Graduated in Chemical Engineering from the University of Franca (UNIFRAN), from 2020 to 2024. During his academic career, he worked for two years as a scientific initiation student, developing research in the area of #8203;#8203;synthesis and characterization of materials applied to the degradation of emerging organic pollutants by advanced oxidative processes. During this period, he was awarded research funding grants, including PIBIC/UNIFRAN, PIBIC/CNPq and FAPESP. I participated as a co-author in an article published in the journal Catalysis Today. Currently, a master's student in Inorganic Chemistry at UNIFRAN, conducting research with the support of the funding agency CAPES.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Chemical Engineering, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Science, Environmental Chemistry
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Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Nb-Kaolinite and Nb-TiO2-Kaolinite for Emerging Organic Pollutant Removal Larissa F. Bonfim, Lorrana V. Barbosa, Yan P. Vedovato, Suelen D. de Souza, Hugo F. M. dos Santos, et al. Minerals, 2025 This study presents the synthesis and characterization of novel kaolinite niobium and kaolinite titanium niobium nanocomposites and their application as heterogeneous photocatalysts. Utilizing a hydrolytic sol–gel route, we combined kaolinite with isopropyl alcohol, acetic acid, titanium (IV) isopropoxide, and ammonium niobium oxalate, followed by heat treatment at 400, 700, and 1000 °C. X-ray diffraction confirmed the retention of kaolinite’s characteristic reflections, with basal spacings indicating the presence of semiconductors on the external surfaces and edges. Heating treatment not allowing the crystallization of anatase until 1000 °C reveals that Nb5+ could inhibit the transition to titanium crystalline phases (anatase and rutile). The bandgap energies decreased with clay mineral support, averaging 2.50 eV, and absorbing up to 650 nm. The model reaction of terephthalic acid hydroxylation accomplished by photoluminescence spectroscopy demonstrated that KaolTiNb400 presented a higher rate of *OH production, achieving 591 mmol L−1 min−1 compared to pure KaolNb400 173 mmol L−1 min−1. Photodegradation studies revealed significant photocatalytic activity, with the KaolTiNb400 nanocomposite achieving the highest efficiency, demonstrating 90% removal of methylene blue (combining adsorption and degradation) after 24 h of UV light irradiation. These materials also exhibited promising results for the degradation of the antibiotics Triaxon® (40%) and Loratadine (8%), highlighting their potential for organic pollutants’ removal. In both cases the presence of byproducts is detected.
