Third lecture in India of Professor Juan Carlos Colmenares took plate in Khurda, Odisha at National Institute of Science Education and Research.

Juan delivered a lecture on the cutting edge research of his science team that inspired fellow researchers and students. After discussions about collaborations and future of solar chemistry professor visited laboratories of NISER watching closely their capabilities and infrastructure.

Leacture was titled:

• Sustainable organic wastes’ redox transformations by the triad sound-catalysis-photo

Lecture topics

• Sonofoto-deposition method (patented methodology) for the synthesis of solid-state and composite photocatalysts containing mono- and bimetals, applied to biocarbon and tested in water/​air detoxification processes, and organic synthesis in the liquid and gas phases. We synthesized a series of nanoparticles (mono- and bimetallic) on supports through the synergistic effect of sonication and photochemistry, obtaining nanostructured materials with narrowed sizes and uniformly distributed on various supports. The deposition and reduction of particles induced by ultrasonic waves and light occur almost sequentially, thus avoiding the heating step (thus saving energy) usually used in other methods. These results showed the positive effect of ultrasound on improving the work of photon energy to ensure further reduction of the metal precursor on a carrier with unusual dispersion and to obtain highly active and selective photocatalysts.
• Ultrasound-assisted heterogeneous photocatalysis: in this case, ultrasonic waves (acoustic cavitation) were used to intensify/​improve organic compound synthesis and water detoxification through a heterogeneous photocatalytic process (in a batch and continuous flow reactor).