Luca Pasquini

University of Bologna | UNIBO · Department of Physics and Astronomy DIFA

Metal oxide semiconductors are promising materials to be employed as photoanodes in photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices to drive the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) for the conversion of solar energy into chemical fuels. These materials need to efficiently absorb light, have good bulk transport properties to separate the photogenerated charges, and...

Hydrides based on magnesium and intermetallic compounds provide a viable solution to the challenge of energy storage from renewable sources, thanks to their ability to absorb and desorb hydrogen in a reversible way with a proper tuning of pressure and temperature conditions. Therefore, they are expected to play an important role in the clean energy...

Fe-Co alloy nanoparticles of different compositions (Fe content of 76, 51, and 30 at.%), along with pure Fe and Co nanoparticles, were prepared by pulsed-laser inert gas condensation, consisting in laser ablation of Fe-Co alloy targets under helium atmosphere. From the morphological point of view, the obtained nanoparticles have nearly spherical sh...

Light absorption and charge transport in oxide semiconductors can be tuned by the introduction, during deposition, of a small quantity of foreign elements, leading to the improvement of the photoelectrocatalytic performance. In this work, both unmodified and vanadium-modified TiO2 thin films deposited by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering are inv...

The thermo-catalytic synthesis of hydrocarbons from CO2 and H2 is of great interest for the conversion of CO2 into valuable chemicals and fuels. In this work, we aim to contribute to the fundamental understanding of the effect of alloying on the reaction yield and selectivity to a specific product. For this purpose, Fe-Co alloy nanoparticles (nanoa...

The interaction of hydrogen with solids and the mechanisms of hydride formation experience significant changes in nanomaterials due to a number of structural features. This review aims at illustrating the design principles that have recently inspired the development of new nanomaterials for hydrogen storage. After a general discussion about the inf...

Globally, the accelerating use of renewable energy sources, enabled by increased efficiencies and reduced costs, and driven by the need to mitigate the effects of climate change, has significantly increased research in the areas of renewable energy production, storage, distribution and end-use. Central to this discussion is the use of hydrogen, as...

Magnesium hydride owns the largest share of publications on solid materials for hydrogen storage. The Magnesium group of international experts contributing to IEA Task 32 Hydrogen Based Energy Storage recently published two review papers presenting the activities of the group focused on magnesium hydride based materials and on Mg based compounds fo...

The use of Mg as hydrogen storage material is hampered by slow sorption kinetics and high thermodynamic stability. This work reports on biphasic Mg-Ti-H nanoparticles outperform known Mg-based materials in both respects. By exploiting gas-phase condensation of Mg and Ti vapors under He/H2 atmosphere, < 20 nm nanoparticles are grown, in which the bu...

Advanced composites are used in a variety of industrial applications and therefore attract much scientific interest. Here we describe the formation of novel carbon-based nanocomposites via incorporation of graphene oxide into the crystal lattice of single crystals of calcite. Incorporation of a 2D organic material into single-crystal lattices has n...

WO3/BiVO4 films obtained by electrochemical deposition of BiVO4 over mesoporous WO3 were applied to the photoelectrochemical degradation of selected emerging contaminants (ketoprofen and levofloxacine) in aqueous solutions. The WO3/BiVO4 films in this work are characterized by a mesoporous morphology with a maximum photoconversion efficiency >40% e...

Magnesium hydride owns the largest share of publications on solid materials for hydrogen storage. The “Magnesium group” of international experts contributing to IEA Task 32 “Hydrogen Based Energy Storage” recently published two review papers presenting the activities of the group focused on magnesium hydride based materials and on Mg based compound...

Metallic nanoparticles (NPs), either supported on a porous oxide framework or finely dispersed within an oxide matrix, find applications in catalysis, plasmonics, nanomagnetism and energy conversion, among others. The development of synthetic routes that enable to control the morphology, chemical composition, crystal structure and mutual interactio...

We study the kinetics of hydrogen sorption in Mg‐Ti‐H nanoparticles prepared by gas phase condensation of mixed Mg‐Ti vapors under a H2‐containing atmosphere. Four samples with different Ti contents from 14 to 63 at.% Ti are examined in the 100‐150 °C range. The hydrogen absorption kinetics coupled with the formation of MgH2 can be described a nucl...

Vanadium-doped TiO2 nanoparticles (V-TiO2 NPs) with a V/Ti ratio of 3.0 at. % were prepared by gas-phase condensation and subsequent oxidation at elevated temperature. Both photocatalytic activity for -NO2 reduction and photoelectrochemical water splitting were induced by V-doping in the visible spectral range λ> 450 nm, where undoped TiO2 NPs are...

