Thesis(M.Sc.(Chemistry)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / An extensive search for a highly efficient, reusable, and non-toxic adsorbent materials for the removal of organic dyes from wastewater continues to be of great importance to the world. Activated carbon is the most widely used adsorbent material for treating dye contaminants from water owing to its high removal capacity and large surface area. However, activated carbon is expensive and not easy to regenerate. Hence, the use of biodegradable, non-toxic, and cost-effective biopolymer-based hydrogel adsorbents has attracted great attention. These adsorbents have high swelling capacity and number of adsorptive functional groups to allow adsorption of methylene blue dye. Hence in this work, we present carboxymethyl cellulose crosslinked with poly (acrylic acid) incorporated with magnetic cloisite 30B clay (CMC-cl-pAA/Fe3O4-C30B) and sodium alginate crosslinked with poly (acrylic acid) incorporated with zinc oxide (SA-cl pAA/ZnO) hydrogel nanocomposites (HNCs) for the removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution. The hydrogel nanocomposites were synthesised through in situ free radical polymerisation. The structural properties of the prepared materials were studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The FTIR and XRD confirmed the successful synthesis of the CMC-cl-pAA and SA-cl-pAA hydrogels, Fe3O4-C30B and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and their hydrogel nanocomposites. Furthermore, the co-existence of the metal oxide nanoparticles in the CMC-cl-pAA and SA-cl-pAA hydrogel matrices was confirmed by XRD. The SEM revealed that upon the incorporation of the Fe3O4- C30B NPs onto CMC-cl-pAA, the resulting material showed spherical particles of the magnetite nanoparticles on the irregular shaped hydrogel structure. As well as on the SA-cl-pAA after modification by ZnO nanoparticles, the spherical ZnO particles were embedded on the hydrogel surface. The successful modification with metal oxide nanoparticles was also confirmed by the presence of characteristic elements of the incorporated materials on the EDS. The TEM coupled with selected area electron diffraction (SAED) confirmed the presence of Fe3O4-C30B on the hydrogel structure, in which circular bright dotted lines were observed corresponding to light diffracted by the lattice planes of different energies on the Fe3O4 structure. The thermogravimetric analysis was conducted to study the thermal stability of the materials, the results showed that the incorporation of Fe3O4-C30B and ZnO nanoparticles on CMC-cl-pAA and SA-cl-pAA hydrogels, respectively improved their thermal stability. Furthermore, DMA was used to study the mechanical stability of the prepared hydrogels and their composites. In the case of CMC-cl-pAA hydrogel, the storage modulus of CMC-cl pAA/Fe3O4-C30B nanocomposite was higher than of the hydrogel, indicating improved mechanical stability, and on SA-cl-pAA hydrogel the storage modulus decreased, indicating a decrease in mechanical stability on the SA-cl-pAA/ZnO HNC. Consequently, the swelling studies revealed that the SA/AA/ZnO HNC was highly efficient for water uptake in comparison to SA/AA hydrogel. Whereas, CMC-cl pAA/Fe3O4-C30B had lower swelling capacity than CMC-cl-pAA hydrogel. Various factors influencing the adsorption of adsorbents were systematically investigated. The kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics of adsorption were examined, and results showed that equilibrium data fitted the Langmuir isotherm model, and the adsorption kinetics of MB followed pseudo-second-order model in both the CMC-based HNC and SA-based HNC. Maximum adsorption capacities of 1129 and 1529.6 mg/g were achieved for SA/AA hydrogel and SA/AA/ZnO HNC, respectively, in 0.25 g/L MB solution at pH 6.0 within 40 min. Whereas maximum capacities of 1165 mg/g (pH 5) and 806.51 mg/g (pH 7) for CMC-cl-pAA hydrogel and CMC-cl-pAA/Fe3O4- C30B HNC, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters for SA/AA and CMC-cl-pAA hydrogels exhibited exothermic adsorption processes and their nanocomposites SA/AA/ZnO and CMC-cl-pAA/Fe3O4-C30B exhibited endothermic nature of the adsorption processes, respectively. Moreover, the CMC-cl-pAA/Fe3O4-C30B NCH showed improved mechanical and thermal properties as compared to CMC-cl-pAA hydrogel. In contrast, the SA/AA/ZnO HNC presented outstanding reusability with relatively better adsorption efficiencies than SA/AA hydrogel. / Sasol bursary and National Research Foundation (NRF)

