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Inorganic nanomaterials as multi-functional platforms for sustainable end-uses

  • OTHER PARTICIPANTS:
    GIORGIO CARRARO, ALBERTO GASPAROTTO, CHIARA MACCATO
    DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE CHIMICHE, UNIVERSITÀ DI PADOVA

The research group of Dr. Barreca has an internationally recognized know-how in the fabrication and modification of nanoarchitectures with variable dimensionality by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), either thermal- or plasma-enhanced (PE-CVD), Radio Frequency (RF)-Sputtering and their original combinations. In this regard, attention is also devoted to the synthesis of molecular precursors, endowed with high volatility, stability to air/moisture and clean decomposition patterns under both CVD and PE-CVD conditions.

The developed systems, subjected to an advanced thorough characterization, are investigated as multi-functional platforms for sustainable end-uses, ranging from the molecular detection of flammable/toxic gases, encompassing photo-activated applications (H2 production, environmental remediation, self-cleaning and anti-fogging systems).
The group is, or has been, recently involved in various national and international projects in the field of inorganic nanomaterial design, characterization and functional investigation, among which:

  • NMP4-SL-2012-310333: “Water Oxidation Nanocatalysts for Sustainable Solar Hydrogen Production through Visible-Light Activity” (SOLAROGENIX) (http://www.solarogenix.eu/)
  • FP7-PEOPLE-ITN-2008-238409 “European Research Training Network of New Materials: Innovative Concepts for their Fabrication, Integration and Characterisation” (ENHANCE) (http://www.enhance-itn.eu/)
  • INSTM- Regione Lombardia project “Solar activation of nanocomposites based on metals and oxides for the sustainable hydrogen production and wastewater purification” (ATLANTE).
  • Re-adapted from: Advanced Materials Interfaces, 2015, in press, DOI: 10.1002/admi.201500313.
  • Re-adapted from: RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 32174.



Despite being composed by only 4 young scientists, the group has a first-class track record, corresponding to 101 publications on ISI International Journals, 20 other publications, 3 national and international patents and 110 conference communications (of which 17 invited lectures/seminars), only in the period 2010-2015.

  • RECENT PUBLICATIONS:
    • D. Bekermann, D. Barreca, A. Gasparotto, C. Maccato
      Multi-component oxide nanosystems by Chemical Vapor Deposition and related routes: challenges and perspectives
      CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 6347. (codice ISSN: 1466-8033; impact factor = 4.034)
      Invited Paper; published as Hot Article.
      Selected for the Cover Page (CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 6315-7076).
      Reviewed by ChemInform, 2013, Vol. 44, Issue 14.
    • G. Carraro, C. Maccato, A. Gasparotto, T. Montini, S. Turner, O.I. Lebedev, V. Gombac, G. Adami, G. Van Tendeloo, D. Barreca, P. Fornasiero
      Enhanced hydrogen production by photoreforming of renewable oxygenates through nanostructured Fe2O3 polymorphs
      Advanced Functional Materials, 2014, 24, 372.
    • D. Peeters, D. Barreca, G. Carraro, E. Comini, A. Gasparotto, C. Maccato, C. Sada, G. Sberveglieri
      Au/ε-Fe2O3 Nanocomposites as Selective NO2 Gas Sensors
      Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2014, 118, 11813.
    • G. Carraro, A. Gasparotto, C. Maccato, V. Gombac, F. Rossi, T. Montini, D. Peeters, E. Bontempi, C. Sada, D. Barreca, P. Fornasiero
      Solar H2 generation via ethanol photoreforming on ε-Fe2O3 nanorod arrays activated by Ag and Au nanoparticles
      RSC Advances, 2014, 4, 32174.
    • D. Barreca, G. Carraro, A. Gasparotto, C. Maccato, M.E.A. Warwick, K. Kaunisto, C. Sada, S. Turner, Y. Gönüllü, T.-P. Ruoko, L. Borgese, E. Bontempi, G. Van Tendeloo, H. Lemmetyinen, S. Mathur
      Fe2O3-TiO2 nano-heretostructure photoanodes for highly efficient solar water oxidation
      Advanced Materials Interfaces, 2015, in press, DOI: 10.1002/admi.201500313.