Low-cost ZnO nanostructures decorated with ultra-precise noble metal clusters for green energy applications

The project addresses the need for an efficient energy management plan, proposing alternative approaches for green energy production. Here we propose the control of
ZnO nanostructures electronic properties via noble metal clusters decoration. ZnO is non-toxic, earth abundant and can be prepared via low-cost synthesis routes. ZnO-
based nanostructures are obtained at high yield and low cost through easy and green chemical bath deposition (CBD). Here we propose to decorate ZnO nanostructures
with noble metal clusters (starting with Au), with different sizes, from few tens of atoms per clusters up to 5-10 nm.
The proposal activity is devoted to the ZnO-based nanostructures investigations with atomic resolution by electron microscopy-based methodologies, in order to
complement the information obtained via current–voltage (I–V) measurements and Photoluminescent (PL) experiments.
In particular, we are interested in high resolution TEM and atomic resolution HAADF-STEM investigations to extrapolate information onto the atomic structure of both
noble metal clusters and ZnO nanostructures. We will complement these information with STEM-EDX and STEM-EELS in core loss, in order to evaluate the chemical
composition with high resolution. Finally, in order to evaluate the electronic structure of the ZnO nanostructures, both bare and decorated, we propose to perform STEM-
EELS experiments in low loss regime. The latter will be complemented with XAS experiments in order to obtain information onto the averaged local atomic and electronic
structure of metals in our material. The samples for TEM need to be prepared on site with FIB.