Technical Faculty in Bor
Welcome to the digital repository of the University of Belgrade – Technical Faculty in Bor.
The software platform meets the current requirements that apply to the dissemination of scholarly publications and it is compatible with relevant international infrastructures.
Recent Submissions
Enhancing Wastewater Treatment Through Python ANN-Guided Optimization of Photocatalysis with Boron-Doped ZnO Synthesized via Mechanochemical Route
(MDPI, 2025) Nedelkovski, Vladan; Radovanović, Milan B.; Medić, Dragana; Stanković, Sonja; Hulka, Iosif; Tanikić, Dejan; Antonijević, Milan
This study explores the enhanced photocatalytic performance of boron-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles synthesized via a scalable mechanochemical route. Utilizing X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), the structural and morphological properties of these nanoparticles were assessed. Specifically, nanoparticles with 1 wt%, 2.5 wt%, and 5 wt% boron doping were analyzed after calcination at temperatures of 500 °C, 600 °C, and 700 °C. The obtained results indicate that 1 wt% B-ZnO nanoparticles calcined at 700 °C show superior photocatalytic efficiency of 99.94% methyl orange degradation under UVA light—a significant improvement over undoped ZnO. Furthermore, the study introduces a predictive model using the artificial neural network (ANN) technique, developed in Python, which effectively forecasts photocatalytic performance based on experimental conditions with R2 = 0.9810. This could further enhance wastewater treatment processes, such as heterogeneous photocatalysis, through ANN-guided optimization.
Application of Graphite Electrodes Prepared from Waste Zinc−Carbon Batteries for Electrochemical Detection of Xanthine
(MDPI, 2025) Radovanović, Milan B.; Simonović, Ana T.; Petrović Mihajlović, Marija B.; Tasić, Žaklina Z.; Antonijević, Milan M.
Waste from zinc−carbon batteries poses a serious environmental protection problem. One of the main problems is also the reliable and rapid determination of some compounds that may be present in food and beverages consumed worldwide. This study addresses these problems and presents a possible solution for the electrochemical detection of xanthine using carbon from spent batteries. Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry are electrochemical methods used for the detection of xanthine. The techniques used demonstrate the mechanism of xanthine oxidation in the tested environment. A linear correlation was found between the oxidation current peaks and the xanthine concentration in the range of 5·10−7 to 1·10−4 M, as well as the values for the limit of detection and the limit of quantification, 7.86·10−8 M and 2.62·10−7 M, respectively. The interference test shows that the electrode obtained from waste Zn-C batteries has good selectivity, which means that the electrode can be used for xanthine determination in the presence of various ions. The data obtained show that carbon sensors from used zinc−carbon batteries can be used to detect xanthine in real samples.
Electrochemical Detection of Cadmium Using a Bismuth Film Deposited on a Brass Electrode
(MDPI, 2025) Radovanović, Milan B.; Petrović Mihajlović, Marija B.; Simonović, Ana T.; Tasić, Žaklina; Antonijević, Milan M.
Cadmium is one of the most dangerous pollutants found in the environment, where it exists mainly due to human activities. High cadmium concentrations can cause serious problems, which is why the detection and determination of Cd is one of the most important tasks. Electroanalytical methods provide rapid and accurate results in the detection of cadmium in various solutions. In this study, the possibility of using a bismuth film electrode deposited on a brass surface and electroanalytical techniques for the detection of cadmium is investigated. The bismuth film was deposited on the surface of the brass electrode using a chronoamperometric technique. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to characterize the synthesized bismuth film electrode. The current peaks obtained by anodic square-wave stripping voltammetry under optimized conditions showed a linear relationship in the investigated concentration range of cadmium. The study of the interference of different cations (Cr3+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+ and Na+) showed that the tested cations have no influence on the determination of Cd2+ ions in the investigated solution. This finding provides a good opportunity for the use of the synthesized electrode in real samples.
Simultaneous determination of serotonin, dopamine, and ascorbic acid at a glassy carbon electrode modified with chitosan-alginate hydrogel and reduced graphene oxide
(Elsevier, 2025) Postolović, Katarina S.; Radovanović, Milan B.; Stanić, Zorka D.
Detection of biologically active components, such as ascorbic acid, dopamine, and serotonin, is significant from the perspective of biomedicine, particularly in the process of disease diagnosis and in the quality control of commercial pharmaceutical products. In this work, a novel electrochemical sensor was developed by modifying a glassy carbon electrode with a hydrogel composed of a polyelectrolyte complex of alginate and chitosan, along with the addition of electrochemically reduced graphene oxide. This biocompatible sensor was applied for the simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid, dopamine, and serotonin using adsorptive square wave voltammetry. The modified GCE demonstrated an excellent electrochemical response towards the target analytes, thanks to the enhanced adsorption of the analytes on the surface of the electrode, facilitated by favorable interactions between analytes and the modifiers. This approach increased the electrode’s active surface area and ensured excellent electrode response. The sensor exhibited a broad linear range of the anodic current relative to analyte concentration, achieving low detection limits of 0.094 μM, 4.18 nM and 3.23 nM for ascorbic acid, dopamine and serotonin, respectively. Additionally, the proposed sensor exhibited good stability, reproducibility of results, selectivity, as well as effectiveness, in the determination of target biological compounds in real sample matrices.
Wetting behavior of Sn-Bi solder alloy and composites obtained by powder metallurgy
(Fakultet Tehničkih nauka, Kosovska Mitrovica, 2025) Stamenković, Uroš; Marković, Ivana; Nedeljković, Milan; Božinović, Kristina
This study examined the wetting behavior of solders composed of tin-bismuth (SnBi) alloys and their composites. To produce the SnBi12 (wt. %) alloy, pure powders of tin (Sn) and bismuth (Bi) were used. After that, the composites were produced by adding 0.2 wt.% of graphite (C) and boron carbide (B4C) to the SnBi12 alloy. The alloys and composites were fabricated using a powder metallurgy technique. Initially, the powders were weighed in specific ratios to create the SnBi12 matrix powder. After this, 0.2 wt.% of C and B4C were added to the matrix powder. The mixing was done using a three-axis mixer at a speed of 50 rpm for 4 hours. The mixed powders were then mechanically stirred in a ball mill at a speed of 150 rpm for 2 hours. Following this, the powders were compacted with a hydraulic press, and the samples were sintered in an inert argon atmosphere
at a temperature of 185 °C for 3 hours. For the wetting behavior investigation, the copper plates were polished and cleaned in acetone. Small samples weighing 0.1 grams were taken from the sintered samples and placed on copper plates along with 0.02 grams of flux RMA218. These copper plates were then heated to 250 °C for 20 seconds to initiate the soldering. After cooling, the solders were cleaned with acetone, photographed, and cut to examine their cross-sections under an optical microscope. The contact angle and spreading area were measured using ImageJ software. The results indicate that the pure tin sample exhibited the highest wetting angle. The addition of bismuth to form the tin-bismuth alloy reduced the wetting angle by approximately 20%. Furthermore, when reinforcements of carbon (C) and boron carbide (B4C) were added, the wetting angles increased slightly but remained lower than that of the pure tin sample. The surface area values mirrored the trends observed in the wetting angles: as the wetting angles decreased, the surface areas increased, and vice versa.