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Search results for: light and environment
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Reducing nighttime light exposure in the urban environment to benefit human health and society
PublicationNocturnal light pollution can have profound effects on humans and other organisms. Recent research indicates that nighttime outdoor lighting is increasing rapidly. Evidence from controlled laboratory studies demonstrates that nocturnal light exposure can strain the visual system, disrupt circadian physiology, suppress melatonin secretion, and impair sleep. There is a growing body of work pointing to adverse effects of outdoor lighting...
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Journey towards light – evolutionary adaptations of humans, flora and fauna. Guidelines for safe and healthy illumination
PublicationThe paper examines using relatively recent discoveries on how evolution has embedded within all living organisms a natural sensitivity towards their native environment, in particular luminance levels and specific wavelengths of light. The studies conducted so far indicate that lighting installations that are visible after dark impact on humans, flora and fauna and influence our evolutionary dispositions, possibly with negative...
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The value of less Light – Sustainable architectural lighting design
PublicationSince its beginning, the art of external illumination has substantially influ-enced the creation and the perception of architecture and the night-time urban environment. In her lecture, the author examines and defines the significant interdisciplinary conditions related to architectural lighting design that have evolved over the years, starting from the first simple exterior lighting projects to the more modern, complex concepts...
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LED Light Sources and Their Complex Set-Up for Visually and Biologically Effective Illumination for Ornamental Indoor Plants
PublicationOrnamental plants are often used in indoor environments as part of biophilic design to improve the health and wellbeing of occupants, and to support sustainable, green architecture. Unfortunately, many plants do not thrive and need to be continuously replaced, which is economically unsustainable. The wavelengths and spectrum ratio of commonly used light sources such as light emitting diode (LED), and the lack of an appropriate...
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Elemental composition, environment of deposition of the Lower Carboniferous Emma Fiord Formation oil shale in Arctic Canada
PublicationThe sedimentary succession of 51-m consisting of a thin coal seam (1 m) and oil shale with a marlstone and carbonate-mudstone matrix of the Lower Carboniferous (Viséan) Emma Fiord Formation located on the Grinnell Peninsula, Devon Island, Arctic Canada was examined. The techniques used include reflected light microscopy, and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for elemental concentration, and inductively coupled plasma...
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Dynamic Route Discovery Using Modified Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm in Wireless Ad-Hoc Visible Light Communication Network
PublicationIn recent times, visible light communication is an emerging technology that supports high speed data communication for wireless communication systems. However, the performance of the visible light communication system is impaired by inter symbol interference, the time dispersive nature of the channel, and nonlinear features of the light emitting diode that significantly reduces the bit error rate performance. To address these problems,...
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The effect of PEDOT morphology on hexavalent chromium reduction over 2D TiO2/PEDOT photocatalyst under UV–vis light
PublicationThe present study represents an approach to apply organic-inorganic hybrid materials for photocatalytic removal of heavy metals from the aqueous environment. The photocatalytic activity of the semiconductor modified with the conjugated polymer may depends on the conjugated polymer type, its amount and morphology. Therefore, in the present study the effect of poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) morphology on adsorption and photoreduction...
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Decolorisation of Methylene Blue with Sodium Persulfate Activated with Visible Light in the Presence of Glucose and Sucrose
PublicationThe paper presents the results of research on the methylene blue (MB) degradation with sodium persulfate (PDS) activated with visible light (Vis) in the presence of glucose and sucrose. The following test were examined: absence and presence of sugars in concentrations of 50–300 mM, presence and absence of Vis radiation, pH of the model solution (6.0–12.0), identification of free radicals, kinetics of the pseudo-first-order reaction....
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Palladium versus Platinum: The Metal in the Catalytic Center of a Molecular Photocatalyst Determines the Mechanism of the Hydrogen Production with Visible Light
PublicationTo develop highly efficient molecular photocatalysts for visible light-driven hydrogen production, a thorough understanding of the photophysical and chemical processes in the photocatalyst is of vital importance. In this context, in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS) investigations show that the nature of the catalytically active metal center in a (N^N)MCl2 (M=Pd or Pt) coordination sphere has a significant impact on the...
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Healthier and Environmentally Responsible Sustainable Cities and Communities. A New Design Framework and Planning Approach for Urban Illumination
PublicationAlthough sustainability and sustainable development are both considered necessary practices in various fields today, a recent analysis showed that the Sustainable Development Goal SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities established by the United Nations does not address urban illumination and its impact. This oversight is of concern because research carried out in the last 20+ years indicates artificial light at night (ALAN)...
