Professor Nunzio Motta

Supervision of HDR students Prof. Nunzio Motta currently supervises PhD and MSc students in the following areas:

Growth and characterization of 2D Materials

• Hybrid 2D materials synthesis for nanoelectronics and photovoltaics applications. Graphene based heterostructures, combining graphene with other two dimensional materials, have been recently proposed in order to overcome the limitation of graphene in 2D electronics. The hybridisation of graphene with other two dimensional materials opens up the possibility of engineering the band gap and realising synthetic two-dimensional alloys and topological insulators. Adv. Mater. Technol. 2021, 2100963. Applied Surface Science 552, 149303 (2021), Scientific Reports 10, 17334 (2020) PhD projects available in this area.
• Graphene synthesis on SiC nanostructures for next-generation electronics and gas sensing. This project aims at studying the growth of Graphene obtained by heating crystalline SiC nanostructures at high temperature (1200-1350 C) in Ultra High Vacuum. The aim is to understand and master the growth mechanism, in order to obtain a seamless single graphene sheet on nanostructures suitable for electronic and sensing.  References: Nanotechnology 2018, 30 025704, Nanotechnology 2018, 29 145601 , Growing Graphene on semiconductors,  Nanotechnology, 2017, 28 (34), p. 345602. Carbon, 2015, 98, pp. 307-312. Carbon, 2015. 91(0): p. 378-385. Carbon, 2014. 68: p. 330-336. Carbon, 2014. 68: p. 563-572.      PhD projects available in this area.

Supercapacitors, Energy storage

• Carbon Based Supercapacitors   Supercapacitors can provide a higher power density but a smaller energy density compared to traditional chemical batteries, which make them very attractive for applications where instantaneous power is required. We are working at high performance supercapacitors by using all carbon electrodes. References: Adv. Mater. 2021, 33, 2004560. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry 2019, 17, 42 , Nanotechnology, 2016. 27(16): p. 165402, Journal of Power Sources, 2015. 274: p. 823. PhD projects available in this area.

Gas sensing

• Electrospun and 2D nanomaterials for gas sensing. Adv. Mater. Technol. 2021, 2100579. PhD projects available in this area.

Professional service

• Associate editor for: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology, Advanced Device Materials, Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology.
• Referee for the International reviews: Applied Physics Letters, Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology,  Nanotechnology IOP, J Phys D, ACS-Nano, Nano letters, Advanced Functional Materials, Sensors, Scientific Reports,  Carbon
• Referee for French PhD theses (INSA-Lyon, Universitè J.Fourier-Grenoble)
• Assessor for research proposals: ARC ; CEA (france); NSERC (Canada); Qatar foundation,

Conference organization

• Organising committee Wagga wagga 42nd Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, Wagga Wagga, NSW, 30 January – 02 February 2018.
• Conference Chair NanoS-E3 International School and Workshop, Brisbane, QLD, 26-29 September 2017.
• Conference Chair NanoS-E3 International School and Workshop, Kingscliff, NSW, 26-29 September 2015.
• Conference Chair NanoS-E3 International School and Workshop, Arlie Beach, QLD, 15 – 20 September, 2013.
• Conference Chair NanoS-E3 International School and Workshop, Kingscliff, NSW, 12-13 september 2011
• Conference Chair NanoS-E3 International School and Workshop, Couran Cove, QLD 23-28 September 2007

Type

Committee Role/Editor or Chair of an Academic Conference

Reference year

2017

Details

Chairman of the NanoS-E3 School and Workshop (Nanotechnology for Sensor, Electronics Energy and Environment) 2007-2011-2013-2015-2017. The NanoS-E3 School and Workshop is an established periodic meeting bringing together leading international researchers to present their activities and foster cooperation in the field of nanotechnology, focussing in the areas of sensors, electronics, energy and environment.

Type

Other

Reference year

2017

Details

Order of the Star of Italy: this distinction, which qualifies as a second civilian honor of the State, represents a particular honor on behalf of all those, Italians abroad or foreigners, who have acquired special merit in the promotion of friendly relations and cooperation between Italy and other countries and the promotion of ties with Italy.

