ca content near the surface may differ from the bulk affecting glass reactivity. The hydrophobic glass surface affects the interaction with water and can influence the early-age concrete, while oxygen-containing functional groups on surface promote hydroxylation.
In this study we analyze dry (plasma) and wet (chemicals) treatments of recycled glass particles. The detected changes in surface composition were explained by etching or polymerization of carbon-based surface contaminants or metal ions leaching. The observed findings indicate possibility of glass reactivity altering and will be helpful in the understanding and explanation of calcium-silicate-hydrate formation kinetic and early-age behavior of concrete.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The work was supported by the Czech Science Foundation grant no. 23-05500S.

Silicon-based glass is a non-biodegradable material and, if not recycled, causes disposal problems. Indeed, landfilled ordinary glass waste, waste from foundries and end-of-life photovoltaic solar panels are harmful to the environment due to danger of leaching. Application of silicon-based waste as partial replacement for natural aggregates and cement for civil construction is recognized as a promising utilization strategy. However, particles size, high concentration of alkaline impurities, presence of heavy atoms, reactive silica etc. in alternative fillers that endanger the calcium-silicate-hydrate formation and deteriorate concrete properties must be carefully considered.
In this work we investigate several ground silicon-based waste materials as potential secondary raw materials for cement-based composites. Selected ground materials were characterized by different analytic techniques including electron microscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopies, the X-ray fluorescence and photoelectron spectroscopies, etc. The found differences in particles structure (amorphous vs crystalline), oxidation state and impurities content in bulk and on surface were considered as important for their use in cementitious composite materials and explanation of the interaction reactions.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The work was supported by the Czech Science Foundation project no 23-05500S.

This study investigates methods to improve the shear strength of glass joints by forming a thin layer of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) on float glass surfaces using plasma activation. The ambient air plasma was generated at atmospheric pressure with a Diffuse Coplanar Surface Barrier Discharge (DCSBD). APTES introduces polar amine groups to the glass surface, which bond strongly with the epoxy groups present in adhesives. The influence of silanization parameters, such as the plasma activation time and reaction time in the APTES solution, was evaluated using surface wettability, adhesion, and XPS measurements. Our results show that plasma activation significantly increases surface free energy without substantially altering surface elemental composition. Furthermore, plasma treatment more than tripled the peel strength on the tin side of the glass and slightly enhanced shear strength on both sides. Regarding silanization, longer reaction times (~20 h) and plasma exposure times (60 s) resulted in higher water contact angles, indicating successful APTES binding. However, both peel strength and shear strength decreased after silanization, with the shear strength on the air side decreasing almost six-fold. Therefore, further experiments are required to determine whether or not silanization can actually improve the adhesion properties of glass joints.

Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is a high-performance thermoplastic widely used in engineering applications due to its excellent chemical resistance, dimensional stability, and flame retardancy. However, its brittleness and intrinsic electrical insulating nature limit its use in multifunctional systems where mechanical flexibility and conductivity are required.
In this study, we report the development of PPS-based composites modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to enhance both mechanical properties and antistatic behavior. A commercially available PPS grade (Fortron FX55T1) was compounded with various concentrations of MWCNTs (0.3-2.0 wt%) using melt extrusion at 315 °C. To improve CNT dispersion within the matrix, polyethylene glycol (PEG 1500) was employed as a processing aid, serving both as a dispersing agent and plasticizer.
Among all tested formulations, the composite containing 0.5 wt% MWCNTs exhibited the most balanced property profile. Notably, the elongation at break increased from 42% for neat PPS to 83% for the modified composite, without compromising tensile strength, Young’s modulus, or Charpy impact strength. Furthermore, a significant antistatic effect was achieved: the surface resistivity of the optimized composite decreased to the order of 10⁷ Ω·sq⁻¹, compared to >10¹¹ Ω·sq⁻¹ for neat PPS.
The applied methodology demonstrates the potential of low-load MWCNT reinforcement in achieving ductile, mechanically robust, and antistatic PPS-based materials, suitable for advanced applications in the automotive, electronics, and industrial sectors.