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Gaseous products from scrap tires pyrolisis
PublicationIn European Union 75% of used tires should be recycled. The most common method of used tires disposal, is burning in cement kilns, which does not solve the problem. Pyrolysis process can be an alternative way of utilization of tires. The aim of the researches was to check the influence of pyrolysis products (gas and oil fractions) on environment. Samples from pyrolysis process, like light oil fractions or pyrolysis gases were analyzed...
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HISTORIA ROZWOJU LAMP I OPRAW OŚWIETLENIOWYCH SŁUŻĄCYCH DO OŚWIETLANIA WNĘTRZ MIESZKALNYCH. CZĘŚĆ PIERWSZA
PublicationThis paper reflects on the history of decorative luminaire design. The development of the new sources of light within residential environment has been changing the luminaire design. Residential dwellings have been lit by a lot of light sources through the centuries form a point lamps like candle or incandescent lamps to linear florescent lamps and LED strips. A development of SSL technology introduced an idea of lit surfaces. Energy...
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Design and implementation of an illumination system to mimic skyglow at ecosystem level in a large‐scale lake enclosure facility
PublicationLight pollution is an environmental stressor of global extent that is growing exponentially in area and intensity. Artificial skyglow, a form of light pollution with large range, is hypothesized to have environmental impact at ecosystem level. However, testing the impact of skyglow at large scales and in a controlled fashion under in situ conditions has remained elusive so far. Here we present the first experimental setup to mimic...
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THE ROLE OF DAYLIGHT IN ARCHITECTURAL CREATIONS OF CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL FACILITIES
PublicationThe paper studies the role of light in architectural creations of contemporary buildings of representative function. Based on the selected projects and completed buildings dedicated to culture and art, it analyzes and systematizes the examples of using light to obtain visual effects that mark the architecture with a universal and timeless message. The method of research is case study and critical analysis of literature. Light plays...
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Urban city lights. Light pollution as one of the effects of incorrectly designed external illumination. How can a successful lighting masterplan diminish its impact?
PublicationIn the modern world, artificial lighting brings many tangible benefits such as the ability to extend working hours and so increase production, recreational use of the city after dark, or the possibility to travel regardless of the time of day. However, this flexibility comes at a price and negatively impacts on the environment. One such negative phenomenon is Light Pollution ‐ a term used to describe excessive nighttime artificial...
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Global Approaches to Reduce Light Pollution from Media Architecture and Non-Static, Self-Luminous LED Displays for Mixed-Use Urban Developments
PublicationUrban environments have become significantly brighter and more illuminated, and cities now consider media architecture and non-static, self-luminous LED displays an essential element of their strategy to attract residents, visitors, and tourists in the hours after dark. Unfortunately, most often, they are not designed with care, consideration, and awareness, nor do they support the visual wellbeing and circadian rhythms of humans....
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Failure of austenitic stainless steel tubes during steam generator operation
PublicationThe article presents the failure process of austenitic stainless steels used in power devices, such as heat exchangers, steam generators, in terms of local corrosion: pitting, stress and intergranular corrosion, paying particular attention to welded joints area. The effect of steel chemical composition, microstructure, welding process and work environment was analyzed. The second part of the article presents the results of the...
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The Effect of Laser Re-Solidification on Microstructure and Photo-Electrochemical Properties of Fe-Decorated TiO2 Nanotubes
PublicationFossil fuels became increasingly unpleasant energy source due to their negative impact on the environment; thus, attractiveness of renewable, and especially solar energy, is growing worldwide. Among others, the research is focused on smart combination of simple compounds towards formation of the photoactive materials. Following that, our work concerns the optimized manipulation of laser light coupled with the iron sputtering to...
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DAYLIGHT WITHIN A ROOM IN THE EYES OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS
PublicationA questionnaire was conducted to investigate how 140 architecture students apprise daylight conditions within the classrooms. The participants were requested to evaluate the luminous environment and their luminous comfort. They were also asked about light preferences and knowledge on daylight metrics and regulations. The students’ subjective appraisals results were compared with the experts’ assessment and the on-site illuminance...
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The New Test Procedure for Group-Type Composition of Base Oils of Lubricating Oils, Especially Emitted into the Environment
PublicationMineral base oil, a product of multistep fine refining of the relevant fractions from vacuum distillation of crude oil, is a main component of so-called mineral lubricating oils containing aliphatic and alicyclic substituted aromatic hydrocarbons, i.e., derivatives of benzene and biphenyl. Mineral lubricating oil is composed mostly of mineral base oil and a low amount of enriching additives, most often products of advanced organic...
