Projects / Programmes
Razvoj materialov po sol-gel postopkih in njihova uporaba v sistemih za izkoriščanje nekonvencionalnih virov energije (Slovene)
January 1, 2009
- December 31, 2014
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.04.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Chemistry |
|
| 2.03.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Energy engineering |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.05 |
Engineering and Technology |
Materials engineering |
Researchers (28)
Organisations (2)
Significance for science
As regards the wide use of the application of sol-gel materials mainly for the production of thin coatings with multifunctional properties, the basic studies of the sol-gel materials have gained extremely high momentum. Numerous novel materials opened many challenges in understanding their properties. POSS materials developed in this programme represent a typical example of the sol-gel materials, which were examined in details bringing about new understanding of their properties and finding new routes for their preparation. Particularly, the novel patented synthesis route for POSS represents an example of successful transfer of basic chemistry to practice allowing Slovene industry (Helios, Chemcolor) to make their own POSS additive for their paints. The use of POSS in Slovene paint coatings is realistic to expect in future. Many new properties of POSS and other sol-gel materials have been explained and published for the first time in international journals. For instance, anticorrosion properties of POSS materials, superdispersant properties of POSS for various pigments in different organic polymeric and sol-gel resin binder coating systems, self-assembling properties, semi-solid electrolytes prepared from silylated ionic liquids with a negligible vapour pressure suitable for electrochromic and Graetzel cells and sol-gel coatings for textile fabrics imparting them super water- and oil-repellent properties. For all sol-gel coatings and materials in-depth studies have been made for the understanding of their mutual interactions performed by using various advanced experimental techniques. All these findings were achieved in close collaboration of all programme partners. Especially during the last year there was a successful collaboration with the University of Nova Gorica on determination of structure and properties of thin layers with photocatalytic and superhydrophilic properties. Work of programme group also surpassed the formal financial frames. For instance, there was an efficient collaboration with Department for textile, NTF (Prof. Dr. B. Simončič) in the field of novel sol-gel impregnations for cotton fibers. Our joint work significantly contributed to the understanding of the interactions of silans with fibers and achieved very good response of international scientific community.
Significance for the country
Unquestionably, in order to make Slovene way to progress, industry breakthrough is needed by using the knowledge of basic science and its application for the production of novel materials and systems. The sol-gel route is exactly the way to achieve this goal since it is easy to apply and use and the production of materials does not need expensive techniques and new industrial setups. The sol-gel route makes it possible to provide materials with a highly added value suitable for variety of applications. There are many examples, where the sol-gel materials successfully substituted common materials in variety of systems and devices. The main focus of the sol-gel chemistry in the frame of this programme was the development of materials relevant for the non-conventional energy systems, the solar absorber coatings representing the most important application. We started with the development of the solar absorber coatings in the year 1988 (solar absorber coatings) and in the year 1990, our interest was broadened to the thin electrochromic films needed to make smart windows. Since then the main commercial breakthrough has been made for the application of solar absorber coatings which resulted in selling the know-how of the selective paint fabrication to German solar absorber manufacturer Alanod. Slovene industry benefited from that becoming exclusive manufacturer of the paint for the Alanod factory. Unfortunately, other Slovene industry did not follow them and the moment to establish Slovene trade mark for solar absorber production has not been realized. Nevertheless, Helios paint manufacturer intended to improve their products by our assistance of producing certain quantity (5 kg) of water and oil repellent POSS, which served as additive for domestic and common paints. This knowledge exists and can make Helios more competitive for special paints interesting for the EU market. Recently, also Chemcolor (Sevnica) expressed their interest in our knowledge on fabrication of solar coatings in general. Results of this programme proved that the investment in the basic knowledge on the sol-gel routes can result in commercial applications.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