The objective of this research was to study the adsorption and photodegradation of Malachite Green (MG) dye by using poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) (PHEMA) hydrogel and nanocomposite TiO2PHEMA hydrogel. The nanocomposite gels were characterized by FT-IR and XRD. The adsorption of MG dye was examined through monitoring UV-Vis absorption. The kinetic study indicated that the adsorption follows the first order kinetics. The adsorption equilibrium data fit well to the Langmuir isotherm model. The photodegradation of MG dye was examined using TLC UV lamp and medium pressure Hg lamp. It was determined that the unloaded composite gels adsorb MG dye from the solution at the beginning while under the photochemical condition. The dye in the gel was eventually photodegraded, indicating that the photodegradation process is still effective to dyes in the gel system. The composite gels containing anatase/rutile mixed phase titania are much better photocatalysts than those containing pure phase titania (either rutile or anatse).

The main aim of work presented here is to understand photophysical processes of organic dyes and to design better organic molecules/systems which can be applied in many applications such as solar cells, photodynamic therapy, and fluorescence sensors. Developments of novel multichromophore organic materials for the above mentioned applications were made using computational tools. A brief description of the history of computational chemistry was given based on the photochemistry of organic dyes in the introductory chapters and also the importance of basis sets and functionals was discussed in order to produce accurate computational results. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations were performed to understand the photophysical processes in the porphyrin-perylene bisimide (HTPP-PDI) dyad that exhibited long-lived triplet states. The DFT results show that breaking the rigidity of PDI in HTPP-PDI was responsible for the generation of long-lived triplet states. Furthermore, six porphyrin derivatives were designed by introducing a 4,4’-dicarboxybutadienyl functional group to the porphyrin moiety and studied to investigate the substituent effects on the non-coplanarity, molecular orbitals, and excitation wavelength of the porphyrin donor. Five of the six proposed porphyrin derivatives are promising donors in the HTPP-PDI dyad to replace HTPP for its potential use in photodynamic therapy. Six donor- accepter(s) systems were designed for their potential application in solar cells. Four D-A1-A2 architectural triads, MTPA-TRC-AEAQ, MTPA-TRC-HTPP, MTPA-TRC-PDI, and MTPA-TRC-PBI were designed. The cascade electronic energy levels were obtained and experimentally observed, which lead to sequential electron transfers from 1MTPA* to TRC and then to AEAQ (HTPP/PDI/PBI) module as well as a hole transfer from 1AEAQ*(1HTPP*/1PDI*/1PBI*) to MTPA module. Therefore, all the D-A1-A2 systems we have designed are ambipolar. Interestingly, the lifetime of charge separated states of the newly designed MTPA*+-TRC-AEAQ*- was elongated to 650 ns, an eightfold of that of the donor-acceptor MTPA-TRC parent molecule (80 ns). However, different charge separated state lifetimes were obtained for MTPA*+-TRC-PDI*-(22ns) and MTPA*+-TRC-PBI*-(75ns). The photophysical results suggested that the charge separated state may decay to the triplet state when the charge separated state exhibits a higher energy level than the triplet state. Further, the