Multi-Functional Nanomaterial Group
Other Applications
The fabrication of multi-functional nanomaterials by the MFN team covers even other application fields. Among these, hybrid nanocomposites containing silica and metal particles, such as Ag and Au, have been designed and used for a variety of end-uses, including environmental remediation (catalytic decomposition of dyes and pigments in water solutions) and self-cleaning, anti-fouling and oil/water-repellent coatings.
In a different way, the attention has also been dedicated to the fabrication of oxide-based nanosysterms for the production of electrodes for reachargeable Li-ion batteries. The research activities in these fields are strongly motivated by the fact that new high capacity storage systems are needed to sustain the increasing energy demand set by the portable electronics and automotive fields. To this aim, the preparation of supported systems free from any ancillary additive/binder, and offering a large contact area with the electrolyte is of utmost importance. So far, the MFN group has been active in the production of anode materials based on d-block transition-metal oxides, such as CoO, Co3O4, CuxO (x = 1,2), CuO-TiO2, Fe2O3 with tailored nano-organization.
A different application field has concerned the investigation of magnetic properties of metastable and uncommon iron(III) oxide polymorphs (phase-pure supported β- and ε-Fe2O3 nanomaterials). grown on different substrates. The hard magnetic properties of β-Fe2O3 and the antiferro/paramagnetic behavior of ε-Fe2O3 are influenced by their morphological and structural features, as well as by their magnetic multi-domain structure. The successful fabrication of supported β- and ε-Fe2O3 nanomaterials is a key requirement for their implementation in various technological applications, like telecommunications, hard magnets, magneto-ferroic and information storage devices.
In a different way, the attention has also been dedicated to the fabrication of oxide-based nanosysterms for the production of electrodes for reachargeable Li-ion batteries. The research activities in these fields are strongly motivated by the fact that new high capacity storage systems are needed to sustain the increasing energy demand set by the portable electronics and automotive fields. To this aim, the preparation of supported systems free from any ancillary additive/binder, and offering a large contact area with the electrolyte is of utmost importance. So far, the MFN group has been active in the production of anode materials based on d-block transition-metal oxides, such as CoO, Co3O4, CuxO (x = 1,2), CuO-TiO2, Fe2O3 with tailored nano-organization.
A different application field has concerned the investigation of magnetic properties of metastable and uncommon iron(III) oxide polymorphs (phase-pure supported β- and ε-Fe2O3 nanomaterials). grown on different substrates. The hard magnetic properties of β-Fe2O3 and the antiferro/paramagnetic behavior of ε-Fe2O3 are influenced by their morphological and structural features, as well as by their magnetic multi-domain structure. The successful fabrication of supported β- and ε-Fe2O3 nanomaterials is a key requirement for their implementation in various technological applications, like telecommunications, hard magnets, magneto-ferroic and information storage devices.
