| Contact: | H-1111 Budapest, Budafoki út 6-8. BUTE F I. |
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| Website: | link |
| Focal points and main thrusts of research: | The
Centre for Colloid Chemistry studies semiconductor (ZnO, TiO2) and
dielectric (SiO2, Al2O3) coatings, different
nanocomposites and interfacial phenomena. The following section outlines some
of the most important research topics of the group.
Development of coatings with increased light transmittance: The preparation of typically silicon-dioxide based, porous sol-gel coatings on glass and polymer substrates, and the investigation of their functional properties. The aim of the research is to achieve, besides improved light transmittance, also other functional properties that are important for practical applications: e.g. water-repellence, scratch-resistance, long-term stability against environmental effects. Coating metal surfaces with inorganic and biopolymer barrier layers, and encapsulating different inhibitor molecules inside the pores, in order to achieve corrosion inhibition and self-healing properties. The aim of the research is long term (or limited) corrosion protection by controlling the composition and structure of the protective coating, the synthesis parameters, and the surface modification of the as-prepared coatings. Photoactive coatings: Preparation and investigation of semiconductor sol-gel coatings that show photoactivity (photovoltaic, photocatalytic property), and related to this also antibacterial properties. Semiconductor oxide (TiO2, ZnO, Cu2O etc.) coatings and their composite systems are further modified with e.g. noble metals, dyes and upconverting nanoparticles, in order to achieve higher photoactivity and a broader wavelength range of photoactive property. Modelling of drug delivery systems with biopolymer – silica composite coatings. Some examples: mesoporous silica sol-gel thin film coated with chitosan layer; Stöber silica nanoparticles embedded in gelatine coating. |
| Introduction: | The most important educational and research areas of the Centre for Colloid Chemistry are colloid systems and interfacial phenomena. They prepare and characterize nanoparticles, thin nanostructured coatings and their composites. The most important areas of the diverse research carried out by the group include the study of phenomena taking place at nanostructured interfaces, and the production of nanostructured thin layers. The characterization of thin layers for practical applications (water repellence, antimicrobial, self-cleaning, antireflection, controlled drug release) is always a part of this activity. Wet chemical procedures like Langmuir-Blodgett and sol-gel techniques are preferentially used for the building up of typically 30-300 nm thick coatings on different (transparent and non-transparent) substrates. The thickness and structure of the thin films composed of inorganic (dielectric and semiconducting) oxides, biopolymers and their composites are mainly determined by optical spectroscopy, ellipsometry, scanning angle reflectometry, and electrochemical methods. The surface properties and morphology of the layers are characterized by wetting (contact angle) measurements, as well as atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. |
| Sample publications: | 1. Borbála Tegze, Emőke Albert, Bálint Fodor, György Sáfrán, Zoltán Hórvölgyi: Photoinduced processes of adsorbed and associated dye molecules in mesoporous titania coatings, Dyes and Pigments 167, 109-119 (2019) 2. Árpád Ferenc Szőke, Gabriella Stefánia Szabó, Zoltán Hórvölgyi, Emőke Albert, Luiza Gaina, Liana Maria Muresan: Eco-friendly indigo carmine-loaded chitosan coatings for improved anti-corrosion protection of zinc substrates, Carbohydrate Polymers 215, 63-72 (2019) 3. Lenke Kócs, Emőke Albert, Borbála Tegze, Márta Kabai-Faix, Csaba Major, András Szalai, Péter Basa, Zoltán Hórvölgyi: Silica sol-gel coatings with improved light transmittance and stability, Periodica Polytechnica-Chemical Engineering 62 (1), 21-31 (2018) 4. Mátyás Dabóczi, Emőke Albert, Emil Agócs, Márta Kabai-Faix, Zoltán Hórvölgyi: Bilayered (silica-chitosan) coatings for studying dye release in aqueous media: The role of chitosan properties, Carbohydrate Polymers 136, 137-145 (2016) 5. Emőke Albert, Péter Basa, András Deák, Attila Németh, Zoltán Osváth, György Sáfrán, Zsolt Zolnai, Zoltán Hórvölgyi, Norbert Nagy: Introducing nanoscaled surface morphology and percolation barrier network into mesoporous silica coatings, RSC Advances 5, 60041-60053 (2015) 6. Emőke Albert, Pierre-Antoine Albouy, André Ayral, Péter Basa, Gabriella Csík, Norbert Nagy, Stéphanie Roualdès, Vincent Rouessac, György Sáfrán, Ágnes Suhajda, Zsolt Zolnai, Zoltán Hórvölgyi: Antibacterial properties of Ag-TiO2 composite sol-gel coatings, RSC Advances 5, 59070-59081 (2015) 7. Emőke Albert, Nicoleta Cotolan, Norbert Nagy, György Sáfrán, Gabriella Szabó, Liana-Maria Mureşan, Zoltán Hórvölgyi: Mesoporous silica coatings with improved corrosion protection properties, Microporous and Mesoporous Materials 206, 102-113 (2015) |
| Awards and achievements: | Prof. Dr. Zoltán HÓRVÖLGYI’s awards and achievements:
2019: Bugát Pál-Szentágothai János Medallion by: Hungarian Society of Natural Sciences Achievement: For performance in talent management 2017: Than Károly Medallion by: Hungarian Chemical Society Achievement: For activity in organizing scientific public life 2016: Excellency in Education by: Budapest University of Technology and Economics Achievement: For education 2016: Görög Jenő Award by: BUTE Chemical and Bioengineering Achievement: For education 2013: Honour by: Hungarian Chemical Society Achievement: For activity in organizing scientific public life 2013: Talentum Award by: Budapest University of Technology and Economics Achievement: For supervising students' education 2011: XXX. OTDK Medal by: National Council for Scientific Research for Students Achievement: For supervising students' research work 2011: Vince Wartha Award by: BME Chemical and Bioengineering Achievement: For scientific research 2010: Supervisor Award by: Oláh György Doctoral School, BME Achievement: For supervising PhD works 2006: Öveges Fellowship by:
OMFB-01512/2006, HEF_06_<1>- 2005: Gold Medal for Education by: National Council for Scientific Research for Students Achievement: For supervising students' research work 2003: Honour by: Hungarian Chemical Society Achievement: For activity in organizing scientific public life 2002: László Erdey Award by: BME Faculty of Chemical Engineering Achievement: For research and education 2000: Széchenyi Professor Fellowship by: Minister for Education Achievement: For research and education 1988: Dr. Ervin Wolfram Award by: Wolfram Foundation Achievement: For research |
| Guest professors: | Ji-Seon KIM,
Prof. Dr.
Imperial College, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, London, United Kingdom Kalman KOCZO, Dr. Momentive Performance Materials Inc. Waterford, New York, United States of America Liana-Maria MUREŞAN, Prof. Dr. Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Gabriella SZABÓ, Dr. Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in Hungarian, Cluj-Napoca, Romania |
| Group leader: | Dr. Hórvölgyi Zoltán |