photovoltaic tests indicated potential applications of MTPA-TRC-AEAQ in solar cells. DFT and TDDFT calculations were performed together with experimental studies to explore the nature of fluorescence enhancement in the anthracene-based sensor after the addition of Zn2+. A 23-fold fluorescence emission was quenched via non-radiative decay pathway in the absence of Zn2+. However, when the Zn2+ chelated to the sensor fluorescence intensity was increased remarkably. A 32-fold fluorescence increase was overserved and calculation results suggested this could be due to the inhibition of the electron-transfer pathway and enhanced rigidity of sensor-Zn2+ complex. The response selectivity of Zn2+ over Ca2+, Mg2+, Cu2+, and Hg2+ ions was also studied using DFT calculations and it was found that Zn2+ has a strong binding affinity to the sensor, which could be a potential application in the detection of Zn2+.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The initial charge transfer from dye molecules' excited states to the conduction band of a semiconductor, after absorption of visible light by the former, is critical to the performance of Dye sensitized Solar Cells (DSC). In a ZnO-based DSC sensitized by the organic indoline derivative D149, the dynamics associated with charge transfer are investigated with femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The time-resolved measurement of the photo-initiated processes reveal electron transfer rates corresponding to excited state lifetimes of 100s of fs, consistent with previously measured high absorbed photon to current conversion efficiencies. The photo-electrode measured as an isolated system shows decay times of bound electrons in excited states of the dye to be ~150 fs and shows the subsequent emergence of absorption bands of the oxidized molecules. When the I-/I-3 redox couple is added to the system, these excited state lifetimes change and are found to be dependent on the cation in the electrolytic solution. Small cations like Li+ reduce the excited state lifetime to sub-100 fs, whilst larger cations like the organic tetrabutylammonium result in longer lifetimes of 240 fs. The action of the electrolyte can be observed by the reduced lifetime of the oxidized dye molecules' absorption bands. The effect of operating parameters and changes in the production protocol of the DSC on the primary charge injection are also investigated and reported on. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die aanvanklike ladingsoordrag vanuit kleurstofmolekules' opgewekte toestande tot in die leidingsband van 'n halfgeleier, na absorpsie van sigbare lig deur eersgenoemde, is van kritiese belang vir die uitset van halfgeleier-gebaseerde sonkragselle wat met kleurstowwe vir absorpsie verhoging, gebind is. In hierdie werk word hierdie proses en verwante fotodinamika in die geval van 'n ZnO sonkragsel gekleur met indolien D149 ondersoek d.m.v femtosekonde-tydopgelosde absorpsiespektroskopie. Hierdie metings onthul elektron-oordragstempos wat ooreenstem met lewenstye van opgewekte toestande in die orde van 100 fs. Hierdie is met voorheen-bepaalde hoë foton-tot-stroom omskakelingsdoeltreffendheid ooreenkomstig. Die foto-elektrode, as geïsoleerde sisteem beskou, toon afvalstye van gebonde elektrone in opgewekte toestande van ~150 fs, en die gevolglike opkoms van absorpsie deur geoksideerde molekules word waargeneem. As die I-/I-3 redoks oplossing tot die sisteem bygevoeg word, verander die opgewekte toestande se afvalstye en toon 'n katioon-afhanklikheid. Klein katioone soos Li+ verkort die afvalstye tot onder 100 fs, terwyl groter katioone soos die organiese tetra-butielammonium langer afvalstye (240 fs) tot gevolg het. Die werking van die elektrolitiese oplossing kan waargeneem word deur die verkorte lewenstyd van die absorpsiebande wat aan die geoksideerde molekules toegeken is. Die uitwerking van operasionele parameter asook veranderinge in die produksie protokol op die primêre ladingsoordrag word ondersoek en verslag daarop word gelewer.

