Functional Materials Section

The Functional Materials Unit is dedicated to scientific work on the development and research of advanced, renewable and functional materials, mainly used in the construction industry. We introduce new, advanced investigations and technologies, we are involved in educational processes at faculties and advise industrial partners in the field of functional materials, we cooperate with R&D and educational institutions in Slovenia and abroad, we actively participate in major national and international conferences and symposia, and we regularly publish research results in articles in international scientific journals.

Research activities:

1. development of new materials for healthy living environments: research and development of indicators/sensors for qualitative and quantitative identification of relative humidity, volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide and pathogens in indoor air,
2. research on advanced renewable composite materials: modification of wood materials and composites to increase fire resistance and durability,
3. the use of nanomaterials in construction: research on advanced photocatalytically active materials for water and air purification and the production of energy-rich compounds,
4. development of functional coating systems for durable and efficient building surfaces, Development of hardeners, impregnations, coatings for the protection and hardening of cultural heritage materials,
5. research on the environmental impact of microplastics
6. identification of physical and chemical processes in building materials and development of methods for assessing the properties of materials,
7. studying the potential for the use of waste polymers in the construction industry and developing technological processes for the recycling of these materials,
8. to determine the effect of accelerated ageing on the mechanical properties of materials.

Leadership and participation in various national and international research and development projects, which is also reflected in a number of current and past projects:

In progress:

– V4-2270 Accelerating the transition to a climate-neutral society by harnessing the potential of wood in green public procurement
– J2-4424 An integrated approach for the conservation of cultural heritage murals
– J4-4546 Protein adhesives for high-performance interior timber structures
– J2-4441 Dual-action Nb2O5 and Nb2O5-TiO2 materials for the simultaneous reduction of CO2 and oxidation of organic matter to value-added compounds
– Photocatalytic heterostructured nanoscale materials for solar energy harvesting (SLO-FR)
– Catalytically and photocatalytically active materials for the conversion of CO2 into useful products (SLO-CZ)
– Impact of environmentally relevant nano- and micro-plastics on terrestrial invertebrates (SLO)

Completed:
– Protection of Bronze Monuments in a Changing Environment (SLO) (2021)
– Colorimetric determination of relative humidity based on mesoporous SiO2 particles (SLO) (2020)
– InnoRenew: Modification of wood for renewable materials (SLO-DE) (2021)
– WOOLF: Development of timber structures for multi-storey modular buildings with real-time timber quality monitoring technology (SLO) (2021)
– Colorimetric determination of relative humidity based on mesoporous SiO2 particles (2019)
– Mineralization of wood with carbonate-based compounds for improved material intrinsic properties (2020)
– Solar energy harvesting by photocatalytic water splitting and/or CO2 reduction and use of co-catalysts (2020)
– CO-CATALYSTS FOR ENERGY RECOVERY FROM SUNLIGHT (2017)
– Behaviour of wood and lignocellulosic composites under outdoor conditions (2019)
– Nanostructures and their composites for the detection of hazardous molecules in the gaseous state (2017)
– New materials for printed sensors and indicators and their integration in smart printed materials (2016)
– Surface protection of building materials by functional coatings based on immobilized nanosized TiO2 particles” (2015)
– HEROMAT (2015)
– Surface modification of TiO2 nanoparticles: preventing agglomeration and preserving intrinsic functionality (2014)
– Research on new methodologies for the conservation-restoration of baroque paintings on canvas (2014)
– E!5861 MULTI-PROTECT ( 2013)
– Surface functionalisation of organic pigments for durable, effective and colourfast coatings (2012)
– Development of photocatalytic coatings and gas photoreactors to determine the effectiveness of coatings in air purification and self-cleaning (2011)
– Superhydrophilicity of surfaces and their application in process technology for industrial production (2012)

Research group of the Section for functional materials.

OPREMA

Ključna oprema v Odseku za funkcionalne materiale:

• sistem za določanje fotokatalitske aktivnosti materialov v faznem sistemu trdno/plin
• instrument za merjenje velikosti delcev in zeta potenciala NanoBrook Omni (Brookhaven Instruments)
• grobovakuumski vrstični elektronski mikroskop JEOL LV 5500 z EDS analizatorjem Oxford
• vrstični elektronski mikroskop JSM-IT500LV z integrirano energijsko disperzijsko spektroskopijo Oxford Inca
• vrstični elektronski mikroskop na poljsko emisijo Zeiss Ultra Plus z energijsko disperzijskim spektrometrom Oxford Inca (FE-SEM, EDS) – lociran na Fakulteti za kemijo in kemijsko tehnologijo, Univerze v Ljubljani
• instrument za termično analizo STA 409 Luxx
• ultrazvočna sonda Sonics Vibra-cell za disperzijo nano delcev
• mikrotomograf MicroXCT-400 proizvajalca Xradia iz Združenih držav Amerike
• rentgenski difraktometer – XRD PANalytical Empyrean
• FTIR mikrospektrometer Perkin Elmer Spectrum 100
• ramanski spektrometer Horiba Jobin Yvon LabRAM HR800
• plinski adsorber za določanje specifične površine in poroznosti ASAP 2020, Micromeritics
• konfokalni mikroskop Carl Zeiss Axio 2009 do 1000X povečava
• merilnik kontaktnih kotov “Drop Shape Instrument FTA 1000”
• vakuumska tlačna komora VPT-135
• liofilizator Christ Alpha 1-4 LSCplus
• UV/Vis/NIR spektrofotometer z integracijsko sfero Lambda 1050+
• Kombinirani naprševalni sistem s kovinami ter ogljikom Quorum, Q150T Plus
• Dinamični mehanski analizator (DMA), SDTA861e
• plinski kromatograf 7890B z masnim detektorjem 5977B (GC-MS)
• emisijska komora, Olfasense EK250
• Disolver Dispermat LC-2 za pripravo premazov