Francis Kofi Ampong
The researcher's research is centered on the intersection of advanced materials science and energy applications, particularly in photovoltaic and photocatalytic systems. Their work explores the use of thin films, especially chalcogenide-based ones, to develop novel sensors and bioleaching techniques. Key areas include: 1. **Advanced Photovoltaic and photocatalysis**: The researcher investigates thin film materials for water degradation, focusing on adsorption and antimicrobial applications. 2. **Sensors and Bioremediation**: They leverage nanocomposites and chitosan to create functional materials with high selectivity for analyte detection. 3. **Chalcogenide Thin Films**: Contributions include the synthesis of CdSe, CdS, and their blends, which are critical in developing energy storage solutions for rural communities. 4. **Energy and Environment**: Research emphasizes reducing environmental impacts through solar and biofuel technologies, aiming to empower rural areas with renewable solutions. The researcher's work demonstrates a commitment to innovation across nanotechnology, photocatalysis, and bioremediation, with applications that enhance sustainability in rural settings.
Faculty Biography
Prof. Francis Kofi Ampong is an Associate Professor at the Department of Physics of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. His current research involves the preparation and characterization of some inorganic nano-materials and studies of their opto-electronic properties for applications as solar cell materials.From 2010-2012, Francis was an Academic visitor (Research Fellow) to the School of Chemistry, University of Manchester, UK, where he worked under the supervision of Prof. Paul O’Brien, FRS, to synthesize Cadmium-Zinc-Sulphide thin films from acidic chemical baths for photovoltaic applications. This was a collaborative research work between KNUST and the school of Chemistry, University of Manchester, UK, and funded by the Leverhulme – Royal Society Africa Award, under the project titled: “Developing Internationally Competitive research on Solar Cell Materials at KNUST”.Prof. Ampong has supervised over fifty undergraduate final year projects. He has also supervised eight MPhil students, supervised/ Co-supervised five PhD students which include two foreign students funded by the European Union African-Caribbean-Pacific PhD mobility award scheme and one student funded by the Royal Society DFID grant. Prof Ampong’s research work have been published in prestigious international journals, such as; Solid State Sciences, Thin Film Science, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Letters, to mention a few. Most of the papers provide interesting contributions in Solar Cell Materials Development. Some of the works have been cited and carry extremely high citations.
Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
Chalcogenide Semiconductor Thin Films
Copper Interconnects and Reliability
Electrochemical sensors and biosensors
Energy and Environment Impacts
Innovation and Socioeconomic Development
Magnetic Properties and Applications
Magnetic properties of thin films
Metal and Thin Film Mechanics
Metal Extraction and Bioleaching
Microbial Fuel Cells and Bioremediation
Phase-change materials and chalcogenides
Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties
Vanadium and Halogenation Chemistry
Zeolite Catalysis and Synthesis
ZnO doping and properties
Synthesis and characterization of Cd1-xPbxSe (0≤x≤1) thin films deposited by chemical bath for photovoltaic application
Open AccessA New Approach of Obtaining Sodium Metasilicate from Dealuminated Kaolin for The Synthesis of Amorphous Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles
Open AccessGd-doped ZnO-g-C3N4 nanocomposite: a novel photocatalyst for the photodegradation of eosin yellow dye in water
Open AccessThe influence of cobalt and graphitic carbon nitride on the efficiency of zirconium oxide for photodegradation of an organic dye in wastewater
Open AccessGadolinium doped-zirconium oxide-graphitic carbon nitride heterostructures for photocatalytic degradation of eosin yellow dye in water
