Dr Marina Ratova
Dr Marina Ratova
Senior Lecturer, Programme Lead for MSc Engineering Project management
Material Scientist working on materials for environmental remediation processes
My profile
Biography
I am interdisciplinary Material Scientist specialising in development and testing of advanced materials for environmental remediation processes. Semiconductor photocatalysis is my main area of research and expertise. My present research is largely focused around development and analysis of novel photocatalytic materials for practical applications, including water treatment, air purification, green hydrogen production via water splitting, antimicrobial and self-cleaning surfaces. My work is highly collaborative, and I have an extensive network of research partners, including microbiologists, plasma scientists, surface engineers, chemists, etc.
I completed a PhD at the Surface Engineering Group of Manchester Metropolitan University in 2013 (through internally funded University Studentship) on enhancement of magnetron-sputtered photocatalytic material properties. Upon completion, I spent a year working at Queen’s University Belfast as a Research Fellow in the research group of Professor Andrew Mills, one of the UK’s leading experts in the analysis of photocatalytic materials, where I successfully designed and commissioned a dedicated testing laboratory for the microbiological assessment of photocatalytic materials. In 2014 I returned to MMU as a post-doctoral researcher to work on a diverse range of projects that involved the development and testing of new photocatalytic materials, gaining significant experience on sputter deposition technologies. I was responsible for the establishment of the photocatalytic materials and testing laboratory – a specialised unit currently used by MMU research staff, PGR students and to provide commercial services to industrial customers. In 2022 I started my first permanent academic appointment as Senior Lecturer at the Department of Engineering.
Interests and expertise
I have extensive collaborative network, including both at MMU and academics around the world, and am always keen to form new partnerships.
I work with and consult for businesses, undertaking joint projects and contract research.
• Novel visible-light active photocatalytic materials for advanced water treatment and sanitation
• Materials for disinfection of healthcare-associated pathogens
• Development and implementation of testing technique for photocatalytic materials
• Surface modifications of commercially available photocatalytic materials
• Novel materials for photo- and electrochemical green hydrogen production
• Low temperature deposition of functional crystalline materials onto flexible polymer substrates
• Surface coatings for use in advanced manufacturing processes
Teaching
My teaching is focused around Engineering Project Management, where my involvement in teaching spans across various units and levels, encompassing both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as projects supervision.
Units you will find me teaching on:
- Management of Projects Fundamentals (MSc)
- Individual Engineering Research Project (MSc)
Supervision
Supervising a number of postgraduate students working on research project involving development and testing of photocatalytic materials for environmental remediation and green hydrogen production, as well as projects in Engineering Project Management. If you are interesting in doing project in either of these disciplines, please get in contact.
Research outputs
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Journal articles
Wang, X., Jiang, M., Yang, P., Zhou, H., Xi, W., Duan, J., Ratova, M., Wu, D., Jiang, X. (2024) 'Recent advances in pulsed electrochemical techniques: Synthesis of electrode materials and electrocatalytic reactions.' Surfaces and Interfaces, 50
Dutra, P.R., Amorim, C.C., Gastelois, P.L., Grao, M., Ratova, M., Santos, A.P., Kelly, P. (2024) 'Carbonaceous-TiO2 composite photocatalysts through reactive direct current magnetron sputtering on powdered graphene for environmental applications.' Thin Solid Films, 792
Jiang, M., Wang, X., Xi, W., Yang, P., Zhou, H., Duan, J., Ratova, M., Wu, D. (2024) 'Chemical catalytic upgrading of polyethylene terephthalate plastic waste into value-added materials, fuels and chemicals.' Science of The Total Environment, 912
Xi, W., Yang, P., Jiang, M., Wang, X., Zhou, H., Duan, J., Ratova, M., Wu, D. (2024) 'Electrochemical CO2 reduction coupled with alternative oxidation reactions: electrocatalysts, electrolytes, and electrolyzers.' Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 341
Coelho, L.L., Grao, M., Pomone, T., Ratova, M., Kelly, P., Wilhelm, M., Moreira, R.D.F.P.M. (2022) 'Photocatalytic microfiltration membranes produced by magnetron sputtering with self-cleaning capabilities.' Thin Solid Films, 747
Grao, M., Redfern, J., Kelly, P., Ratova, M. (2022) 'Photocatalytic degradation of contaminants of emerging concern using a low-cost and efficient black bismuth titanate-based water treatment reactor.' Journal of Water Process Engineering, 45pp. 102525-102525.
