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In this paper we introduce the use of molecular metal clusters as precursors for the in situ formation of nanoparticles with a high activity and surprising stability as electrocatalysts in energy conversion. The work is relevant in the present quest for remediation of greenhouse gas production and global warming, where fuel cells and metal and lithium air batteries are intended to play a crucial role. The research for an increased efficiency of these devices needs to solve the problems linked to the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR), which plays a key role in these processes, due to its sluggish electrochemical kinetics that must be increased by a suitable electrocatalyst. Here we describe the facile synthesis of a new cathode material for fuel cells based on CO–Pt molecular clusters that are strongly bound to Vulcan XC72R®. The Pt–CO bond can be removed just after the synthesis, by thermal treatment at 450 K, or once in solution, leaving low-coordinated, highly reactive surface Pt atoms. The materials are investigated thoroughly using identical-location transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (with pair distribution function) and X-ray absorption measurements, revealing an extremely small, yet controlled, particle size (1–2 nm), with high structural and morphological stability, and lack of any aggregation process after thermal treatment. The surprising stability is related to the quite large number of Pt–C bonds that the nanoparticles form with the support, allowing them to attach stably onto the carbonaceous moiety. At the same time, the nanoparticles are particularly strained, and enclose a high defect density, thus enhancing their catalytic properties. The best performing composite presents a mass activity of 225 mA mgPt−1 @ 0.9 V vs. RHE for the ORR, and a less cathodic onset potential compared with a conventional Pt nanoparticle cathode, used as a benchmark under the same experimental conditions, while in turn having a lower noble metal content.

Fe2O3 and Fe2O3:Ge nanofibers (NFs) were prepared via electrospinning and thoroughly characterized via several techniques in order to investigate the effects produced by germanium incorporation in the nanostructure and crystalline phase of the oxide. The results indicate that reference Fe2O3 NFs consist of interconnected hematite grains, whereas in Fe2O3:Ge NFs, constituted by finer and elongated nanostructures developing mainly along their axis, an amorphous component coexists with the dominant α-Fe2O3 and γ-Fe2O3 phases. Ge4+ ions, mostly dispersed as dopant impurities, are accommodated in the tetrahedral sites of the maghemite lattice and probably in the defective hematite surface sites. When tested as anode active material for sodium ion batteries, Fe2O3:Ge NFs show good specific capacity (320 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1) and excellent rate capability (still delivering 140 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1). This behavior derives from the synergistic combination of the nanostructured morphology, the electronic transport properties of the complex material, and the pseudo-capacitive nature of the charge storage mechanism.

The experimental station for measuring X-ray absorption spectra in total reflection geometry operative at the GILDA CRG beamline of ESRF is described. The main features of the station are shown, namely: the possibility of detecting very small signals from thin (a few ML) samples, of depositing thin films under controlled conditions and thermal treating the samples in order to study dynamical processes. Case studies are reported in order to show the performances of the apparatus.

The electronic properties of two room temperature persistent phases of germanium dioxide have been studied by means of experimental and theoretical techniques. We collected the Ge-K edge XANES spectra of these materials at the GILDA beamline of ESRF. The density of states of the two crystal phases, obtained from fully periodic Hartree-Fock and density functional calculations, is taken as the reference term to rationalise and assign the manifolds of the XANES spectra. Although this scheme requires a number of severe approximations, we obtained a good overall agreement between experiment and theory. The topological analysis of the theoretical electron density distribution in the crystals gave further information regarding the electronic properties of germanium dioxide.

Transient (non-equilibrium) microstructures in crystals may arise in an order-disorder phase transition that generates lattice strain. A two-phase field can develop if fluctuations of the order parameter lead to nucleation of an ordered phase in a disordered matrix, as we describe here for columbite. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show that ordering in columbite involves two discrete phases with different degree of order but the same composition. A highly unusual distribution of ordered rhombic-shaped domains within a disordered matrix establishes on a nanometer scale and remains relatively stable over a prolonged period of annealing. Progressive ordering takes place within the ordered domains and the disordered matrix but the domains maintain more or less constant shape and distribution. We speculate that a new family of such microstructures could develop in other oxide phases with cation ordering transitions that are strongly first order in character. Long-term stability of such microstructures and their dependence on strain could open up the possibility of engineering the properties of crystals containing a percolating disordered matrix with ordered nanodomains of controlled dimensions.

The chemical reactivity of thin layers (ca. 10 nm thick) of ZnO deposited onto differently oriented Al 2 O 3 single crystals has been investigated by means of atomic force microscopy inspections and X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Zn–K edge. The ( 0001 ) ZnO ∥ ( 11 2 ¯ 0 ) sapphire interface yields the ZnAl 2 O 4 spinel and a quite stable film morphology. Instead, the ( 11 2 ¯ 0 ) ZnO ∥ ( 1 1 ¯ 02 ) sapphire and (0001) ZnO ∥(0001) sapphire interfaces give origin to a new compound (or, possibly, even two new compounds), whose chemical nature is most likely that of a ZnO/Al 2 O 3 phase, with still unknown composition and crystal structure. In addition, in the last two cases, films collapse into prismatic twins of ca. 1 μm in dimension. These experimental findings demonstrate that in a solid-state reaction, the topotactical relationships between the reacting solids are of crucial importance not only in determining the kinetic and mechanisms of the process in its early stages, but even the chemical nature of the product.