The present thesis is concerned with solid solutions of organic dyes. The organic molecules are incorporated in both optically inert or active and in rigid or flexible matrices, respectively. Exclusively thin films prepared by physical vapor deposition are studied. The optical response of the systems, in dependence on their structure and on the matrix nature, is investigated by means of absorption and luminescence spectroscopy. In the first part, perylene and 2,2-difluoro-1,3,2-dioxaborine derivatives, and Alq3 (tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminium) embedded in the optically inactive SiO2 and polyimide hosts are studied. For the system dye molecules/SiO2 matrix, two sample preparation approaches, co-deposition and layer-by-layer, are compared. It is demonstrated that the luminescence properties of the mixed layers are affected by dye distribution and thin film composition. The photoluminescence quantum efficiency is strongly influenced by dye aggregation and Föster transfer. Therefore, effective separation and isolation of dye molecules in the matrix results in increased PL efficiency. Furthermore, it is established that layer-by-layer growth mode assures more homogeneous dye distribution. The spectroscopic studies also show that, since dye and matrix condense successively in time, luminescence losses due to thermal degradation of molecules are reduced. Hence, the film structure can be optimized with regard to high absorption and luminescence quantum efficiency. The experimental findings suggest that the luminescent properties of the embedded dyes are influenced by the nature of the host environment as well. In the rigid SiO2 matrix, it is possible to observe isolated facial Alq3 molecules with distinctive blue luminescence. In contrast, in the "soft" organic polyimide matrix Alq3 exhibits ordinary green luminescence. Thus, the structural properties of the host, rigidity and density, are found to be crucial for preservation of the facial Alq3 molecules. It is further demonstrated that the immobilization of molecules in the rigid SiO2 matrix in combination with layer-by-layer growth results in improved photostability. In polyimide matrix, the behavior of incorporated molecules is governed by the morphological changes of the host. These changes are defined by the curing procedure, needed for imidization, and give rise to a certain film structure. In the second part, special attention is paid on the luminescence response of dispersed DCM (4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylaminostyril)-4H-pyran) and rubrene (5,6,11,12-tetraphenyl-naphthacene) molecules in the optically active Alq3 matrix. The observed enhancement of luminescence intensity and alteration of emitted color are favorable for application of the doped Alq3 films as converter layers in combination with commercial blue light emitting diodes in luminescence conversion devices. It is demonstrated that by optimization of the conversion layer parameters white light generation can be achieved. The devices are characterized by high conversion efficiency and Lambertian distribution of the emitted light. However, they lack sufficient stability with regard to practical applications.

En une heure, la Terre reçoit en énergie solaire l’équivalent d’une année de consommation énergétique mondiale. Pour cette raison, les cellules photovoltaïques qui convertissent des photons en électricité, ont un rôle déterminant à jouer dans la transition énergétique imposée par les changements climatiques. Les cellules solaires sensibilisées par des colorants sont une des technologies émergentes qui ont déjà été utilisées à l’échelle industrielle à travers quelques exemples d’intégration aux bâtiments. Elles représentent une alternative esthétique et peu cher comparée aux cellules à silicium. Ces cellules hybrides dites de « Grätzel » utilisent un semi-conducteur inorganique nanostructuré sur lequel est greffé un colorant qui à l’état photo-excité va injecter des électrons dans l’oxyde. Ce sensibilisateur va être régénéré par un couple redox présent dans un électrolyte ou un transporteur de trous moléculaire qui eux-mêmes vont être régénérés à la contre-électrode. Dans ce contexte, ce travail présente les études réalisées sur certains constituants de la cellule (du semi-conducteur jusqu’au système régénérateur du colorant). La majeure partie de cette thèse concerne la synthèse et la caractérisation avancée de nouveaux semi-conducteurs organiques, des colorants ou des transporteurs