Water source pollution poses a significant ecological and health problem, necessitating the development of new, effective filtration materials. This study focuses on the fabrication and characterization of composite membranes composed of polymeric nanofibers and plasma-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for the removal of various water contaminants. The PA6 nanofibers were deposited onto a DCSBD plasma-pretreated polypropylene non-woven fabric, using electrospinning method. The rGO was fabricated by custom DCSBD atmospheric plasma triggered reduction of graphene oxide (GO) papers in a nitrogen atmosphere, followed by DCSBD linear APPJ nitrogen plasma functionalization to enhance its adsorption capacity. The fabricated nanomaterials were then pressed into membranes and tested for the filtration of model contaminants, including rhodamine B dye, selected heavy metals, and pharmaceuticals. The plasma functionalization of rGO was analysed by XPS. Filtration efficiency was evaluated using HPLC-MS, and ICP-MS methods. The results demonstrate that rGO-based membranes exhibit significantly higher contaminant removal efficiency, with further improvements achieved through plasma functionalization of the rGO material. This study confirms that the combination of rGO and polymeric nanofibers represents a promising approach for the development of advanced filtration membranes for water treatment.

Efforts have traditionally concentrated on the use of organic carbon as bioenergy, to produce chemicals and fuels. In the past decade, technologies have been developed to recover high-value commodities from renewable feedstocks. Simultaneously, innovative heterogeneous catalytic processes have been proposed to produce chemicals that can be immediately reused from the biowaste to facilitate a renewable future. Several biomass conversion techniques based on supported metal catalysts comply with most green chemistry principles, provided that metal particles and supporting materials leach into the reaction medium. Metal-catalyzed biomass conversion reactions including hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, deoxygenation, and oxidation reactions will achieve by multistep conversion in a single pot, maybe in combination with acid/base-catalyzed reactions like hydrolysis and dehydration reactions. Apart from nanoparticle catalysts (NCs) which contain bulk metals, Single Atom catalysts (SACs) expose all metal atoms on the surface with a 100 % metal utilization rate. Current single metal atom catalysts based on carbon supports relay on in plane doping, limiting the interactions with the substrates due to the geometry and interlayer stacking phenomena of the carbon sheets. Therefore, here, Lignocellulosic biomass conversion using SACs on various supports such as Zeolites, Metal Oxides and Graphene to be addressed.

Amine-functionalized solid adsorbents are key materials for CO2 capture, but their practical deployment is often constrained by energy-intensive, solvent-based and time-consuming preparation methods.
This study addresses that challenge by evaluating a solvent-free high-speed shear mixing (DRY) method for preparing amine-loaded adsorbents using ZEOFREE® 600, a commercially available calcium silicate. Three polyamines, branched polyethylenimine (PEI), pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA), and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), were impregnated at 30-60 wt% loadings and compared with samples prepared via conventional WET impregnation.
Results indicated that the DRY method yielded comparable or superior performance across multiple criteria, including morphological stability, textural properties, amine accessibility, thermal resistance, and cyclic durability, while eliminating the need for solvents and prolonged drying and requiring significantly less energy and processing time.
Under simulated flue gas conditions (10% CO2), maximum adsorption capacities reached 3.52 mmol·g⁻¹ for TEPA60_DRY, 3.44 mmol·g⁻¹ for PEHA60_DRY, and 3.19 mmol·g⁻¹ for PEI60_DRY. TEPA and PEHA adsorbents exhibited superior uptake capacity, while PEI-based adsorbents provided enhanced thermal and cyclic stability. These findings demonstrate the suitability of ZEOFREE® 600 as a support and confirm the DRY method as a time and energy-efficient alternative for producing CO2 sorbents.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The research was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic within the framework DKRVO (project number RP/CPS/2024-28/007). Internal grant agency of Tomas Bata University in Zlín (project number IGA/CPS/2025/002) is also acknowledged.

In the modern era, the growing global population and fast-paced lifestyles have intensified the dependence on fossil fuels and resources. However, the finite availability of these resources presents significant challenges in producing essential chemicals and fuels. This highlights the urgent need to explore sustainable alternatives for energy and chemical production. A comprehensive investigation was carried out on the hydrogenation and deoxygenation of β-O-4 linkages present in lignin and its derivatives, leading to the formation of saturated cyclic hydrocarbons and cyclic alcohols. Additionally, the upgrading of ethanol to higher alcohols demonstrates as a promising route for generating high-energy-density molecules. These findings demonstrate the potential of the developed catalytic protocol to address energy demands by enabling the production of aromatics via catalytic transfer hydrogenation, cyclic hydrocarbons via hydrogenation, and higher alcohols through ethanol upgrading.

