| Author | Ullah, Ruh |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.ME-06-04 |
| Subject(s) | Metal oxide semiconductors, Complementary
|
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Engineering and Technology |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. ME-06-04 |
| Abstract | Industrialization and deforestation has generated severe unhygienic issues like water contamination, indoor and outdoor environmental pollution. Naturally and humanly generated toxic compounds, specifically in water, have worst impact on human and animal life. Numerous techniques [physical (filtration), chemical (chemical reaction) and biological] have been practically applied for water detoxification and environmental pollution remediation. But all of these techniques have some specific limitations. Advanced chemical oxidation and/or photocatalytic oxidation which make use of metal oxide semiconductors and generate the most powerful oxidation agent i.e. hydroxyl radicals through illumination with UV light has been proven to be the more effective purification method than the others. Removal of volatile organic compounds (VOC) through photocatalysis from water and environment has been recently established using titanium dioxide (Ti02) as a photocatalyst, but it needs UV light to generate the hydroxyl radicals which then subsequently mineralizes VOC. Mineralization and decomposition of VOC through photocatalysis with visible light is under research. It is of utmost importance to synthesize a photocatalyst which can decompose VOC via visible light irradiation. In this thesis we have synthesized metal oxide semiconductor i.e. manganese doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO:Mn2+) which was proven to effectively degrade organic compound only with visible light irradiation. ZnO is among one of those metal oxide semiconductors that can be used for photo-mineralization of VOC, but have the similar optical gap as the commercialized photocatalyst i.e.Ti02. Doping of ZnO with manganese has made it capable to absorb sunlight and generate the hydroxyl oxidation agent (OH'), which then subsequently decomposes VOC. The development of such a photocatalyst may be considered a breakthrough in the utilization of solar energy for water and environmental purification from hazardous compounds as well as from bacteria |
| Year | 2006 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. ME-06-04 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
| Department | Department of Industrial Systems Engineering (DISE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Microelectronics (ME) |
| Chairperson(s) | Dutta, Joydeep; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Afzulpurkar, Nitin;Chollada Warmsingh; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | His Majesty the King of Thailand; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2006 |