de trous moléculaires, et l’étude des relations structure/propriétés. En particulier, le remplacement, la substitution ou la rigidification de groupements présents dans ces structures ont été réalisés et leur influence sur les propriétés des nouvelles molécules a été étudiée. Les colorants synthétisés présentent des maxima de la bande d’absorption à plus faible énergie allant de 440 nm à 610 nm. Les niveaux d’énergie de ces nouveaux matériaux organiques ont été déterminés par voltammétrie cyclique et également calculés et localisés par la chimie quantique. Certains composés ont été étudiés par diffraction des rayons X, par analyse thermogravimétrique ou par calorimétrie différentielle à balayage. Après une complète caractérisation, ces matériaux ont été intégrés dans des dispositifs photovoltaïques à colorants en utilisant un électrolyte liquide pour atteindre des efficacités élevées jusqu’à 9,78 % en utilisant un seul colorant et jusqu’à 10,90 % dans le cas de la co-sensibilisation du TiO2 par deux sensibilisateurs. Certains colorants ont également conduit à des efficacités se situant à l’état de l’art à 7,81 % en remplaçant l’électrolyte liquide par un liquide ionique. De plus, certains colorants dans ces mêmes dispositifs ont présenté une excellente stabilité avec une perte comprise entre 7 et 38 % après 7000 heures d’illumination continue à 1000 W.m-2 à 65 °C. Enfin, des premiers tests ont également été réalisés en dispositifs à l’état solide qui ont conduit à une efficacité 4,5 % avec un transporteur de trous de référence ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives d’application après optimisations. En parallèle, les nouveaux transporteurs de trous synthétisés dans ce travail se sont révélés efficaces en cellules à base de pérovskites. / During one hour, the Earth receives solar energy which is equivalent to one year of the world energy consumption. For this reason, photovoltaic cells that convert photons to electricity, have a key role to play in the energetic transition imposed by climate change. Dye-sensitized solar cells are one of the emergent technologies that have already been used at the industrial scale in a few examples of building integrating. They represent an esthetic and low-cost alternative compared to silicon solar cells. These hybrid cells also named « Grätzel cells » use a nanostructured inorganic semi-conductor where a dye is grafted onto the surface and acts as a sensitizer. This dye injects electrons after photo-excitation in the oxide. The dye is regenerated by a redox couple present in a liquid electrolyte or a hole transport material that are themselves regenerated by the counter electrode. In this context, this work presents studies about some of the cell constituents (from the semi-conductor to the dye regenerating system). The major part of this thesis concerns the synthesis and the advanced characterization of organic semi-conductors, dyes or hole transport materials, and the study of the structure/properties relations. In particular, the replacement, the substitution, or the rigidification of some functional groups in these structures were achieved and their influence on the properties of the new molecules were studied. The synthesized dyes present maxima of the absorption band at the lowest energy between 440 nm and 610 nm. Energy levels of the new organic materials were determined by cyclic voltammetry and also calculated and localized using the quantum chemistry. Some of the compounds were studied by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. After a complete characterization, these materials were integrated in dye-sensitized photovoltaic devices using a liquid electrolyte to achieve high efficiencies up to 9,78 % using a single dye and up to 10,90 % in the case of the co-sensitization of TiO2 with two dyes. Certain dyes have demonstrated state-of-the-art efficiencies at 7,81 % by replacing the liquid electrolyte by an ionic liquid electrolyte. Moreover, the use of some of the dyes in these last devices was carried out and found to have an excellent stability with a loss of initial efficiency included between 7 % and 38 % after 7000 hours of continuous illumination at 1000 W.m-2 at 65 °C. Finally, first tests were also realized in solid state devices that showed an efficiency of 4,5 % with a reference hole transport material opening new application perspectives after optimizations. In parallel, the new synthesized hole transport materials in this work were effective in perovskite-based cells.