Grao, M., Ratova, M., Kelly, P. (2021) 'Design and optimisation of a low-cost titanium dioxide-coated stainless steel mesh photocatalytic water treatment reactor.' Journal of Cleaner Production, 297
Grao, M., Redfern, J., Kelly, P.J., Ratova, M. (2021) 'Magnetron co-sputtered Bi12TiO20/Bi4Ti3O12 composite – An efficient photocatalytic material with photoinduced oxygen vacancies for water treatment application.' Applied Surface Science, 552
Redfern, J., Ratova, M., Dean, A.P., Pritchett, J., Grao, M., Verran, J., Kelly, P. (2020) 'Visible light photocatalytic bismuth oxide coatings are effective at suppressing aquatic cyanobacteria and degrading free-floating genomic DNA.' Journal of Environmental Sciences, 104pp. 128-136.
Scimone, A., Redfern, J., Patiphatpanya, P., Thongtem, T., Ratova, M., Kelly, P., Verran, J. (2020) 'Development of a rapid method for assessing the efficacy of antibacterial photocatalytic coatings.' Talanta, 225pp. 122009-122009.
Tedesco, S., Hurst, G., Imtiaz, A., Ratova, M., Tosheva, L., Kelly, P. (2020) 'TiO2 supported natural zeolites as biogas enhancers through photocatalytic pre-treatment of Miscanthus x giganteous crops.' Energy, 205pp. 117954-117954.
Grao, M., Ratova, M., Amorim, C.C., Marcelino, R.B.P., Kelly, P. (2020) 'Crystalline TiO₂ supported on stainless steel mesh deposited in a one step process via pulsed DC magnetron sputtering for wastewater treatment applications.' Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 9(3)
Ratova, M., Sawtell, D., Kelly, P.J. (2020) 'Micro-patterning of magnetron sputtered titanium dioxide coatings and their efficiency for photocatalytic applications.' Coatings, 10(1)
Mekasuwandumrong, O., Jantarasorn, N., Panpranot, J., Ratova, M., Kelly, P., Praserthdam, P. (2019) 'Synthesis of Cu/TiO2 catalysts by reactive magnetron sputtering deposition and its application for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 and H2O to CH4.' Ceramics International, 45(17B)
Pongthawornsakun, B., Kaewsuanjik, P., Kittipreechakun, P., Ratova, M., Kelly, P., Mekasuwandumrong, O., Praserthdam, P., Panpranot, J. (2019) 'Deposition of Pt nanoparticles on TiO2 by pulsed direct current magnetron sputtering for selective hydrogenation of vanillin to vanillyl alcohol.' Catalysis Today, 358pp. 51-59.
Ratova, M., Tosheva, L., Kelly, P.J., Ohtani, B. (2019) 'Characterisation and properties of visible light-active bismuth oxide-titania composite photocatalysts.' Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 22pp. e00112-e00112.
Marcelino, R.B.P., Amorim, C.C., Ratova, M., Delfour-Peyrethon, B., Kelly, P. (2019) 'Novel and versatile tio2 thin films on pet for photocatalytic removal of contaminants of emerging concern from water.' Chemical Engineering Journal, 370pp. 1251-1261.
Ratova, M., Redfern, J., Verran, J., Kelly, P. (2018) 'Highly efficient photocatalytic bismuth oxide coatings and their antimicrobial properties under visible light irradiation.' Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 239pp. 223-232.
Bernareggi, M., Chiarello, G.L., West, G., Ratova, M., Ferretti, A.M., Kelly, P., Selli, E. (2018) 'Cu and Pt clusters deposition on TiO2 powders by DC magnetron sputtering for photocatalytic hydrogen production.' Catalysis Today,
Rowley-Neale, S.J., Ratova, M., Fugita, L.T.N., Smith, G.C., Gaffar, A., Kulczyk-Malecka, J., Kelly, P.J., Banks, C.E. (2018) 'Magnetron Sputter-Coated Nanoparticle MoS
2 Supported on Nanocarbon: A Highly Efficient Electrocatalyst toward the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.' ACS Omega, 3(7) pp. 7235-7242.Naqvi, Q.A., Ratova, M., Klaysri, R., Kelly, P., Edge, M., Potgieter, S., Tosheva-Jivkova, L. (2018) 'Tuning the composition of porous resin-templated TiO2 macrobeads for optimized photocatalytic performance.' Catalysis Today, 326pp. 54-59.
Ratova, M., Klaysri, R., Praserthdam, P., Kelly, P. (2018) 'Visible light active photocatalytic C-doped titanium dioxide films deposited via reactive pulsed DC magnetron co-sputtering: Properties and photocatalytic activity.' Vacuum, 149pp. 214-224.
Ratova, M., Klaysri, R., Praserthdam, P., Kelly, P.J. (2017) 'Pulsed DC magnetron sputtering deposition of crystalline photocatalytic titania coatings at elevated process pressures.' Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 71pp. 188-196.