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Contemporary issues in production and utilisation of the common urban areas
PublicationThis paper deals with issues in production and utilization of common urban areas within contemporary cities. Therefore, the main focus of it was put on the analysis of the possible models of development of spaces in the context of changing socio-economic environment of cities and evolution of their structure. This issue is discussed also in light of the changing definition of the contemporary public space, which no longer resembles...
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Chemiluminogenic acridinium salts: A comparison study. Detection of intermediate entities appearing upon light generation
PublicationThe nine derivatives of acridine-9-carboxylic acid (CMADs) capable for chemiluminescence (CL), representing various classes of compounds were isolated in a chemically pure state (assessed by RP-HPLC) and identified using high resolution mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF) and magnetic resonance (1H NMR) techniques. Among them are aryl acridinium esters, containing certainly selected and located substituents in both aromatic systems, an...
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Lighting education for architects, the barriers and challenges: a survey of architecture students
PublicationCreating a well-lit environment requires the understanding of daylight and electric lighting design principles within the built environment. Recent years have brought a large number of new lighting assessment and design methods. The discovery of new photoreceptor cells in the eye - photosensitive retinal ganglion cells - forced lighting researchers to focus on parametrisation for the image forming (IF) and non-image forming (NIF)...
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Equal Baseline Camera Array—Calibration, Testbed and Applications
PublicationThis paper presents research on 3D scanning by taking advantage of a camera array consisting of up to five adjacent cameras. Such an array makes it possible to make a disparity map with a higher precision than a stereo camera, however it preserves the advantages of a stereo camera such as a possibility to operate in wide range of distances and in highly illuminated areas. In an outdoor environment, the array is a competitive alternative...
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THE ARCHITECTURE OF DAYLIGHT IN THE DISCOURSE ABOUT THE AESTHETICS OF SUSTAINABILITY
PublicationThe need to create ecological and energy efficient architecture is evident today. In the contemporary discourse on architecture more and more attention is dedicated to the aesthetics that expresses the idea of sustainability. The article is a voice in this debate, concentrating on the architecture that features daylight. Solar light comes from the natural environment and brings some substantial benefits for the architectural space,...
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Optimum Choice of Randomly Oriented Carbon Nanotube Networks for UV-Assisted Gas Sensing Applications
PublicationWe investigated the noise and photoresponse characteristics of various optical transparencies of nanotube networks to identify an optimal randomly oriented network of carbon nanotube (CNT)-based devices for UV-assisted gas sensing applications. Our investigation reveals that all of the studied devices demonstrate negative photoconductivity upon exposure to UV light. Our studies confirm the effect of UV irradiation on the electrical...
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Urban Lighting Research Transdisciplinary Framework—A Collaborative Process with Lighting Professionals
PublicationOver the past decades, lighting professionals have influenced the experience of the night by brightly illuminating streets, buildings, skylines, and landscapes 24/7. When this became the accepted norm, a dual perspective on night-time was shaped and the visual enjoyment of visitors after dusk was prioritized over natural nightscapes (nocturnal landscapes). During this time, researchers of artificial light at night (ALAN) observed...
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An overview of the cognitive and biological effects of city nighttime illumination including a London case study
PublicationCurrent scientific research demonstrates how critical the effects of city nighttime illumination are upon cognitive and biological health1 – which needs to be adequately acknowledged, understood and addressed by conscious cities and the plans they develop. Until recent decades, the design of nighttime lighting was determined mostly by electrical engineers who often applied technical standards to meet the requirements of vehicle-focused...
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A Systematic Review for Establishing Relevant Environmental Parameters for Urban Lighting: Translating Research into Practice
PublicationThe application of lighting technologies developed in the 20th century has increased the brightness and changed the spectral composition of nocturnal night-time habitats and night skies across urban, peri-urban, rural, and pristine landscapes, and subsequently, researchers have observed the disturbance of biological rhythms of flora and fauna. To reduce these impacts, it is essential to translate relevant knowledge about the potential...
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TiO2-based magnetic nanocomposites with core-shell structure
PublicationThe main aim of the doctoral dissertation was preparation and characterization of photocatalysts, with particular emphasis on modified titanium (IV) oxide photocatalysts, which can be applied for the degradation of organic pollutants not susceptible to biodegradation. A particularly important aspect of the work was the development of preparation method of nanocomposites with the magnetic core-shell and photocatalyst shell (TiO2)...
