Novel photocatalyst hybrids materials to tackle antimicrobial resistance using light, air and water

将合成新的固体材料，能够净化水中的有害病原体（病毒，细菌）和抗生素/药物，以减少抗菌素耐药性的全球威胁，并减少清洁水供应有限地区的感染传播。非均相光催化剂是在用光照射时被激发的固体材料，促进电子从金属氧化物的价带激发到导带。带负电荷的电子可以与氧气反应产生超氧化物，这是一种强大的氧化剂，可以迅速与邻近的化学物质或病原体反应，减少毒性和污染。这些催化剂还能够从水和空气中产生过氧化氢，这是另一种强大的氧化剂。该项目将研究如何将混合半导体用于水修复领域。将合成粉末状半导体，并通过先进的光谱技术和原位表征来研究控制超氧化物和过氧化氢生成的催化活性的物理和化学性质。

New solid materials will be synthesized that are capable of decontaminating harmful pathogens (viruses, bacteria) and antibiotics/pharmaceuticals in water, to reduce the global threat of antimicrobial resistance and to reduce infection spread in areas where access to clean water is limited. Heterogeneous photocatalysts are solid materials which become excited upon irradiation with light, promoting the excitation of an electron from the valence band to the conduction band of a metal oxide. The negatively charged electron can react with oxygen to create superoxide, a powerful oxidising agent that can rapidly react with adjacent chemicals or pathogens, reducing toxicity and contamination. These catalysts are also capable of creating hydrogen peroxide from water and air, another powerful oxidising agent. This project will investigate how hybrid semiconductors can be used in the field of water remediation. Powdered semiconductors will be synthesized and the physical and chemical properties that govern catalytic activity for bother superoxide and hydrogen peroxide generation will be studied through advanced spectroscopic techniques and in situ characterisation These features will be related to activity to determine the mechanism of action