Hydrophilic photocatalytically active ZnO and ZnO thin films doped with Yb₂O₃ and Eu₂O₃ (rare earth metal oxide, REM) with optical transmittance exceeding 76% in the visible light range (λ = 550 nm) were prepared by a combination of sol–gel technique, spin-coating and high temperature thermal treatment at 500 and 600 °C. The thin films were tested using advanced research methods, i.e.: morphology and topography and fractures along with approximate thickness values were investigated on scanning electron microscope (SEM), chemical composition was determined using X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (X-ray Energy Spectroscopy), topography and roughness were measured on atomic force microscope (AFM), water contact angle values were determined by sitting water droplet method, optical properties of the fabricated materials were investigated using UV/Vis spectrophotometer. The decolorization efficiency of rhodamine B in aqueous solution was analyzed over a period of 190 min, obtaining degradation rates of: 54.7% and 43.1%, for ZnO and ZnO coatings doped with ytterbium oxide and europium oxide, respectively. The roughness of thin hybrid coatings did not exceed 50 nm, ensuring effective absorption of electromagnetic radiation by the layers. The methodology presented by the authors for the fabrication of thin hybrid films characterized by the key properties of self-cleaning coatings can be successfully applied to coatings of photovoltaic panels and architectural glass structures.

Textile industry emits daily huge amounts of sewage rich in non-biodegradable organic compounds, especially in textile dyes. Such contaminants are highly soluble in water, which makes their removal difficult. Other studies suggest their carcinogenicity, toxicity and mutagenicity. A promising chemical treatment of textile wastewater is the photodegradation of dye molecules in the process of photocatalysis in the presence of a photocatalyst. One-dimensional nanostructures exhibit a high surface-to-volume ratio and a quantum confinement effect, making them ideal candidates for nanophotocatalyst material. Nb2O5 is, among other metal oxides with a wide band gap, gaining popularity in optical applications, and electrospun niobium oxide nanostructures, despite their ease and low cost, can increase the chemical removal of textile dyes from wastewater. Facile synthesis of electrospun one-dimensional niobium oxide nanofibers is presented. The nanophotocatalysts morphology, structure, chemical bonds and optical properties were examined. Based on photodegradation of aqueous solutions (ph=6) of methylene blue and rhodamine B, the photocatalytic activity was established. The photocatalytic efficiency after 180 minutes of ultraviolet irradiation in the presence of Nb2O5 nanofibers was as follows: 84.9% and 31.8% for methylene blue and rhodamine B decolorization, respectively.

To be an art conservator, one needs to have the skills of an accomplished painter, the knowledge of an art historian, the enthusiasm of a chemist, and the nose of a detective – says Marta Zaborowska from the Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.

Hydrophilic photocatalytically active ZnO and ZnO thin films doped with Yb₂O₃ and Eu₂O₃ with optical transmittance exceeding 76% in the visible light range (λ = 550 nm) were prepared by a combination of sol-gel technique, spin-coating and high temperature thermal treatment at 500 and 600℃. The thin films were tested using advanced research methods, i.e.: morphology and topography and fractures along with approximate thickness values were investigated on scanning electron microscope (SEM), chemical composition was determined using X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (X-ray Energy Spectroscopy), topography and roughness were measured on atomic force microscope (AFM), water contact angle values were determined by sitting water droplet method, optical properties of the fabricated materials were investigated using UV/Vis spectrophotometer. The decolorization efficiency of rhodamine B in aqueous solution was analyzed over a period of 190 min, obtaining degradation rates of: 54.7% and 43.1%, for ZnO and ZnO coatings doped with ytterbium oxide and europium oxide, respectively. The roughness of thin hybrid coatings did not exceed 50 nm, ensuring effective absorption of electromagnetic radiation by the layers. The methodology presented by the authors for the fabrication of thin hybrid films characterized by the key properties of self-cleaning coatings can be successfully applied to coatings of photovoltaic panels and architectural glass structures.