In this review, I examine the influence of nanoscale materials features on the hydrogen-metal interaction. The small system size, the abundance of surfaces/interfaces, and the spatial distribution of phases are the key factors to understand the hydrogen sorption properties of nanomaterials. In order to describe nanoscale-specific thermodynamic chan...

We analyzed the effect of the interfacial free energy on the thermodynamics of hydrogen sorption in nano-scaled materials. When the enthalpy and entropy terms are the same for all interfaces, as in an isotropic bi-phasic system, one obtains a compensation temperature, which does not depend on the system size nor on the relative phase abundance. The...

We report an X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) study of Vanadium (V) and Nitrogen (N) dopants in anatase TiO2 thin films deposited by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. Measurements at the Ti K and V K edges were combined with soft X-rays experiments at the Ti L2,3, O K and N K edges. Full potential ab initio spectral simulations of t...

Incorporation of dopants in semiconductors is commonly used to modify the optical response and improve the efficiency of related devices. A physical understanding with elemental and local sensitivity of the electron excitation and trapping channels which follow photoexcitation is a prerequisite for knowledge-based materials design. By using high-re...

Reversible hydrogen sorption coupled with the MgH2↔Mg phase transformation was achieved in the remarkably low 340 - 425 K temperature range using MgH2-TiH2 composite nanoparticles obtained by reactive gas-phase condensation of Mg-Ti vapours under He/H2 atmosphere. The equilibrium pressures determined by in situ measurements at low temperature were...

High-pressure torsion technique was applied on nanocrystalline Mg2Ni powders to produce bulk disks by simultaneous uniaxial compression and severe shear deformation. The hydrogen absorption and desorption behavior of the disks has been characterized by high-pressure calorimetry. During desorption, the decomposition of the Mg2NiH4 phase takes place,...

Organisms that accumulate calcium carbonate structures are particularly vulnerable to ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA), potentially reducing the socioeconomic benefits of ecosystems reliant on these taxa. Since rising atmospheric CO2 is responsible for global warming and increasing ocean acidity, to correctly predict how OW and OA wi...

: Doping hematite with different elements is a common strategy to improve the electrocatalytic activity towards the water oxidation reaction, although the exact effect of these external agents is not yet clearly understood. Using a feasible electrophoretic procedure, we prepared modified hematite films by introducing in the deposition solution Ti(I...

In the framework of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action MP1103 Nanostructured Materials for Solid-State Hydrogen Storage were synthesized, characterized and modeled. This Action dealt with the state of the art of energy storage and set up a competitive and coordinated network capable to define new and unexplored ways fo...

Composites, materials composed of two or more materials-metallic, organic, or inorganic-usually exhibit the combined physical properties of their component materials. The result is a material that is superior to conventional monolithic materials. Advanced composites are used in a variety of industrial applications and therefore attract much scienti...

Mg nanoparticles (NPs) with addition of Ti catalysts were synthesised by inert gas condensation and in situ hydrogenation at 150 °C. The NPs size and composition were systematically investigated by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXD), while time resolved in situ synchrotron radiation...

Doping with transition metals is an effective method to enhance visible-light absorption in TiO2 nanoparticles and to improve the efficiency of many photocatalytic processes under solar radiation. A determination of the incorporation site of the dopant and an understanding of the local bonding arrangement and electronic structure is a necessary ste...

The hydrogen sorption kinetics of MgH2‒VO2(B) composites synthesised by mechanical milling have been studied. The microstructural properties of composites were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Particle size analysis (PSD), while sorption behaviour was followed by differential...

This work deals with the thermodynamics of hydride formation in 3-D nanoconfined Mg. Two ensembles of nearly monodisperse Mg nanodots (NDs) with different diameters (60 and 320 nm), were grown by the template nanopatterning method, using ultra-thin alumina membranes (UTAMs) with ordered porosity as evaporation masks. Multilayer NDs consisting of 30...

Ball-milled Mg-Ni powder has been cold-compacted and subsequently processed by severe shear deformation under high-pressure torsion. The effect of high pressure torsion on morphology and microstructure of the disk-shape samples has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. In order to achieve partially...

Mg-Ti nanostructured samples with different Ti contents were prepared via compaction of nanoparticles grown by inert gas condensation with independent Mg and Ti vapour sources. The growth set-up offered the option to perform in situ hydrogen absorption before compaction. Structural and morphological characterization was carried out by x-ray diffrac...