Ratova, M., Marcelino, R., de Souza, P., Amorim, C., Kelly, P. (2017) 'Reactive Magnetron Sputter Deposition of Bismuth Tungstate Coatings for Water Treatment Applications under Natural Sunlight.' Catalysts, 7(10)
Klaysri, R., Ratova, M., Praserthdam, P., Kelly, P. (2017) 'Deposition of Visible Light-Active C-Doped Titania Films via Magnetron Sputtering Using CO2 as a Source of Carbon.' Nanomaterials, 7(5)
Seidelmann, L.J.W., Bradley, J.W., Ratova, M., Hewitt, J., Moffat, J., Kelly, P. (2017) 'Reel-to-reel atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment of polypropylene films.' Applied Sciences, 7(4)
Ratova, M., Kelly, P.J., West, G.T. (2017) 'Superhydrophobic photocatalytic PTFE – titania coatings deposited by reactive pDC magnetron sputtering from a blended powder target.' Materials Chemistry and Physics, 190pp. 108-113.
Ratova, M., Kelly, P., West, G., Tosheva, L., Edge, M. (2016) 'Reactive magnetron sputtering deposition of bismuth tungstate onto titania nanoparticles for enhancing visible light photocatalytic activity.' Applied Surface Science, 392pp. 590-597.
Ratova, M., Kelly, P.J., West, G.T., Tosheva, L. (2016) 'A Novel Technique for the Deposition of Bismuth Tungstate onto Titania Nanoparticulates for Enhancing the Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity.' Coatings, 6(3)
Ormond, S.P.D., Ratova, M., Kelly, P., Edge, M., Mihailova, B., Tosheva-Jivkova, L. (2016) 'Titanium silicalite-1 macrostructures for photocatalytic removal of organic pollutants from aqueous media.' Journal of Porous Materials, 23(6) pp. 1421-1429.
Ratova, M., Kelly, P.J., West, G.T., Xia, X., Gao, Y. (2016) 'Deposition of Visible Light Active Photocatalytic Bismuth Molybdate Thin Films by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering.' Materials, 9(2)
Ratova, M., West, G.T., Kelly, P.J. (2015) 'Photocatalytic visible-light active bismuth tungstate coatings deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering.' Vacuum, 115
Ratova, M., Mills, A. (2015) 'Antibacterial titania-based photocatalytic extruded plastic films.' Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 299pp. 159-165.
Ratova, M., West, G.T., Kelly, P.J., Xia, X., Gao, Y. (2014) 'Synergistic effect of doping with nitrogen and molybdenum on the photocatalytic properties of thin titania films.' Vacuum, 114
Kelly, P.J., West, G.T., Ratova, M., Fisher, L., Ostovarpour, S., Verran, J. (2014) 'Structural Formation and Photocatalytic Activity of Magnetron Sputtered Titania and Doped-Titania Coatings.' MOLECULES, 19
Ratova, M., West, G.T., Kelly, P.J. (2014) 'Visible light activated photocatalytic TaON coatings deposited via pulsed-DC magnetron sputtering.' Vacuum, 109
Ratova, M., West, G.T., Kelly, P.J. (2014) 'Optimisation of HiPIMS photocatalytic titania coatings for low temperature deposition.' Surface and Coatings Technology, 250
Ratova, M., West, G.T., Kelly, P.J. (2013) 'HiPIMS deposition of tungsten-doped titania coatings for photocatalytic applications.' Vacuum, 102
Ratova, M., West, G., Kelly, P. (2013) 'Optimization Studies of Photocatalytic Tungsten-Doped Titania Coatings Deposited by Reactive Magnetron Co-Sputtering.' Coatings, 3
Farahani, N., Kelly, P.J., West, G., Ratova, M., Hill, C., Vishnyakov, V. (2013) 'An investigation into W or Nb or ZnFe2O4 Doped Titania nanocomposites deposited from Blended powder targets for UV/Visible photocatalysis.' Coatings, 3(3) pp. 153-165.
Ratova, M., Kelly, P.J., West, G.T., Iordanova, I. (2013) 'Enhanced properties of magnetron sputtered photocatalytic coatings via transition metal doping.' Surface and Coatings Technology, 228(SUPPL.1)
Ratova, M., Kelly, P.J., West, G.T., Iordanova, I. (2013) 'Enhanced properties of magnetron sputtered photocatalytic coatings via transition metal doping.' Surface and Coatings Technology,
Kelly, P.J., Barker, C., Ostovarpour, S., Ratova, M., West, G.T., Iordanova, I., Bradley, J.W. (2012) 'Deposition of photocatalytic titania coatings on polymeric substrates by HiPIMS.' Vacuum, 86(12) pp. 1880-1882.
Farahani, N., Kelly, P.J., West, G., Ratova, M., Hill, C., Vishnyakov, V. (2011) 'Photocatalytic activity of reactively sputtered and directly sputtered titania coatings.' Thin Solid Films, 520(5) pp. 1464-1469.