Graphene-Based Nanozyme Platforms for Sustainable Waste Recovery and Circular Economy Applications

Research theses
Abstract

We offer a thesis internship focused on the development of advanced nanomaterial platforms for sustainable environmental management, with particular emphasis on waste recovery and circular economy strategies. The project explores the design and fabrication of multifunctional nanozyme-based composites built from graphene oxide (GO), magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs), and metal nanoparticles, engineered to mimic enzymatic activity and enable efficient pollutant transformation and resource recovery.

Interns will employ wet-chemical synthesis and surface functionalization approaches to fabricate hybrid nanomaterials with tailored catalytic and adsorption properties. Biomimetic strategies will be explored to enhance selectivity and performance in complex environmental matrices. These nanozyme composites will be investigated for their ability to degrade contaminants, recover valuable compounds, and support closed-loop processes aligned with circular economy principles.

Activities include nanomaterial synthesis, functionalization, and evaluation of catalytic and adsorption performance, as well as the study of structure–property relationships and material stability. Advanced characterization techniques will be used, including UV–Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, as well as electron, confocal, and atomic force microscopy.

This internship is particularly suited for students interested in environmental nanotechnology, sustainable materials, circular economy, catalysis, and advanced materials characterization.

Keywords
Nanozymes; Graphene-based composites; Waste recovery; Circular economy; Environmental nanotechnology
ERC sector(s)
PE Physical Sciences and Engineering
Thesis supervisor
Name supervisor
Cristina Satriano
E-mail
cristina.satriano@unict.it
Name of Department/Faculty/School
Chemical Sciences
Name of the host University
University of Catania (UNICT)
EUNICE partner e-mail of destination Research
eunice@unict.it
Country
Italy
Student profile
Thesis level
Master
Minimal language knowledge requisite
English B2
Additional info
Thesis mode
On-site
Start date
Call deadline
Length of the research internship
6 months