The energy transition is one of the key approaches in the effort to halt climate changes, and it has become even more essential in the light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Fostering the energy efficiency and the energy independence of the building sector is a focal aim to move towards a decarbonized society. In this context, building physics and building energy systems are fundamental disciplines based on applied physics applications in civil, architectural, and environmental engineering, including technical themes related to the planning of energy and the environment, diagnostic methods, and mitigating techniques. This Special Issue contains information on experimental studies in the following research topics: renewable energy sources, building energy analysis, rational use of energy, heat transmission, heating and cooling systems, thermofluid dynamics, smart energy systems, and energy service management in buildings.

Photoactive nanomaterials have been receiving increasing attention due to their potential application in the light-driven degradation of water and gas-phase pollutants. However, to exploit the great potential of photoactive materials and access their properties requires fine-tuning of their size/shape-dependent chemical–physical properties, and on the ability to integrate them in photoreactors or to deposit them onto large surfaces. Therefore, the synthetic approach as well as post-synthesis manipulation could strongly affect the final photocatalytic properties of the nanomaterial. The aim of the present Special Issue is to report on the most recent progress towards the application of photoactive nanomaterials and nanomaterial-based coatings in pollutant degradation, paying particular attention to cases close to real application: scalable synthetic approaches to nanocatalysts, preparation of nanocatalyst-based coatings, degradation of real pollutants and bacterial inactivation, and application in building materials.

Nanoparticles are usually designed for specific applications and selection of the most convenient capping can be a complex task, but is crucial for successful design. In this volume, the authors discuss the selection of functional cappings to coat nanoparticles in a range of different applications. The opening chapter provides an understanding of basic aspects of surface chemistry at the nanoscale. Each following chapter covers a particular kind of capping, beginning with a basic introduction and describing characteristics such as structure, functionality, solubility, (photo)physics, and toxicity. Special emphasis is placed on how important these specific features are in the preparation of smart nanomaterials. In-depth explanations and examples are then presented, highlighting the latest results and cutting-edge research carried out with the selected capping according to the kind of nanoparticle employed (such as rare-earth doped, semiconducting, and metallic). An additional chapter focusses on computational techniques for modelling nanosurfaces. Photoactive Inorganic Nanoparticles: Surface Composition and its Role in Nanosystem Functionality will be a valuable working resource for graduate students, researchers, and industry R&D professionals working in the field of applied nanomaterials. - Aids selection of the best functional cappings for particular applications - Covers a broad range of application areas, including medical, biological and materials science - Provides material on computational techniques for modeling nanosurfaces

Providing up-to-date coverage of green nanomaterials and systems, this book provides comprehensive information on nanostructured materials, including their applications in energy and environmental sciences. The book focusses on photo-active nanostructured materials, from the basic understanding of solar energy activation to their sustainable preparation and applications in environmental remediation and fuel production from biomass and carbon dioxide. It also examines the health and environmental impacts of photo-catalyst nanomaterials. This book is an important reference for researchers and industrial chemists working in the fields of energy and environmental remediation.

Photoactive nanomaterials have been receiving increasing attention due to their potential application in the light-driven degradation of water and gas-phase pollutants. However, to exploit the great potential of photoactive materials and access their properties requires fine-tuning of their size/shape-dependent chemical-physical properties, and on the ability to integrate them in photoreactors or to deposit them onto large surfaces. Therefore, the synthetic approach as well as post-synthesis manipulation could strongly affect the final photocatalytic properties of the nanomaterial. The aim of the present Special Issue is to report on the most recent progress towards the application of photoactive nanomaterials and nanomaterial-based coatings in pollutant degradation, paying particular attention to cases close to real application: scalable synthetic approaches to nanocatalysts, preparation of nanocatalyst-based coatings, degradation of real pollutants and bacterial inactivation, and application in building materials.

The energy transition is one of the key approaches in the effort to halt climate changes, and it has become even more essential in the light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Fostering the energy efficiency and the energy independence of the building sector is a focal aim to move towards a decarbonized society. In this context, building physics and building energy systems are fundamental disciplines based on applied physics applications in civil, architectural, and environmental engineering, including technical themes related to the planning of energy and the environment, diagnostic methods, and mitigating techniques. This Special Issue contains information on experimental studies in the following research topics: renewable energy sources, building energy analysis, rational use of energy, heat transmission, heating and cooling systems, thermofluid dynamics, smart energy systems, and energy service management in buildings.

In spite of the potential use of nanomaterials as tissue engineering devices, implants, biosensors, drug delivery devices, etc., there has yet to be a compilation of the risks associated with the in vivo use of nanomaterials. There are numerous and well-known risks because of the size of nanoparticles. For example, nanoparticles can cross cell membranes and enter the cytoplasm undetected. The aim of this book is to provide one of the first (if not the first) detailed views of how cells and tissues in the body deal with nanoparticles. This is important not only for implantable devices, but also for the manufacturing of nanophase materials when particles can be inhaled or enter the body through the skin. Only by compiling research at the intersection of nanoparticles and biological processes can we determine if nanophase materials are safe to be manufactured, handled, and/or implanted for various medical applications.

The book focuses on innovative photonic and photoactive materials and such topics as photonic structures, silicon photonics, nanomaterials, plasmonics, graphene quantum dots, optically active defects, fluorescent materials and optical sensors. The generation of light, absorption, emission, transmission, optical sensing and probing, signal processing and data transmission are some of the properties related to this growing field. Keywords: Photonic Structures, Silicon Photonics, Plasmonics, Silver Nanoparticles, Graphene Quantum Dots, Optically Active Defects, Fluorescent Materials, Optical Sensors, Fullerene, Proton Beam Detectors, Lithium Fluoride Films, Signal Processing, Data Transmission.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Novel Photoactive Materials that was published in Materials

Discover the latest research in photocatalysis combined with foundational topics in basic physical and chemical photocatalytic processes In Heterogeneous Photocatalysis: From Fundamentals to Applications in Energy Conversion and Depollution, distinguished researcher and editor Jennifer Strunk delivers a rigorous discussion of the two main topics in her field—energy conversion and depollution reactions. The book covers topics like water splitting, CO2 reduction, NOx abatement and harmful organics degradation. In addition to the latest research on these topics, the reference provides readers with fundamental information about elementary physical and chemical processes in photocatalysis that are extremely practical in this interdisciplinary field. It offers an excellent overview of modern heterogeneous photocatalysis and combines concepts from different viewpoints to allow researchers with backgrounds as varied as electrochemistry, material science, and semiconductor physics to begin developing solutions with photocatalysis. In addition to subjects like metal-free photocatalysts and photocarrier loss pathways in metal oxide absorber materials for photocatalysis explored with time-resolved spectroscopy, readers will also benefit from the inclusion of: Thorough introductions to kinetic and thermodynamic considerations for photocatalyst design and the logic, concepts, and methods of the design of reliable studies on photocatalysis Detailed explorations of in-situ spectroscopy for mechanistic studies in semiconductor photocatalysis and the principles and limitations of photoelectrochemical fuel generation Discussions of photocatalysis, including the heterogeneous catalysis perspective and insights into photocatalysis from computational chemistry Treatments of selected aspects of photoreactor engineering and defects in photocatalysis Perfect for photochemists, physical and catalytic chemists, electrochemists, and materials scientists, Heterogeneous Photocatalysis will also earn a place in the libraries of surface physicists and environmental chemists seeking up-to-date information about energy conversion and depollution reactions.