Nanostructured materials for energy applications and sensing.

The proposed research area concerns the fabrication and study of the behaviour of mesoporous electrodes. The main focus of the project will be to undertake the control of surface macro-morphology and nanostructure and to investigate how these properties influence surface activity and electrode performance. The resulting materials will have application in the fields of catalysis and sensor technology where a high surface area in combination with controlled morphology could lead to enhanced properties. Typical techniques used to fabricate and study these materials include electrochemical techniques, small angle X-ray scattering, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance studies and microscopy.