Open AccessCore-shell V2O5- Gum ghatti grafted poly (acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue dye in water: Kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies
Open AccessINVESTIGATION AND V-I CHARACTERISTICS OF SUBSTRATE FOR MFC: CASE STUDY OF RAW HONEY
Open AccessThe effect of cobalt-doped ZnO-g-C3N4 heterostructures on photocatalytic degradation of eosin yellow dye in water under simulated solar light
Open AccessSynthesis of Pure and Manganese Doped Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles by a Solution Growth Technique: Structural and Optical Investigation
Open AccessThe effect of the concentration of tin (Sn) in the metallic precursor, on the structure, morphology, optical and electrical properties of electrochemically deposited lead-tin-sulphide (PbSnS) thin films
Open AccessThe CZTS Thin Films Grown by Sulfurization of Electrodeposited Metallic Precursors: The Effect of Increasing Tin Content of the Metallic Precursors on the Structure, Morphology and Optical Properties of the Thin Films
Open AccessZero Valent Iron Impregnated Sodium Alginate Grafted (Acrylamide-Co-Acrylic Acid) Adsorbents for the Removal of Methylene Blue in Aqueous Systems
Determining the majority charge carrier, optical and structural properties of electrochemically deposited lead tin sulfide (PbSnS) thin films
Open AccessRemoval of Methyl red in aqueous systems using synthesized NaAlg-g-CHIT/nZVI adsorbent
Open AccessChitosan-Graft-Sodium Alginate Encapsulated Vanadium Pentoxide (V2 O5 ) Nanocomposite for Adsorption and Antimicrobial Studies
Open AccessCopper-tin-sulphide (CTS) thin films, obtained by a two-electrode electrochemical deposition of metal precursors, followed by soft annealing and sulfurization
Open AccessIron Sulfide Functionalized Polyaniline Nanocomposite for the Removal of Eosin Y from Water: Equilibrium and Kinetic Studies
EFFECT OF ANNEALING ON THE STRUCTURE AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF LEAD SELENIDE AND CADMIUM SELENIDE THIN FILM PREPARED BY CHEMICAL BATH DEPOSITION
Open AccessThe Effect of Deposition Time and Sulfurization Temperature on The Optical and Structural Properties of Iron Sulfide Thin Films Deposited from Acidic Chemical Baths
Open AccessSolubility of Mn in ZnO Crystallites Synthesized Using Solid State Techniques
Open AccessFeS Encapsulated Chitosan Graft Polyacrylamide Nanocomposite for the Uptake of Model Anionic Eosin Y from Water: Isotherm, Kinetics and Equilibrium Studies.
Open AccessSolubility of Mn in ZnO Nanocrystallites using Wet Chemical Synthesis
Open AccessGrowth of a Pure and Single Phase Iron Sulfide (Pyrite) Thin Film by Electrochemical Deposition for Photovoltaic Applications
Open AccessOptical and Structural Properties of Chemical Bath Deposited Cadmium Sulphur Selenide (CdS1–xSex (0 ≤ x ≤ 1)) Thin Films
Open AccessPreparation of cadmium zinc sulfide (Cd1−xZnxS) thin films from acidic chemical baths
Indirect phase transition of refractory nitrides compounds of: TiN, ZrN and HfN crystal structures
A New Route for the Synthesis of CdS Thin Films from Acidic Chemical Baths
Start-up factory Ghana: Creating an enabling environment for the dissemination of renewable energies
An Automated Solar-Biomass Hybrid Dryer System for Rural Communities in Ghana
Band gap engineering in lead sulphur selenide (PbS1−x Se x ) thin films synthesized by chemical bath deposition method
Effect of deposition temperature on the structural, morphological and optical band gap of lead selenide thin films synthesized by chemical bath deposition method
The effect of deposition time on the structural, morphological and optical band gap of lead selenide thin films synthesized by chemical bath deposition method
Synthesis and Characterization of CdSe Nanocrystalline Thin Film by Chemical Bath Deposition Technique
Ternary cadmium zinc sulphide films with high charge mobilities
Conduction Mechanism in Amorphous As2S3
The low temperature resistivity of thermally evaporated antiferromagnetic Mn_{100-X} Ru_x thin films
Open AccessThe anomalous low temperature resistivity of thermally evaporated α-Mn thin film
Effect of substrate temperatures on the electrical resistivity of thermally evaporated Mn thin films
Department of Physics
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology