PhD: Jessica Casandra Ramírez de la Torre

Directors: ICREA Prof. Josep Nogués, Dr Borja Sepúlveda & Dr María José Esplandiu

Short Abstract: Aquatic contamination by emerging pollutants poses severe environmental threats, demanding innovative remediation strategies. This PhD thesis investigates Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs), specifically mixed-phase engineered MoS2 and WS2 nanostructures, for sustainable wastewater treatment via Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs).

Utilizing solvothermal synthesis, phase engineering successfully yielded nanostructures featuring tunable photoelectronic, piezoelectric, and ferromagnetic properties. Notably, solvothermal MoS2 exhibited unique magnetoelectric coupling driven by lattice distortion. To enhance interfacial charge transfer, these TMDs were integrated into silicon p-n and n-p photodiodes, maximizing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation under visible light and magnetic stimuli.
While silicon integration enhanced overall catalytic degradation of recalcitrant pollutants, transfer efficiency constraints revealed areas for further interface refinement. Ultimately, this work establishes a rigorous framework linking crystal structure to catalytic performance, demonstrating that multi-stimulus TMD activation offers a viable, efficient approach for organic pollutant mineralization directly aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

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