Testing and standardization activities of NANOPIN
Centre NANOPIN is one of European groups pioneering application field of nanocrystalline photoactive materials in Europe and development of standard procedures for the evaluation of the photocatalytic and hydrophilic properties of these materials. NANOPIN is open and offering all kind of collaborations with both academia and industry partners being interested in the field of photocatalytic applications. According to the proposals of ISO test standard methods for evaluation of self cleaning performance of photocatalytic materials, NANOPIN in cooperation with Advex Instruments, Brno developed two simple portable devices for measurement of self-cleaning performance of non-porous (Advex SEE System - based on measurement of contact angle of liquid drops on solid surfaces - figure on the left) and porous (Advex PhotoCat System - based on measurement of methylene blue degradation - figure on the right) phototocatalytic surfaces, respectively. Both instruments are equipped with special-purpose software, which can handle all necessary operations.
Another testing device developed by NANOPIN is the chamber for testing self-cleaning and antimicrobial properties of active films and coatings. The box has transparent front wall with two glow ports for sampling, inside of the chamber are jets for producing fine liquid sprays, electricity cut-outs and the ventof the ventilation fan are at the rear wall of the chamber. At the chamber cover the illumination system of 4 UV black-light lamps is mounted (Osram UV A 350 to 400 nm, L 18 W/73).
The centre NANOPIN is also able to provide for their partners standard tests of photocatalytic activity according to ISO-TC206-1, which is based on evaluation of air purficiation performance of NOx removal (figure on the left). Using QUV Accelerated Weathering Tester (figure on the right) we are able to simulate and determine the effect of atmospheric condition - sun, humidity, rain - on variety of the surface properties of photocatalytic coatings: optical (glaze, colour), mechanical (hardnes) and photoinduced (photoactivity, wettability). In just a few days or weeks, the QUV can reproduce damage that may occur over months or even years outdoors.
International activities of NANOPIN
NANOPIN initiated in 2006 establishing of European COST Action 540 "Photocatalytic technologies and novel nanosurfaces materials - critical issues" (www.cost540.com), which served as network of researchers and practitioners working in the field of photocatalysis from all around Europe. The Action joined 21 European countries and Japan and was running 4 years till January 2010. The COST Action 540 significantly contributed to establishing of European CEN standard TC 386 for photocatalysis in December 2008. Centre NANOPIN organized in the frame of this Action several international conferences presenting the state of art of applications and testing methods in the field of photocatalysis in Europe and Japan. During the meeting in Liblice, Czech Republic in 2009 the first European exhibition of existing ISO and CEN methods and devices was organized by NANOPIN.
In 2010 NANOPIN organized in Prague 6th European meeting on Solar Chemistry and Photocatalysis: Environmental Applications (SPEA6) focused on
research and applications of photochemistry and photocatalysis. More than 200 participants from 38 countries attendend the conference. More details about SPEA6 conference you can find at this website.
