AREAS OF EXPERTIES - DEPARTMENT OF PLASMA CHEMISTRY

Laboratory of Surface and Nanolayer Chemistry

Contact persons: András Tóth, Miklós Mohai

Equipment and expertise

• Surface analysis of solids, layers and coatings by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, ESCA): qualitative, quantitative and chemical structural analysis
• Ion beam etching and depth profile analysis
• Nanomechanical and tribological characterisation of solids, layers and coatings (indentation, hardness, Young modulus, friction, topography, abrasive wear)
• Laboratory-scale surface modification of solids (polymers, glasses, ceramics, metals, composites, biomaterials) by plasmas and particle beams (glow discharge, plasma beam, plasma immersion ion implantation, fast atom beam)
• Laboratory-scale deposition of thin layers (magnetron sputtering, PECVD)

Examples of industrial application

Polymer engineering, plastics industry:

• foils (degradation, segregation, hydrophobic recovery, printability, adhesion, metallisation)
• composites (surface treatment of reinforcing materials, fillers)
• separation membranes (surface treatment, hydrophylic and hydrophobic properties, fouling)

Textile industry:

• fibers, textiles (printing, dyeing,, bactericid coatings, water repellency, antistatic, flame-retardant and shrink-proofing properties)
• wool, silk (surface treatment)
• Wood, paper, furniture, typographic industries:
• lignocellulosic materials (technological problems, ageing, wettability, adhesion)
• fillers (surface treatment)
• Packaging (food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, fine chemicals):
• metallic packaging materials (coating, printing, corrosion)
• nonmetallic packaging materials (sulphonation, fluorination, composites, adhesion, barrier properties)

Biomaterials engineering:

• implants and devices (hip joint, knee joint, stent, catheter, biocompatibility, lifetime issues)
• contact lenses (surface properties)

Chemical engineering:

• heterogeneous catalysts (ageing, regeneration, metal-support interaction, doping effect)
• pigments (formation of structural layers)

Glass manufacturing:

• plate-glass (coating, modification of optical properties)
• glass corrosion (identification of chemical processes)
• pharmaceutical ampules (dissolution of alkali-content)
• GC capillary columns (surface treatment processes)
• lenses (optical coatings, hard layers)

Microelectronics:

• thin layers (deposition processes, oxidation, corrosion)
• insulating and packaging layers (surface composition, diffusion processes)
• sensors (surface composition, reaction mechanisms)

Communication:

• optical elements (modified waveguides)

Electrical industry:

• lighting (cathodes, glass coatings, phosphors)
• photovoltaic cells (contacts, degradation)

Automotive industry:

• tribology (additives, wear)
• corrosion protection (coatings, paints)

Mining, mechanical engineering:

• coal (desulfurisation, chemical treatments)
• hard coatings (layer chemistry)
• metal processing (tribological processes)
• metallic components (coatings)
• anticorrosion coatings (corrosion processes
• metallic powders, powder metallurgy (surface properties, sintering)
• engineering (Hi-Tech) ceramics (powder characterisation, sintering)

Thermal plasma laboratory

The laboratory performs investigations in the field of chemical reactions occurring in thermal plasmas. These research activities in conformity with the Institute's profile are running in two directions .

Research aiming at materials chemistry – production of micro- and nanopowders of particular morphology, such as:

• Functional nano and micron size ceramic powders and composite powders with special mechanical, electrical, magnetic and chemical properties
  Contact leading researchers: János Szépvölgyi, Ilona Mohai
• Catalyst supports
  Contact persons: János Szépvölgyi, Zoltán Károly
• Spherical compact or hollow ceramic powders
  Contact persons: János Szépvölgyi, Zoltán Károly
• Synthesis of fullerenes
  Contact persons: János Szépvölgyi, Ilona Mohai
• Formation of metallic and ceramic layer by thermal plasma spraying
  Contact persons: János Szépvölgyi, Ilona Mohai, Zoltán Károly

Research aiming at enviromental chemistry – Decomposition or processing of hazardous organic and inorganic waste materials to harmless and valuable products, e.g.:

• Treatment of metallurgical and other high metallic content waste materials
  Contact persons: János Szépvölgyi, Zoltán Károly, Ilona Mohai
• Processing of organic, halogenated organic, or polluted inorganic materials
  Contact persons: János Szépvölgyi, Szilvia Klébert

For the characterization of starting materials and the products the following methods are applied: bulk and surface chemical compositions (ICP-AES, XPS), phase composition (XRD), microscopic techniques (SEM and TEM), particle size analysis (LDA), physi- and chemisorption properties.