Ocean acidification is predicted to impact ecosystems reliant on calcifying organisms, potentially reducing the socioeconomic benefits these habitats provide. Here we investigate the acclimation potential of stony corals living along a pH gradient caused by a Mediterranean CO2 vent that serves as a natural long-term experimental setting. We show th...

Scleractinian corals are a major source of biogenic calcium carbonate, yet the relationship between their skeletal microstructure and mechanical properties has been scarcely studied. In this work, the skeletons of two coral species: solitary Balanophyllia europaea and colonial Stylophora pistillata, were investigated by nanoindentation. The hardnes...

The characterization of self-diffusion in MgO grain boundaries is a materials science problem of general interest, being relevant to the stability and reactivity of MgO layers in artificial nanostructures as well as to the understanding of mass transport and morphological evolution in polycrystalline metal oxides which are employed in many technol...

Magnesium nanoparticles (NPs) with initial size in the 10–50 nm range were synthesized by inert gas condensation under helium flow and deposited on room temperature substrates. The morphology and crystal structure of the NPs ensemble were investigated as a function of the deposition time by complementary electron microscopy techniques, including hi...

Composite of MgH2-VO2 has been synthesized by high-energy mechanical milling. The sorption properties of composites were examined by differential scanning calorimetry and sorption analysis. It has been shown that at relatively low temperature sorption reaction is notable enhanced. Complete desorption of pure MgH2 at 380°C finishes after 30 minutes...

MgH2, MgH2–TiH2 nanocomposites and their deuterated analogues have been obtained by reactive ball milling and their kinetic and cycling hydrogenation properties have been analysed by isotope measurements and high-pressure differential scanning calorimetry (HP-DSC). Kinetics of material synthesis depends on both Ti-content and the isotopic nature of...

Anthropogenic CO2 is a major driver of present environmental change in most ecosystems1, and the related ocean acidification is threatening marine biota2. With increasing pCO2, calcification rates of several species decrease3, although cases of upregulation are observed4. Here, we show that biological control over mineralization relates to species...

This paper describes the scientific aims and potentials as well as the preliminary technical design of IRIDE, an innovative tool for multi-disciplinary investigations in a wide field of scientific, technological and industrial applications. IRIDE will be a high intensity “particles factory”, based on a combination of high duty cycle radio-frequency...

This is the first study exploring skeletal mechanical properties in temperate corals. The variation of skeletal mechanical properties with distance from the aboral pole, coral age, and population was investigated in the corals Balanophyllia europaea (zooxanthellate) and Leptopsammia pruvoti (non-zooxanthellate), collected at three sites along a wid...

We present a model that describes the effect of elastic constraint on the thermodynamics of hydrogen absorption and desorption in biphasic core–shell nanoparticles, where the core is a hydride forming metal. In particular, the change of the hydride formation enthalpy and of the equilibrium pressure for the metal/hydride transformation are described...

Mediterranean corals are a natural model for studying global warming, as the Mediterranean basin is expected to be one of the most affected regions and the increase of temperature is one of the greatest threats for coral survival. We have analyzed for the first time with Time Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (TD-NMR) porosity and pore-space struct...

To improve hydrogen desorption properties of MgH2, mechanical milling of MgH2 with low concentration (2 and 5%) of NaNH2 has been performed. Pre-milling of MgH2 for 10 h has been done and then six samples have been synthesised with different milling times from 15 to 60 min. Microstructural characterisation has been performed using X-ray diffraction...

The aim of this work is to investigate metal hydride transformation in Magnesium (Mg) nanoparticles decorated by Nickel (Ni). The samples were synthesized by Inert Gas Condensation: Mg single crystal nanoparticles were deposited on a metal substrate and subsequently their surface was exposed to evaporation of Ni. Structural analysis was made by Syn...

This report describes the scientific aims and potentials as well as the preliminary technical design of IRIDE, an innovative tool for multi-disciplinary investigations in a wide field of scientific, technological and industrial applications. IRIDE will be a high intensity 'particle factory', based on a combination of a high duty cycle radio-frequen...

A growing number of classes of organic (macro)molecular materials have been trapped into inorganic crystalline hosts, such as calcite single crystals, without significantly disrupting their crystalline lattices. Inclusion of an organic phase plays a key role in enhancing the mechanical properties of the crystals, which are believed to share structu...

