“Multi-functional copper oxide nanosystems for H2 sustainable production and sensing”. Gasparotto A, Barreca D, Fornasiero P, Gombac V, Lebedev O, Maccato C, Montini T, Tondello E, Van Tendeloo G, Comini E, Sberveglieri G, ECS transactions 25, 1169 (2009)
Abstract: This work focuses on the use of tailored copper oxide nanoarchitectures as multi-functional materials for the sustainable production of hydrogen and its on-line detection. An innovative copper(II) precursor, Cu(hfa)2TMEDA, was adopted in the CVD of CuxO (x=1,2) nanosystems under both O2 and O2+H2O atmospheres on Si(100) and Al2O3 substrates. A multi-technique characterization indicates that both the phase composition (from Cu2O to CuO) and morphology (from continuous films to entangled quasi-1D nanosystems) can be tailored by varying the growth temperature and reaction atmosphere. The obtained CuxO nanodeposits are active in the photocatalytic H2 production from aqueous solutions under UV-Vis irradiation and display interesting gas sensing performances towards hydrogen detection even at moderate temperatures.
Keywords: A2 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
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“Plasma-assisted synthesis of Ag/ZnO nanocomposites : first example of photo-induced H2 production and sensing”. Simon Q, Barreca D, Bekermann D, Gasparotto A, Maccato C, Comini E, Gombac V, Fornasiero P, Lebedev OI, Turner S, Devi A, Fischer RA, Van Tendeloo G, International journal of hydrogen energy 36, 15527 (2011). http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2011.09.045
Abstract: Ag/ZnO nanocomposites were developed by a plasma-assisted approach. The adopted strategy exploits the advantages of Plasma Enhanced-Chemical Vapor Deposition (PE-CVD) for the growth of columnar ZnO arrays on Si(100) and Al2O3 substrates, in synergy with the infiltration power of the Radio Frequency (RF)-sputtering technique for the subsequent dispersion of different amounts of Ag nanoparticles (NPs). The resulting composites, both as-prepared and after annealing in air, were thoroughly characterized with particular attention on their morphological organization, structure and composition. For the first time, the above systems have been used as catalysts in the production of hydrogen by photo-reforming of alcoholic solutions, yielding a stable H2 evolution even by the sole use of simulated solar radiation. In addition, Ag/ZnO nanocomposites presented an excellent response in the gas-phase detection of H2, opening attractive perspectives for advanced technological applications.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 3.582
Times cited: 62
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2011.09.045
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“Catalytic impact of RuOx clusters to high ammonia sensitivity of tin dioxide”. Marikutsa A, Krivetskiy V, Yashina L, Rumyantseva M, Konstantinova E, Ponzoni A, Comini E, Abakumov A, Gaskov A, Sensors and actuators : B : chemical
T2 –, 25th Eurosensors Conference, SEP 04-07, 2011, Athens, GREECE 175, 186 (2012). http://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2012.03.003
Abstract: A comparative study of NH3-sensing performance of blank and modified nanocrystal line SnO2 was performed. Tin dioxide modified by ruthenium displayed the highest ammonia sensitivity with a maximum signal at 200 degrees C. The modifier was shown by XPS and EPR to occur in a mixed valence state of oxidized ruthenium distributed between the surface and bulk of tin dioxide nanocrystals. RuOx clustering on SnO2 surface was detected by means of electron microscopy assisted EDX-mapping. The effect of RuOx on tin dioxide interaction with ammonia was studied by temperature-programmed NH3 desorption, simultaneous Kelvin probe and DC-resistance measurements, EPR spectroscopy and analyses of the gas-solid interaction products. The modifier was shown to promote the materials reactivity to NH3 due to the catalytic activity of RuOx. The interaction with ammonia resulted in dipoles formation on the oxide surface along with reducing the grains net surface charge, established from the electron affinity increase and resistance decrease during NH3 exposure. The RuOx-catalyzed gas-solid interaction was deduced to proceed deeper than in the case of non-modified SnO2 and to yield nitrogen oxides (e.g. NO2), as was suggested by the oxidative character of gaseous products of NH3 interaction with RuOx-modified tin dioxide at 200 degrees C. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 5.401
Times cited: 20
DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2012.03.003
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