La présence combinée de différents types de polluants dans les effluents industriels est une problématique assez complexe à résoudre pour les chercheurs dans le domaine de la protection de l'environnement. Dans ce contexte, le principal objectif de ce travail de thèse a été d'améliorer la compréhension des mécanismes de sorption à l'interface solide liquide, processus impliqués dans la rétention compétitive pour une sélection de colorants organiques et d'espèces inorganiques sur des matériaux adsorbants modèles. Ce manuscrit comprend une étude détaillée de l'adsorption combinant différentes approches et techniques expérimentales complémentaires, principalement à partir de mesures de cinétiques et d'isothermes d'adsorption, une étude structurale par diffraction des rayons X, et une approche thermodynamique par calorimétrie isotherme de titrage. Trois colorants azoïques: Méthyl Orange (MO), Orange II (OII) et Orange G (OG) ont été retenus pour ce travail. Ils ont la particularité de présenter différentes tailles de molécules, différentes charges et caractères hydrophile/ hydrophobe, … D'autre part, deux types de matériaux chargés positivement et considérés comme échangeurs anioniques ont été choisis comme solides adsorbants modèles : Mg-Al Hydroxyde Double Lamellaire (HDL) contenant dans son espace interfoliaire soit des contre-ions nitrate (Mg-Al-HDL-NO3) soit des chlorures (Mg-Al-HDL-Cl) et une résine échangeuses d'ions Amberlite® IRN-78. Enfin, l'impact des oxoanions comme les carbonates (IV), les sulfates (VI), les chromates (VI) et phosphates (V) sur les propriétés de rétention des colorants sur ces adsorbants a été évalué. Dans un premier temps, l'adsorption des colorants a été réalisée sur ces trois matériaux dans des systèmes mono-composant afin d'étudier en détail les mécanismes de rétention. L'étude des Mg-Al-HDL échangés par diffraction des rayons X a permis de montrer que l'échange d'anions est accompagné de l'intercalation dans l'espèce interfoliaire de la nouvelle espèce sorbée, générant des modifications structurales. En systèmes mono- et multi-composant, la rétention des MO semble supérieure à la capacité d'échange anionique (CEA) théorique des HDL. Ce comportement a été attribué à l'adsorption du colorant sur les surfaces externes, ainsi qu'à la co-adsorption des cations sodium, contre-ions du colorant. Il a aussi été montré que la capacité d'adsorption dépend fortement du caractère hydrophile-hydrophobe des colorants et de leur capacité à établir des interactions latérales (de pi-stacking) avec les autres espèces voisines directement au sein de l'espace interfoliaire. La calorimétrie de titrage isotherme a mis en évidence des comportements inhabituels dans les thermogrammes décrivant l'évolution de l'enthalpie cumulative de déplacement, en lien avec la formation d'agrégats fibrillaires provenant de l'interaction entre l'OII et les espèces Mg(II), issues de la dissolution partielle des HDL au contact du colorant.Dans un second temps, l'étude de la compétition entre les colorants organiques et des anions inorganiques sur ces matériaux a démontré que l'élimination de colorant est fortement influencée par la présence d'anions phosphate ainsi que d'anions carbonate. L'analyse détaillée des différentes espèces compétitives a permis de proposer une classification sur la base de trois types de schémas de compétitions, en lien avec la forme des isothermes individuelles et les données calorimétriques, comme l'enthalpie cumulative en système mono-composant. L'ensemble de cette description des mécanismes de rétention dans des systèmes mono- ou multi-composants a été complété par des études plus applicatives comme les phénomènes de cinétiques de sorption, de réversibilité. Mots-clés: Hydroxydes double lamellaires, résines échangeuses d'ions, Méthyl Orange, Orange II, Orange G, Cr(VI), anions inorganiques, adsorption en système mono- ou multi-composant, étude structurale par DRX, calorimétrie isotherme de titrage. / The co-occurrence of various pollutants in industrial effluents is one of the most difficult problems the researchers have to face in the field of Environmental Remediation. In this context, the main objective of the present Ph.D. thesis has been to improve the comprehension of the sorption mechanisms involved in the competitive retention of selected organic dyes and inorganic species at the Solid-Liquid interface by using some model sorbents.The manuscript reports the results of advanced sorption studies made by combining several experimental techniques, mainly including kinetic and equilibrium adsorption measurements, XRD diffraction, as well as isothermal titration calorimetry. Three Azo dyes differing in the molecular size, electric charge, and hydrophobic/hydrophilic character, i.e., Methyl Orange (MO), Orange II (OII), and Orange G (OG), were selected