Compacted mixtures based on ball-milled magnesium hydride (MgH2) have gained significant research interest as suitable materials for hydrogen storage tanks. The issue related to their stability during practical service conditions is one of paramount relevance. In this work, we investigate the microstructure and morphology of pellets obtained by the...

We investigate the depth-dependent magnetization reversal and spin structure of Fe/NiO epitaxial bilayers before and after field cooling. Using nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation we selectively probe the spin structure of the interfacial layers in contact with NiO. We provide a direct evidence that magnetization reversal involves...

Magnesium nanoparticles coated by a native oxide shell and decorated by palladium clusters were synthesized by the inert gas condensation technique. The kinetics and thermodynamics of hydrogen sorption were investigated by Sieverts measurements at high temperature and by optical hydrogenography close to ambient temperature. The structure and morpho...

We describe a soft x-ray appearance potential spectroscopy apparatus, which uses a windowless hyperpure Ge detector operated in the photon counting mode. Direct comparisons of recorded spectra with the self-convolution of x-ray absorption spectra and with ab initio simulations in the multiple scattering framework are reported and discussed.

Direct, solid-state X-ray detectors based on organic single crystals are shown to operate at room temperature, in air, and at voltages as low as a few volts, delivering a stable and reproducible linear response to increasing X-ray dose rates, with notable radiation hardness and resistance to aging. All-organic and optically transparent devices are...

The skeleton of scleractinian corals is commonly believed to be composed entirely of aragonite due to the current Mg/Ca molar ratio of seawater, which thermodynamically favours the deposition of this polymorph of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). However, some studies have shown that other forms of CaCO3 such as calcite can be present in significant amoun...

We report on the hydrogen storage behaviour of Mg nanoparticles (NPs) (size range 100 nm-1 mu m) with metal-oxide core-shell morphology synthesized by inert gas condensation and decorated by transition metal (TM) (Pd or Ti) clusters via in situ vacuum deposition. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared and hydrogenated NPs is studied by ele...

The correlations between skeletal parameters (bulk density, micro-density and porosity), coral age and sea surface temperature were assessed along a latitudinal gradient in the zooxanthellate coral Balanophyllia europaea and in the azooxanthellate coral Leptopsammia pruvoti. In both coral species, the variation of bulk density was more influenced b...

We report on the formation of hollow structures driven by a phase transition that proceeds via diffusion through a membrane. The mechanism is demonstrated for Mg/MgO core/shell nanoparticles: When they undergo successive metal-hydride transitions at sufficiently high temperature, the core material progressively diffuses outward and evaporates, leav...

The structure at the interface between elements or phases that exhibit different hydrogen (H) binding energies exerts a profound influence on the thermodynamics of H in nanophase materials. In this paper, we study the local structure at the Mg/Pd interface in Mg nanoparticles with partial Pd coating, and we map its evolution in response to annealin...

Using nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation and density functional theory calculations we have resolved the magnetic properties of the different Fe phases present at the Fe/NiO(001) interface, an epitaxial ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic system. We have detected the presence of an interfacial antiferromagnetic FeO-like phase with a s...

Composites made from compacted powders blends of Al with different Fe contents were produced and characterised with respect to mechanical and induction heating properties. Mechanical spectroscopy and hardness measurements were employed to follow the evolution of Young modulus and internal friction after ageing. It was found that above a critical ir...

The mechanical behavior of nanocrystalline iron and nickel prepared by mechanical attrition and inert gas condensation was investigated using mechanical spectroscopy techniques in the quasi static-and low frequency dynamic stress-strain regimes. The measures were performed on samples previously stabilized by thermal annealing at low homologous temp...

Microstructure refinement and synergic coupling among different phases are currently explored strategies to improve the hydrogen storage properties of traditional materials. In this work, we apply a combination of these methods and synthesize Mg–Pd composite nanoparticles by inert gas condensation of Mg vapors followed by vacuum evaporation of Pd c...

We used nuclear hyperfine spectroscopies and a (57)Fe probe layer approach to Study the depth-dependent magnetic properties of ultrathin Fe films on NiO(0 0 1), a system exhibiting exchange bias. Conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy and nuclear resonance scattering of synchrotron radiation were employed. The samples were two Fe films with a t...

CdZnTe-based detectors possess unique properties as room-temperature x- and gamma-ray detectors. We report on the effects of x-ray irradiation on CdZnTe and CdTe:Cl detectors with increasing x-ray doses. We correlate the “macroscopic” performance of the det