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Solar light driven degradation of textile dye contaminants for wastewater treatment – studies of novel polycationic selenide photocatalyst and process optimization by response surface methodology desirability factor
PublicationThe unplanned anthropogenic activities and raced industrial revolution detrimentally causes serious threat to terrestrial and aquatic life. A high discharge of wastewater from industries using dyes affects living organisms and the environment. This paper presents studies on polycationic selenides (PCS) synthesized by hydrothermal methods for photocatalytic degradation of dyes. The synthesized PCS were confirmed by various characterization...
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Critical perspectives on media architecture: is it still possible to design projects without negatively affecting urban nighttime environments and will the future remain dynamic, bright and multi-colored?
PublicationNowadays, due to advances in electrical devices, new digital media, lighting, information and communication technologies, cities are being used 24/7. The paper discusses critical aspects of Media Architecture in the context of public spaces as well as urban nighttime environments from the perspective of a practising lighting architect. The author examines recent issues of negative design approaches and presents proposals for improving...
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Lighting conditions in home office and occupant’s perception: Exploring drivers of satisfaction
PublicationThis paper depicts lighting home office conditions within different countries and continents, emphasizing the user’s satisfaction with the visual environment. The scope of this article is to investigate the drivers of participants’ satisfaction with the lighting conditions at the home office. The study was developed by a team of international experts working together on Subtask A: User perspective and requirements, Task 61 IEA...
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Experimental Study of the Resistance to Influence of Aggressive Liquids on Lightweight Concrete
PublicationIn light of the scientific research, the corrosion of concrete structures is one of the main problems that may reduce their durability due to the negative impact of the natural environment. The paper analyzes the influence of the type of component on the selected properties of lightweight concrete subjected to the influence of aggressive liquids. Four concrete mixes were prepared with a granular aggregate made of foamed glass (GEGA)...
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NOWE ŻYCIE DWORCÓW KOLEJOWYCH - MOŻLIWOŚCI MODERNIZACJI OBIEKTÓW OBSŁUGI PASAŻERÓW
PublicationW aspekcie współcześnie zachodzących zmian demograficznych, rozwijających się technologii oraz poszukiwania rozwiązań proekologicznych wzrasta potencjał transportu kolejowego. Po okresie upadku znaczenia kolei jesteśmy świadkami jej postępującej transformacji w Europie. Do obsługi ruchu pasażerskiego służy w Polsce prawie 600 dworców kolejowych, z których większość nie jest jeszcze przystosowana do aktualnych potrzeb użytkownika...
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Survey on opportunities and barriers in lighting controls
PublicationThis report summarizes a survey performed in eight countries on the status quo of daylight and electric lighting control systems. Feedback from more than 100 international experts (building / facility managers and planers) was evaluated. The aim of the survey was to identify the perception of the different possibilities of the current lighting control solutions and the expectations about the control systems. The survey aims to...
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Self-advocacy of a person with a disability in the dual role of paid worker and volunteer: Theoretical considerations and a case study
PublicationThe changing models of disability influence the way people with disabilities participate in social life, and how they can transform their life and environment. Such participation may take the form of work and volunteering, as well as participation in self-advocacy movements. This paper aims to explore how a woman with hearing impairment perceives her dual role as a regular worker and voluntary self-advocate within one organization...
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Design and synthesis of TiO2/Ti3C2 composites for highly efficient photocatalytic removal of acetaminophen: The relationships between synthesis parameters, physicochemical properties, and photocatalytic activity
PublicationIn this study, we report the potential of TiO2/Ti3C2 composite fabricated by oxidation of MXene for degradation of persistent organic pollutants. The effect of the synthesis conditions (time, temperature, and reaction environment) on the morphology, physicochemical properties, and photocatalytic activity was investigated. It was found that acetaminophen degradation was positively correlated with TiO2 content in the composite structure. Furthermore,...
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Application of Web-GIS for Dissemination and 3D Visualization of Large-Volume LiDAR Data
PublicationThe increasing number of digital data sources, which allow for semi-automatic collection and storage of information regarding various aspects of life has recently granted a considerable rise in popularity to the term “Big data”. As far as geospatial data is concerned, one of the major sources of Big data are Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) scanners, which produce high resolution three-dimensional data on a local scale. The...
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Occurrence and seasonal variations of 25 pharmaceutical residues in wastewater and drinking water treatment plants
PublicationThousands of tons of pharmaceuticals are introduced into the aqueous environment due to their incomplete elimination during treatment process in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and water treat- ment plants (WTPs). The presence of pharmacologically active compounds in the environment is of a great interest because of their potential to cause negative effects. Furthermore, drugs can undergo different pro- cesses leading to the...
