Novel materials for sensing and catalysis
Investigations related to nanomaterials synthesis and characterisation for sensing and catalysis have been made possible with EU funding of the project ALD-SPUTTERING-OXIDE. Novel synthesis routes have been developed to produce metallic nanoparticles and oxides — work that was integrated into research on materials for sensing and imaging. In addition, incorporating luminescence into the nanoparticles was studied in the context of enhanced temperature sensitivity for low-temperature thermal imaging. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is an important technique for depositing very smooth thin films of uniform thickness (atomic level of control) in a variety of applications. The semiconductor industry was among the first beneficiaries, but current applications extend to the production of fuels and the use of organic polymers for sensing and catalysis. Project work included investigating the ALD of coatings on mesoporous catalyst supports with potential applications in medicine, biosensors and energy, amongst other fields. Work carried out during the ALD-SPUTTERING-OXIDE project has led to a patent application in addition to increased knowledge and expertise regarding the synthesis, characterisation and use of nanomaterials in sensing and catalysis.
