Depok, December 15, 2022. Three of the many challenges frequently faced by developing countries are health and well-being, the availability of clean water and adequate sanitation, and affordable clean energy. In fact, the United Nations has agreed to address these three issues jointly under the umbrella of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To achieve these seventeen SDGs by 2030, partnerships between developing and developed countries are essential.
However, initiatives from developing countries, especially their scientists, are a critical factor in determining the success of these SDGs. During her inaugural address as a professor at the University of Indonesia (UI) (Wednesday, December 14), Prof. Dr. Vivi Fauzia, S.Si., M.Si., a lecturer from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) UI, stated that the field of nanomaterials, which is the basis of her research, contributes to the fields of health, clean water availability, and renewable clean energy.
The first nanomaterial developed by Prof. Vivi Fauzia in the UI Physics Laboratory was made from precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. These precious metals exhibit localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effects. LSPR is associated with increased light absorption and scattering intensity on the surface of metal nanoparticles, and depends on the size, shape, composition, distance between nanoparticles, and the dielectric properties of the surrounding medium.
Laboratory experiments confirm this; the addition of Au nanoparticles successfully increases light absorption, the mobility of the active material charge, and the separation of excitons, ultimately increasing the efficiency of solar cells. In the health sector, Prof. Vivi stated that the LSPR effect of Au nanoparticles can also be used to detect the dangerous preservative formaldehyde, often called formalin, in food.
These Au nanoparticles were added to an optical sensor that works by a color-changing mechanism when interacting with formaldehyde. The new optical biosensor design, successfully created using Au nanoparticles, the enzyme alcohol oxidase, and a dye, demonstrated excellent performance, as the LSPR effect, acting as a nanoantenna, provides more light for the color change to occur.
"Another nanomaterial being studied is the semiconductor ZnO nanorods, which are being developed as photocatalysts, namely materials that can increase the rate of chemical reactions with the help of light. Exposure to light produces highly reactive ions, which can break down dyes in dye-contaminated wastewater into colorless and harmless forms," said Prof. Vivi, explaining her research related to clean water availability.
According to Prof. Vivi, another application of ZnO is as a photoanode in water splitting systems to produce clean hydrogen energy, H2. This research supports the search for alternative materials in the exploration of environmentally friendly and commercially viable fuels. In the photoelectrochemical water splitting (PEC) method, the energy required for water splitting is supplied by Indonesia's abundant sunlight.
Together with her students, Prof. Vivi Fauzia developed a ZnO/MoS2 heterostructure as a PEC photoanode through two MoS2 deposition methods. The first method using exfoliated commercial MoS2 powder showed that the addition of MoS2 resulted in an increase in efficiency of more than twofold. The second method through direct growth of MoS2 on ZnO using hydrothermal results were very profitable, because the ternary heterostructure of ZnO/ZnS/MoS2 was formed which could increase efficiency up to sixfold.
Another application of MoS2 material is in photothermal systems for producing clean water. This system represents an innovation over conventional distillation technology, which is inefficient due to its low evaporation rate. The use of photothermal materials, which can convert sunlight into heat, can increase the evaporation rate of seawater or wastewater to produce clean water in accordance with WHO standards.
After delivering his speech, the Rector of UI, Prof. Ari Kuncoro, S.E., M.A., Ph.D., who led the open session for the inauguration of three professors from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, FMIPA, inaugurated Prof. Vivi as a permanent professor in the Materials Science Department of Physics, FMIPA UI. The event, which was broadcast virtually through the UI YouTube channel and UI TV, was attended by various invited guests, including Professors from the National University of Malaysia, Prof. Dr. Muhamad Mat Saleh and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yahaya; Professor of the Department of Physics, IPB University, Prof. Dr. Husin Alatas; President Commissioner of Citilink Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Prasetio; and President Director of Citilink Indonesia, Dewa Kadek Rai.
Prof. Vivi currently serves as Head of the Registration Sub-Directorate of the UI Education Directorate from 2022 to present. She completed her undergraduate studies in Physics at the Bandung Institute of Technology in 1995. She then completed her Masters in Physics at the same university in 1997. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics, National University of Malaysia, in 2013.
Some of his latest scientific work titles that have been published in reputable international journals include Monitoring Shrimp Spoilage Using A Paper-based Colorimetric Label Containing Roselle Flower Extract (2022); One-Step Coating of a ZnS Nanoparticle/MoS2 Nanosheet Composite on Supported ZnO Nanorods as Anodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting (2022); Facile photochemical reduction synthesis of bimetallic Au and Pd nanoparticles on ZnO nanorods for improved photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (2022); Effect of potassium precursor concentration on the performance of perovskite-sensitized solar cells (2022); and Nanoscale Metal Oxides–2D Materials Heterostructures for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting—A Review (2022).
