Nano-networks of Quantum Dots in Glasses: From Self-assembly to Energy Conversion and Hydrogen Storage

Project funded by Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ) (Installation Research Projects), grant UIP-2013-11-2334. Participating organisations named by the source: Ruđer Bošković Institute. Funded amount: EUR 97,350, as stated by the source. Runs 2014-06-01 to 2017-05-31. Source: OpenAIRE Graph, from the funder's project data (collected by OpenAIRE on 2026-07-23); national funding data, not CORDIS. Abstract given by the source: The main goal of the project is to investigate the capabilities of the recently developed materials based on self-assembled quantum dots organized as nano-networks in glass matrices for application in energy-conversion and Hydrogen-storage devices. Two new self-assembly processes of Ge quantum dots in dielectric amorphous matrices and consequently novel material types have been discovered recently by our group. We have performed intensive investigation of their structural properties since then, and we had found that they appear in many different shapes, internal structures and ordering types. One material can store large amounts of Hydrogen. However, only properties of Ge and SiGe quantum dots have been investigated, while all other materials and their properties are completely unknown. These materials are theoretically very suitable for applications, especially in photo-electric conversion and energy storage, so the investigations of their properties related to the applications are also very important. We intend to form a group which will be excellent in production, characterization and application of these materials. Precisely, we intend to (i) further investigate the observed self-assembly processes and develop new material types with interesting or extraordinary structural properties; (ii) determine the basic optical and electrical properties of these materials and (iii) produce simple devices based on these materials for energy conversion and storage. We expect preparation of new, applicative materials with exceptional properties, observation of unusual effects caused by specific structure, and preparation of efficient thin-film coatings for conversion and storage of Sun energy. These results could be of great relevance for the production of super-efficient energy-converting window glasses, as the method that we use for the preparation (magnetron sputtering deposition), is a standard technique for production of window coatings and low-emissivity glasses.

Original source.

Source: OpenAIRE Graph: projects of national funders, OpenAIRE, from the project data of Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ). Retrieved 2026-10-28. Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (OpenAIRE Graph). Selected metadata, adapted presentation; the publisher's record is authoritative. No endorsement by the source is implied. Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).

AI-assisted summary: The project "Nano-networks of Quantum Dots in Glasses" was funded by the Croatian Science Foundation with a grant of EUR 97,350, running from June 1, 2014, to May 31, 2017. It focused on investigating self-assembled quantum dots for energy conversion and hydrogen storage. Suggested technology pillar: enabling. Generated by AI from the public source text; it may contain errors and the original source is authoritative.