The scalable production of green hydrogen critically depends on the development of highly active and durable single-atom electrocatalysts capable of operating efficiently for overall water splitting. Yet, poor reaction kinetics and the ongoing challenge of balancing catalytic activity with long-term stability continue to impede progress. This study tackles the pressing challenge of creating efficient and long-lasting electrocatalysts for green hydrogen production by introducing a strategically designed, single-atom catalyst for overall water splitting. The core innovation involves the deliberate incorporation of Ru-N4 single-atom sites into a MOF-derived porous graphitic carbon framework. This design enhances the accessibility of active sites, promotes rapid electron transport, and delivers outstanding stability across a wide pH range. The resulting Ru1/Ni-NPGC catalyst exhibits impressive electrocatalytic activity, achieving low overpotentials of ~191 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction and ~52 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction under alkaline conditions-surpassing many leading catalysts. Notably, it supports efficient water electrolysis at cell voltages of ~1.48 V to reach a current density of 10 mA/cm2. Operando spectroscopic analyses further reveal the central role of Ru as the active site, shedding light on the underlying structure-activity relationship. By overcoming key limitations such as sluggish kinetics and the trade-off between activity and durability, this work offers a promising pathway toward the development of robust and high-performance electrocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen generation.

Environmental pollution remains a pressing global issue, challenging both developed and developing nations. Traditional remediation methods often struggle to effectively address complex contamination scenarios, underscoring the need for innovative and efficient alternatives. In this context, nanomaterials have emerged as promising tools for environmental remediation due to their unique physicochemical properties. Among these nanomaterials, quantum dots (QDs)—semiconductor nanoparticles typically ranging from 1 to 10 nanometers—exhibit distinct optical and electronic characteristics influenced by quantum confinement effects. These properties make QDs valuable for applications in sensing and remediation. However, traditional QDs often contain toxic heavy metals like cadmium, raising environmental and health concerns. To address these issues, carbon dots (CDs), a class of carbon-based QDs, have gained attention. CDs offer several advantages over traditional semiconductor QDs, including lower toxicity, superior biocompatibility, chemical stability, and tunable photoluminescence. These features make CDs particularly suitable for environmental applications, such as pollutant detection and removal. CDs can be synthesized from sustainable and cost-effective precursors, including biomass and waste materials, enhancing their environmental compatibility and supporting waste minimization efforts. Their synthesis methods are relatively straightforward and can be tailored to produce CDs with specific properties suitable for various applications. In environmental remediation, CDs have demonstrated effectiveness in detecting and removing chemical and microbial pollutants through mechanisms such as fluorescence modulations, adsorption, photocatalytic degradation, and antimicrobial action. These capabilities position CDs as versatile and sustainable nanomaterials for addressing environmental pollution challenges. This study aims to provide an overview of the key role of CDs in environmental monitoring and remediation applications.

Mikrorobots are miniature devices capable of performing complex tasks such as drug delivery, medical diagnostics, or environmental purification. They can have various mechanisms of motion induction based on the use of energy of external optical or magnetic field, as well as consumption of reactive chemical species. In the microrobots design the ability to control motion is commonly used in combination with additional functionality, such as selective surface sorption of targeted organic molecules. In this work, we developed a concept for microrobots designed to detect and remove organic contaminants from water. The proposed robots are hybrid structures composed of Fe₃O₄ magnetic microparticles whose surface is functionalized with metal organic porous compounds (MOF - metal organic framework). This design of functional microrobots provides a high specific surface area for effective capture of pollutants while it was enhanced by controlled movement of microrobots using an external magnetic field. As part of the work, several types of microrobots with different types of MOFs were prepared and tested for the effective capture of Diclofenac and GenX. The microrobots were characterized at each stage of their preparation using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray structural analysis, vibrational spectroscopy (Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and BET analysis. The results showed that MOF801 and MIL-101(Cr) are the most effective and stable for efficient removal of pollutants. Microrobots have demonstrated high sorption capacity and the possibility of motion control by an external magnetic field, which makes them promising for the removal and detection of hazardous contaminants from water.