Veronika Kost

Dr. Veronika Kost

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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18 April 2025 in Materials
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
OLOnofrio Losito
Onofrio Losito
TNThomas Netti
Thomas Netti
VKVeronika Kost
Veronika Kost
Cosimo AnneseCosimo Annese
Cosimo Annese
Lucia CatucciLucia Catucci
Lucia Catucci
Lucia D'accoltiLucia D'accolti
Lucia D'accolti
Over the past few decades, awareness has risen substantially about the limitations of non-renewable resources and the environmental challenges facing the chemical industry. This has necessitated a transition toward renewable resources, such as lignocellulosic biomass, which is among the most abundant renewable carbon sources on the planet. Lignocellulosic biomass represents a significant yet often underutilized source of fermentable sugars and lignin, with potential applications across multiple sectors of the chemical industry. The formation of humins (polymeric byproducts with a complex conjugated network, comprising furanic rings and various functional groups, including ketones) occurs inevitably during the hydrothermal processing of lignocellulosic biomass. This study presents the use of humin byproducts derived from soybean peels for the production of fluorescent carbon dots (CDs). A comparison between sonochemical and thermochemical methods was conducted for the synthesis of this nanomaterial. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized in terms of size, morphology (TEM, DLS), and Z-potential. Subsequently, the spectroscopic properties of the prepared CDs were studied using absorption and emission spectroscopy. In particular, the CDs displayed a blue/cyan fluorescence under UV irradiation. The emission properties were found to be dependent on the excitation wavelength, shifting to longer wavelengths as the excitation wavelength increased. The carbon dots that exhibited the most favorable photochemical properties (QY = 2.5%) were those produced through a sonochemical method applied to humins obtained from the dehydration of soybean husks with phosphoric acid and prior treatment.