For research activities we are using a 27 MHz/4 kW and a 3-5 MHz/30 kW RF thermal plasma reactors, as well as transferred and non-transferred DC arc plasma systems.

Besides our basic research activities we are involved in graduate and postgraduate trainings in the leading universities in Hungary (BME, ELTE and PE), as well as in industrial R&D cooperations (Dunaferr, GE, BASF).

Laboratory of Functinal Nanoparticles

Our laboratory works as a part of the Faculty of Information Technology in University of Pannonia. Our research group has continued the conventional activities on particle technology of the Institute of Chemical and Process Engineering that is crystallization, granulation, coating, drying, mixing, grinding as well as modeling of these processes. The laboratory is supported by the HAS CRC Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry and the University of Pannonia, and it has kept the activities of the conventional methods of particle technology but our research work is expanded to the investigations on the preparation of new, tailored nano- and micro structured pure or composite materials.

Namely, the main purposes of our work are to prepare and investigate particles with size and structures in micron or nanometer ranges, to develop new methods and processing for the formation, to investigate the relation between the material structure and functional properties. These activities provide a scientific basis of formation of materials (such as biocatalyzators, drug formulations, polymer fillers etc.) with more effectiveness than before. The preparation conditions of the new particulate solids are investigated in the following areas:

Studies on colloid chemiVstry and nanostructure of solid products:

Contact persons: Judit Tóth, Tivadar Feczkó

Preparation of pure and composite materials of micron and nanometer sizes using precipitation (salting-out and chemical), cooprecipitation, spherical agglomeration and emulsion methods.

Chemical and process engineering research

Contact person: Judit Tóth

Elaboration of chemical, physical, mechanical and other (e.g. combined) processes to prepare and to treat micron size composite particles with suitable nanostructure, in order to establish new production methods, techniques and equipment for these kinds of products. Among them, product recovery by spray drying and granulation, drying of heat sensitive particles in fluidized bed or spouted bed reactors, by microwave treatment etc. will be studied.

Physical, chemical and material structural experiments:

Contact person: Tivadar Feczkó

Material structure study of prepared individual or composite particles: crystal and/or amorphous phase composition, particle size and size distribution, morphology and inner microstructure of the surface, investigations on functional properties (e.g. chemical quality, stability, release, decomposition)

Available devices: Reactors for batch crystallization, fluid granulator and dryer, mechanically spouted bed dryer, different grinders, freeze-dryer, ultrasonic homogenizator, ultracentrifuge, Malvern Mastersizer 2000 particle size analyzer, Malvern Zetasizer Nano ZS zeta-potential, particle size and molecular mass analyzer.

Metalcomplex Laboratory

In environmental aspect the converting of industrial and dangerous wastes, the monitoring, selection and realization of disposal and re-utilization possibilities of wastes are of great significance. For putting into practice mainly chemical methods are chosen, for example the obtaining of zinc from galvanic sludge or the converting of spent baking oil into biodiesel. Other initial materials of different origin may be also suitable for production of biofuel.

Method developments for management and disposal of industrial and sewage –water.

Contact person : László Kótai

Synthesis and studies on porous composite materials, e.g. ash granulates as ecofertilizers, bleacing earths and various liquid absorbing and storaging systems.

Contact person : László Kótai

Preparation of metal complexes and investigation of them with instrumental analytical techniques (IR, TG, XPS, etc.). Significance and role of metal complexes in the function of human body. Supplementation possibilities of metals by natural mode or by polygalacturonate and other metal complexes with natural origin.

ICP analitical investigations for determination of metal element homeostasis mainly in metabolic diseases. ICP analytical examinations and evaluation in other biological samples of multi components, e.g. medicinal plants and extracts. Determination of concentration of different elements and species by polarographic-voltammetric methods in small concentration range (e.g. detection limt for Se: 0.01 ng/ml).

Contact person : Klára Szentmihályi