Type

Editorial Role for an Academic Journal

Reference year

2013

Details

Associate editor for Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology

Type

Fellowships

Reference year

2013

Details

Queensland International FellowshipMicroscopic studies of new gas sensing materials for solar powered nanosensors.Funding 3 months Scientific visit to University of Roma Tor Vergata

• Morawska, L., Thai, P., Liu, X., Asumadu-Sakyi, A., Ayoko, G., Bartonova, A., Bedini, A., Chai, F., Christensen, B., Dunbabin, M., Gao, J., Hagler, G., Jayaratne, R., Kumar, P., Lau, A., Louie, P., Mazaheri, M., Ning, Z., Motta, N., Mullins, B., Rahman, M., Ristovski, Z., Shafiei, M., Tjondronegoro, D., Westerdahl, D. & Williams, R. (2018). Applications of low-cost sensing technologies for air quality monitoring and exposure assessment: How far have they gone? Environment International, 116, 286–299. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/118213
• Aljada, M., Liu, J., Motta, N., Notarianni, M., Vernon, K. & Chou, A. (2014). Plasmonic effect of gold nanoparticles in organic solar cells. Solar Energy, 106, 23–37. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/65280
• Liu, B., Bo, R., Taheri, M., Di Bernardo, I., Motta, N., Chen, H., Tsuzuki, T., Yu, G. & Tricoli, A. (2019). Metal-Organic Frameworks/Conducting Polymer Hydrogel Integrated Three-Dimensional Free-Standing Monoliths as Ultrahigh Loading Li-S Battery Electrodes. Nano Letters, 19(7), 4391–4399. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/200337
• Horn, M., MacLeod, J., Liu, M., Webb, J. & Motta, N. (2019). Supercapacitors: A new source of power for electric cars? Economic Analysis and Policy, 61, 93–103. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/121172
• Gupta, B., Notarianni, M., Mishra, N., Shafiei, M., Iacopi, F. & Motta, N. (2014). Evolution of epitaxial graphene layers on 3C SiC/Si (1 1 1) as a function of annealing temperature in UHV. Carbon, 68, 563–572. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/63272
• Zhao, Y., Liu, J., Wang, B., Sha, J., Li, Y., Zheng, D., Amjadi Pour, M., MacLeod, J. & Motta, N. (2017). Supercapacitor electrodes with remarkable specific capacitance converted from hybrid graphene Oxide/NaCl/Urea Films. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 9(27), 22588–22596. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/108242
• Piloto, C., Shafiei, M., Khan, H., Gupta, B., Tesfamichael, T. & Motta, N. (2018). Sensing performance of reduced graphene oxide-Fe doped WO3 hybrids to NO2 and humidity at room temperature. Applied Surface Science, 424, 126–133. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/114264
• Zarotti, F., Gupta, B., Iacopi, F., Sgarlata, A., Tomellini, M. & Motta, N. (2016). Time evolution of graphene growth on SiC as a function of annealing temperature. Carbon, 98, 307–312. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/92122
• Jayaramulu, K., Horn, M., Schneemann, A., Saini, H., Bakandritsos, A., Ranc, V., Petr, M., Stavila, V., Narayana, C., Scheibe, B., Kment, Š., Otyepka, M., Motta, N., Dubal, D., Zboril, R. & Fischer, R. (2021). Covalent Graphene-MOF Hybrids for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitors. Advanced Materials, 33(4). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/209059
• Horn, M., Singh, A., Alomari, S., Goberna-Ferrón, S., Benages-Vilau, R., Chodankar, N., Motta, N., Ostrikov, K., MacLeod, J., Sonar, P., Gomez-Romero, P. & Dubal, D. (2021). Polyoxometalates (POMs): from electroactive clusters to energy materials. Energy and Environmental Science, 14(4), 1652–1700. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/209041

Title

Establishing Advanced Networks for Air Quality Sensing and Analyses

Primary fund type

CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant

Project ID

LP160100051

Start year

2017

Keywords

Title

A novel multiscale modelling technique to explore mechanical deformation of nanowires in high-performance devices

Primary fund type

CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant

Project ID

DP130102120

Start year

2013

Keywords

Nanowire; Multiscale modelling; Surface effect

Title

Development of gas selective membranes (for intra-ruminal capsules)

Primary fund type

CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant

Project ID

01200.006

Start year

2013

Keywords

• Carbon Nanomaterials for Room Temperature Gas Sensing (2016)
• Epitaxial Graphene Growth on 3C SiC by Si Sublimation in UHV (2015)
• Synthesis and Applications of Carbon Nanomaterials for Energy Generation and Storage (2015)
• Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Graphene Oxide-Polymer Nanocomposites (2015)
• Development of Gas Sensing Technology for Ground and Airborne Applications Powered by Solar Energy: Methodology and Experimental Results (2014)
• An exploratory study of the potential of resurfacing articular cartilage with synthetic phospholipids (2013)
• Controlled Synthesis of Inorganic Semiconductor Nanocrystals and their Applications (2013)
• Controlled Growth of Carbon Nanotubes for Electronic and Photovoltaic Applications (2011)
• Optical and microscopic study of a polymer-nanotube mixture for organic photovoltaic applications (2010)
• Carbon nanotubes for organic electronics (2008)