for the purpose of this work. Two types of solid materials possessing positively charged surface sites were considered as model sorbents: layered double hydroxide structures based on Mg and Al (molar Mg:Al ratio of 2) with either nitrate (Mg-Al-LDH-NO3) or chloride counter-ions (Mg-Al-LDH-Cl) localized in the interlayer space, on the one hand, and strongly basic anion-exchange resin, Amberlite® IRN-78, on the other hand. The impact of carbonate(IV), sulfate(VI), chromate(VI), and hydrogen phosphate(V) oxyanions on the retention capacity of model sorbents towards the three dyes was also investigated thoroughly.In the first step, the single-component adsorption onto three sorbents was analyzed in regards with the detailed mechanism of retention. In all cases, an ion-exchange pathway between the pristine compensating anions (NO3-, Cl-, OH-) or anions coming from the ambient atmosphere (e.g., carbonates) and the oncoming anionic species was identified as the principal retention mechanism. In the case of LDH sorbents, this anion exchange was accompanied by the intercalation of the adsorbing species within the interlayer space with the concomitant changes in the layered structure, as inferred from the XRD study of the LDH samples loaded with the appropriate solute species. The retention of monovalent MO anions, both from the single-solute and bi-solute solutions, was found to exceed the anionic exchange capacity (AEC) of the LDH samples, which was ascribed to the dye adsorption on the external surface paralleled by the co-adsorption of sodium cations. The adsorption capacity was demonstrated to depend strongly on the hydrophilic-hydrophilic character of the dye units and their capacity of generating lateral interactions (e.g., pi-stacking) with other adsorbed species within the LDH structure. The use of isothermal calorimetry allowed the unusual shape of the curve representing the cumulative enthalpy of displacement to be attributed to the formation of OII aggregates/fibers induced by the presence of Mg and Al cations originating from the partial dissolution of the LDH sample. Competitive adsorption of dye and selected inorganic anions on the three model sorbents was studied in the second step in view of increasing the efficiency of dyes removal by optimizing experimental conditions. One of the main achievements was to categorize the dye uptake schemes in the presence of inorganic anions in regards with the shape of the experimental adsorption isotherms and to correlate them with the individual adsorbate affinities for the LDH sample, as inferred from the calorimetry measurements of the cumulative enthalpy of displacement in single-solute systems. The discussion on the mechanisms of dye retention in the single- and multi-component systems was supplemented by experimental studies of such applicative aspects of sorption phenomena as kinetics, reversibility, and selectivity.Keywords: Layered double hydroxides, anion-exchange resin, Methyl Orange, Orange II, Orange G, Cr(VI), inorganic anions, single-solute and multi-solute adsorption, XRD study, isotherm titration calorimetry.

The main aim of doctoral thesis was the study on reactivity, transport and barrier properties of biocolloidal and synthetic polymeric substances by simple diffusion techniques. It was studied mainly the influence of basic physic-chemical parameters (temperature, concentration, pH and modification of material) on the reactivity and barrier ability of chosen compounds. Further substances were chosen as a model compounds: biocolloids (humic acids, alginate, chitosan, hyaluronate) and synthetic polymer (polystyrenesulfonate). Reactivity, barrier and transport properties of chosen substances were studied by interactions with oppositely charged basic organic dyes (methylene blue, rhodamine 6G, amido black 10B respectively) in hydrogels medium based on linear polysaccharide (agarose). The attention was also paid to basic physic-chemical characterisation (infrared spectroscopy, rheology, elemental analysis, thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscopy) of chosen materials and also hydrogels. Key part of the whole doctoral thesis was the optimization of selected diffusion techniques (diffusion cell technique and non-stationary diffusion in cuvettes) designated for the study on reactivity and barrier properties of wide range compounds (optimized method should be used as an universal method for simple and fast determination of reactivity of different compounds at given or changing conditions). The rate of reactivity, transport and barrier properties was determined based on fundamental diffusion parameters such as diffusion coefficients, break-through time so called lag time, interfacial concentration of chosen organic dye, apparent equilibrium constant, tortuosity factor, partition coefficient.

