Team

Dr. Siim Küünal

Lecturer and Researcher at the Institute of Forestry and Engineering (EMÜ)

Nationality: Estonian

Estonian University of Life Sciences

Fr.R.Kreutzwaldi 56, Tartu 51006, ESTONIA

Institute of Forestry and Engineering, Chair of Energy Application Engineering

siim.kyynal@emu.ee

ORCID: 0000-0002-4156-4625

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

EDUCATION

PRESENT FIELDS OF RESEARCH

EXPERIENCE

2022 – …: Lecturer and Researcher, Estonian University of Life Science, Estonia.

2017 – …: Lecturer, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia.

Chemistry of Materials for engineers and engineering students, 3 credit points, 32 hours, 30+ students. Course is to give an overview about most important materials, that are used in industries and in our everyday lives. Chemical composition and structure and how these affect the properties of various materials. Material groups that are covered are fluids, metals, alloys, ceramics, glass, polymers, coatings, natural building materials, wood and paper, composite materials, nanomaterials, …

2014 – 2022 PhD Student, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia.

My doctoral research focuses on the applicability of antibacterial and antifungal properties of metal nanoparticles in environmental engineering areas, such as water purification or sustainable construction material protection. Also due to the environmentally friendly application areas, I am developing greener synthesis methods for metal nanoparticle production.

 

2009 – 2014: MSc in environmental engineering

My education was based on civil engineering curriculum, where I acquired my engineering basis. In addition the specializing was in environmental engineering, where main emphasis was on different materials and their recyclability. My thesis was about ecologically friendly construction material – straw, which should be protected to maintain its intrinsic and healthy properties. I supposed it to be protected by silver nanoparticles, which are cheap to produce, environmentally friendly and recyclable.

 

PRESENT RESEARCH PROJECTS:

2020-2023 “Recyclable nanocomposites for water remediation and heavy metal ion extraction from polluted water”, Staff member (researcher) (P200030TIBT)

FORMER RESEARCH PROJECTS:

– 2015 – 2018 “ Emerging orders in quantum and nanomaterial”

Member of a research team, Estonian Centre of Excellence 2015 EQUiTANT (TK134)

– 2014 – 2018 “Ultrastable metal nanoparticle synthesis aimed at applications in nanomedicine”

Research staff, Estonian Personal Research Funding (PUT431)

 

SUPERVISION:

Former supervision:

Master student:

– Mr. Richard Erelt (2022 – 24): Assessment of nanoparticles-based additives in jet-fuels combustion

 

PUBLICATIONS

  • « Optimisation of plant mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles by common weed Plantago major and their antimicrobial properties » S. Küünal, M. Visnapuu, O. Volubujeva, M. Soares Rosario, P. Rauwel and E. Rauwel IOP conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 613, 012003 (8 pages) (2019) [REF]

 

  • « Silver metal nanoparticles study for biomedical and green house applications » E. Rauwel, L. Simón-Gracia, M. Guha, P. Rauwel, S. Kuunal, D. Wragg IOP conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 175, 012011 (5 pages) (2017) [REF]

 

  • « Biocidal properties study of Silver Nanoparticles used for Application in Green Housing. » S. Küünal, S. Kutti, P. Rauwel, D. Wragg and E. Rauwel International Nano-Letters 6(3), 191-197 (2016) [REF].

 

  • « New methodology for the antifungal testing of surfactant-free silver metal nanoparticles for applications in green housing. » S. Küünal, S. Kutti, P. Rauwel, D. Wragg, I. Hussainova and E. Rauwel Key Engineering Materials 674, 133-138 (2016) [REF].

 

  • « A Review on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their morphologies studied via TEM.» P. Rauwel, S. Küünal, S. Ferdov and E. Rauwel, Advances in Materials Science and Engineering_Hindawi, Volume 2015, Article ID 682749, 1-9 (2015) [REF].

 

  • « Silver Nanoparticles Study for Application in Green Housing. » S. Küünal, S. Kutti, , M. Guha, P. Rauwel, D. Wragg, G. Nurk and E. Rauwel ECS Trans. 64, (47) 15-24 (2015) [REF].

 

BOOK CHAPTER

  • « Plant extract mediated synthesis of nanoparticles » S. Küünal, P. Rauwel and E.Rauwel, Chapter 14, pages 411-446, published in “Handbook of nanoparticles and architectural nanostructured materials”, Elsevier│S&T Books (2018) [REF]