Project name: Retention of heavy metals in LDH thin films obtained by laser ablation (PLD)

Contract no. 15/ 2011-10-05  

Project code: PN-II-RU-PD-2011-3-0183

PN II Program Name: Human Resources

Subprogram: Post-doctoral research project

Contracting authority: Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding

Project director: Alexandra Angela Vlad

Contract value: 285,000 lei

Contract duration: 24 months

Coordinator: National Institute for Lasers, Plasma, and Radiation Physics

Project summary:

    The main goal of the project is to obtain thin films of layered double  hydroxides and to study the capacity of LDHs thin films to retain heavy metals from aqueous solution at different concentrations. The used materials are Mg-Al powders with different molar ratio (Mg:Al=3:1 and Mg:Al=2:1).

    The method used to obtain thin films is pulsed laser deposition (PLD). There are a limited number of reports on the formation of oriented films. The capacity of LDHs thin films to retain heavy metals from aqueous solution at different concentrations is in deed a novel topic with prospects for applications if the thin films prove to be sensitive to traces of heavy metals. The development of protocols for the production of pure, stoichiometrically and micro-structurally controlled LDHs films for use in devices is an interesting and challenging topic in LDHs research and a new prospect for laser techniques applications.

Project objectives:

    Main objective: growing high oriented LDHs films by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique and to demonstrate the functionality of these structures for uptake heavy metals from aqueous solutions. Ni will be used as probe heavy metal, bearing in mind the toxicity of Ni to the human health. Comparison of the Ni behaviour with other heavy metals (Co2+) will be considered.

First stage - 15.12.2011 (click for the scientific report of the stage)

Value of first stage: 27.127 lei

Second stage - 15.12.2013 (click for the scientific report of the stage)

Value of second stage: 146.873 lei

Dissemination:
1) oral presentation at the INDLAS 2013 conference, Bran, Romania- A. Vlad, R. Birjega, A. Matei, V. Ion, M. Dinescu, “Uptake heavy metals ions from aqueous solutions on layered double hydroxides thin films deposited by laser technique ”.
2) poster EMRS 2013 conference ,27-31 May, Strasbourg, France - A. Vlad, R. Birjega, A. Matei, C. Luculescu, B. Mitu, M. Dinescu, R. Zavoianu, O.D. Pavel, “RETENTION OF HEAVY METALS ON LAYERED DOUBLE HYDROXIDES THIN FILMS DEPOSITED BY PULSED LASER DEPOSITION ”.

3) article: A. Vlad, R. Birjega, A. Matei, C. Luculescu,B. Mitu,M. Dinescu,R. Zavoianu,O.D. Pavel „Rention of heavy metals on layered double hydroxides thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition”, Appl. Surf. Sci. 302,99-104 (2014)

Third stage - 30.09.2014 (click for the scientific report of the stage)

Value of third stage: 111.000 lei

Dissemination:
1) EMRS 2014 Spring meeting, 26-30 May, Lille, France- poster presentation (Title/authors- Adsorption of copper from aqueous solutions using layered double hydroxides thin films, A. Vlad, R. Birjega, A. Matei, D. Colceag, R. Zavoianu, O. D. Pavel, M. Dinescu)
2) ICPAM-10, 22-28 September 2014, Iasi, Romania-2 posters presentation (1. Mechanism of Ni uptake on Mg, and Ni-Mg LDH thin films deposited via laser techniques, A. Vlad, R. Birjega, A. Matei, V. Ion, R. Zavoianu, B. Mitu, M. Dinescu; 2- Adsorption of copper cations and sulphate anions from aqueous solutions on layered double hydroxides thin films deposited by PLD, A. Vlad, R. Birjega, A. Matei, C. Luculescu, A. Nedelcea, R. Zavoianu, O.D. Pavel, M. Dinescu)