Manufacturing of carbon-based hybrid nanocomposites with engineered functionalities via Laser Ablation Synthesis in Solution (LASiS) techniques

Carbon-based composite materials have long been fabricated and extensively used in our daily lives. In the past decades, with rapid development of nanotechnology, these class of material have gained even more attention owing to their outstanding properties which directly results in their prospects to revolutionize technological development in many fields, ranging from medicine to electronics. Nevertheless, for certain applications, including electrochemical energy storage/conversion devices, the chemically inert nature of these materials creates obstacles and thus requires their coupling with other active species. This thesis explores the use of Laser Ablation Synthesis in Solution (LASiS) in tailoring promising strategies and pathways for the synthesis of carbon-based hybrid nanocomposites, more specifically herein I present (1) the synthesis of metal-oxide/ reduced-graphene-oxide hybrid nanocomposites and the rational-design of their structure–property for selective improvements in electrocatalytic/ and or supercapacitive properties, (2) the fabrication of nanoparticles within Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and characterization of their performance as electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR). For each synthetic route, a comprehensive analysis of reaction pathways, formation mechanisms and structure-property relationship is developed taking into account elemental, structural, physicochemical and morphological characterizations of the final products, setting the ground for use of LASiS for the rational design and synthesis of a wide library of diverse carbon-based nanocomposites structures in future.