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Study of the Resistance to Influence of Aggressive Liquids on Concrete with Lightweight Aggregate
PublicationThe corrosion of the structure of concrete caused by the aggressive external environment is one of the main problems that can reduce the durability of buildings. The paper analyzes the influence of the type of component on selected properties of lightweight concrete (LWC) exposed to aggressive liquids. When lightweight concrete containing porous aggregates is used, the influence of an aggressive environment may be of particular...
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A new method and equipment for the detection of presence and estimation of the content of the petroleum-based fraction in lubricating oils, especially those emitted to the atmosphere
PublicationLubricating oil, used in cutting equipment, works in the so-called open lubrication system and is entirely emitted to the environment. When such an oil contains even a small portion of the crude oil-derived fraction, which is still very common, the oil is a serious environmental pollution. In addition, the oil mist poses a serious threat to the health of employees. Current legal regulations require users of saws and harvesters...
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The Influence of a Photovoltaic Micro-Installation on the Low-Frequency Parameters of Electricity at PCC and Its Impact on the Thermal Characteristics of Selected Devices
PublicationThis manuscript illustrates the measurement results of parameters describing the quality of energy at the PCC (point of common coupling) of a photovoltaic micro-installation that can significantly affect devices in the same power grid. The analyses reflecting heating of selected devices used in domestic installations, which were performed in an isolated laboratory environment, are also indicated. The conducted study aimed at checking...
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On-line measurement of wood surface smoothness
PublicationThe latest progress in the field of optics and microelectronics resulted in development of new generation vision systems capable of scanning surface topography with very high sampling frequencies. The blue color of illuminating light as well as novel systems for controlling ultra-thin laser line thickness allows measurement of the porous surface of wood with a triangulation method. Three alternative sensors were tested here in...
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Improved degradation of etodolac in the presence of core-shell ZnFe2O4/SiO2/TiO2 magnetic photocatalyst
PublicationIn the present study, susceptibility to photocatalytic degradation of etodolac, 1,8-diethyl-1,3,4,9 – tetrahydro pyran - [3,4-b] indole-1-acetic acid, which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug frequently detected in an aqueous environment, was for the first time investigated. The obtained p-type TiO2-based photocatalyst coupled with zinc ferrite nanoparticles in a core-shell structure improves the separation and recovery...
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COMBINING FUNCTIONAL AND AESTHETIC ASPECTS OF DAYLIGHTING IN SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE WITH THE USE OF DIGITAL DESIGN METHODS
PublicationThe aesthetics of modern architecture should relate to its origins and goals - the environment, function, sustainability and its users. One of the conditions that meet the criteria is the presence of daylight and the use of its potential. The contemporary digital tools that support the design process allow to controlling the use of difficult and capricious materials, such as daylight. They also combine daylighting aspects with...
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Use of Daylight and Aesthetic Image of Glass Facades in Contemporary Buildings
PublicationThe paper deals with the architecture of contemporary buildings in respect to their aesthetic image created by the use of natural light. Sustainability is regarded as a principle of contemporary architecture, where daylighting is an important factor as it affects energy consumption and environmental quality of the space inside a building. Environmental awareness of architecture, however, involves a much wider and more holistic...
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Thermal dewetting as a method of surface modification of the gold thin films for surface plasmon resonance based sensor applications
PublicationHere, we report a quick and simple approach with low, optimized production costs to obtain surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based sensors fabricated through a time- and resource-effective method based on thermal dewetting of thin Au films. From the applicative point of view, the method of detection presented here should be easier to implement, since light transmission measurements seem to be much less challenging than light refractive...
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Modelling and optimisation of MXene-derived TiO2/Ti3C2 synthesis parameters using Response Surface Methodology based on the Box–Behnken factorial design. Enhanced carbamazepine degradation by the Cu-modified TiO2/Ti3C2 photocatalyst
PublicationIn the present study, a hydrothermal method in a water/ethanol environment was used for the first time to obtain novel Cu/TiO2/Ti3C2 composites with high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) under simulated solar light. The Box–Behnken factorial design was coupled with Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for synthesis parameter optimisation. The effect of different synthesis parameters, including temperature, time...
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Preparation and Characterization of Defective TiO2. The Effect of the Reaction Environment on Titanium Vacancies Formation
PublicationAmong various methods of improving visible light activity of titanium(IV) oxide, the formation of defects and vacancies (both oxygen and titanium) in the crystal structure of TiO2 is an easy and relatively cheap alternative to improve the photocatalytic activity. In the presented work, visible light active defective TiO2 was obtained by the hydrothermal reaction in the presence of three different oxidizing agents: HIO3, H2O2, and...