The present thesis is concerned with solid solutions of organic dyes. The organic molecules are incorporated in both optically inert or active and in rigid or flexible matrices, respectively. Exclusively thin films prepared by physical vapor deposition are studied. The optical response of the systems, in dependence on their structure and on the matrix nature, is investigated by means of absorption and luminescence spectroscopy. In the first part, perylene and 2,2-difluoro-1,3,2-dioxaborine derivatives, and Alq3 (tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminium) embedded in the optically inactive SiO2 and polyimide hosts are studied. For the system dye molecules/SiO2 matrix, two sample preparation approaches, co-deposition and layer-by-layer, are compared. It is demonstrated that the luminescence properties of the mixed layers are affected by dye distribution and thin film composition. The photoluminescence quantum efficiency is strongly influenced by dye aggregation and Föster transfer. Therefore, effective separation and isolation of dye molecules in the matrix results in increased PL efficiency. Furthermore, it is established that layer-by-layer growth mode assures more homogeneous dye distribution. The spectroscopic studies also show that, since dye and matrix condense successively in time, luminescence losses due to thermal degradation of molecules are reduced. Hence, the film structure can be optimized with regard to high absorption and luminescence quantum efficiency. The experimental findings suggest that the luminescent properties of the embedded dyes are influenced by the nature of the host environment as well. In the rigid SiO2 matrix, it is possible to observe isolated facial Alq3 molecules with distinctive blue luminescence. In contrast, in the "soft" organic polyimide matrix Alq3 exhibits ordinary green luminescence. Thus, the structural properties of the host, rigidity and density, are found to be crucial for preservation of the facial Alq3 molecules. It is further demonstrated that the immobilization of molecules in the rigid SiO2 matrix in combination with layer-by-layer growth results in improved photostability. In polyimide matrix, the behavior of incorporated molecules is governed by the morphological changes of the host. These changes are defined by the curing procedure, needed for imidization, and give rise to a certain film structure. In the second part, special attention is paid on the luminescence response of dispersed DCM (4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylaminostyril)-4H-pyran) and rubrene (5,6,11,12-tetraphenyl-naphthacene) molecules in the optically active Alq3 matrix. The observed enhancement of luminescence intensity and alteration of emitted color are favorable for application of the doped Alq3 films as converter layers in combination with commercial blue light emitting diodes in luminescence conversion devices. It is demonstrated that by optimization of the conversion layer parameters white light generation can be achieved. The devices are characterized by high conversion efficiency and Lambertian distribution of the emitted light. However, they lack sufficient stability with regard to practical applications.

Αντικείμενο της διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι μελέτη της ευαισθητοποίησης από κοινού (co-sensitization) με την χρήση απλών οργανικών χρωστικών με παρόμοιο φάσμα απορρόφησης. Για το λόγο αυτό αναπτύχθηκαν μείγματα διαφόρων χρωστικών ουσιών τα οποία χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την ευαισθητοποίηση ηλιακών κυψελίδων (DSSCs) με ημιαγωγό νανοδομημένου ZnO. Οι χρωστικές που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την ευαισθητοποίηση ήταν απλές οργανικές, όπως η Rose-Bengal, η Rhodamine-B, η Eosin-B, η Coumarin 343 και η Malachite Green. Παρασκευάστηκαν μείγματα δυο και τριών χρωστικών ουσιών με σκοπό την επίτευξη υψηλότερης απόδοσης της ευαισθητοποιημένης ηλιακής κυψελίδας. / In this work we investigate co-sensitization effects by using simple organic dyes with complimentary absorption spectra. A combination of different organic dyes was used in this work to sensitize nanostructured ZnO films for Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) devices. The dyes used to sensitize the films were the simple organic molecules Bengal Rose, Rhodamine B, Eosin B, Coumarin 343 and Malachite Green. Binary and ternary blends of these dyes were used in order to enhance the performance of ZnO DSSCs.