Transparent Conductive Oxides

Our group focuses on the development of Transparent Conductive Oxides (TCOs), such as ZnO, CuO, In₂O₃, SnO₂, ITO, IZO, etc., for high-technology applications. These materials have attracted industry interest due to their versatility as both functional and optically transparent elements in advanced devices and applications, such as gas sensors, thermochromic coatings, antireflection coatings, photocatalysis, batteries, supercapacitors, etc.

TCOs are grown by sputtering or solution-based methods, while they can be deposited on various substrates, both rigid and flexible, using plenty of methods such as sputtering, drop casting, printing, as well as direct ink writing. The resulting films are thoroughly characterized to assess their optical, electrical, morphological, and structural properties.

Our aim is to understand and optimize the properties of TCOs in order to apply them in environmental and energy-related technologies.

Publications

1. E. Gagaoudakis, E. Aperathitis, G. Michail, G. Kiriakidis, V. Binas «Sputtered VO2 coatings on commercial glass substrates for smart glazing applications» Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells 220 (2021) 110845 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2020.110845
2. Athanasios Paralikis, Emmanouil Gagaoudakis, Viktoras Kampitakis, Elias Aperathitis, George Kiriakidis and Vassilios Binas «Study on the Ozone Gas Sensing Properties of Rf-Sputtered Al-Doped NiO Films» Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 3104 https://doi.org/10.3390/app11073104
3. Konstantinos Kaleris, Emmanouil Kaniolakis‑Kaloudis, Evaggelos Kaselouris, Kyriaki Kosma, Emmanouil Gagaoudakis, Vassilis Binas, Stelios Petrakis, Vasilis Dimitriou, Makis Bakarezos, Michael Tatarakis, Nektarios A. Papadogiannis, “Efficient ultrafast photoacoustic transduction on Tantalum thin films” Applied Physics A (2023) 129:527 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-023-06797-6
4. Emmanouil Gagaoudakis, Apostolos Tsakirakis, Marilena Moschogiannaki, Angeliki Sfakianou and Vassilios Binas “Room-Temperature Nitric Oxide Gas Sensors Based on NiO/SnO₂ Heterostructures” Sensors 2023, 23, 8583 https://doi.org/10.3390/s23208583
5. E. Gagaoudakis, A. Sfakianou, E.Mantsiou, V. Binas, “Cu₂O nanocubes as gas sensing elements for food packaging applications Appl. Res. 2024 https://doi.org/10.1002/appl.202300125.

Team members

• Prof. George Kiriakidis
• Prof. Vassilios Binas
• Dr Emmanouil Gagaoudakis
• Mr Christos Tsichlis (PhD candidate)
• Mr Kyriakos Liperos (MSc Student)

Advanced Materials for Gas Sensors

Our research is focused on the synthesis of advanced materials as well as the fabrication of high-necessity gas sensors. Specifically, various categories of materials, such as metal oxides and metal coordination polymers, are investigated for their promising properties as gas sensing elements.

To grow functional gas sensing films, a wide range of deposition techniques, including spin-coating, drop-casting, as well as sputtering and thermal evaporation, are utilized.

Our scope is the detection of multiple gases relevant to a range of applications, including:

• Energy and Environment: H₂, CH₄, and O₃ detection
• Food Packaging: CO₂ and NH₃ detection
• Medical Diagnostics: NO detection

In parallel, we examine the physicochemical properties as well as the electrical behavior of the materials, while we analyze their gas sensing performance. Through this, we aim to develop reliable, sensitive, and selective gas sensors for real-world applications.

Publications

• E. Gagaoudakis, A. Sfakianou, E. Mantsiou, and V. Binas, “Cu₂O nanocubes as gas sensing elements for food packaging applications,” Applied Research, p. e202300125, Mar. 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/appl.202300125.
• E. Gagaoudakis, V. Kampitakis, M. Moschogiannaki, A. Sfakianou, T. Anthopoulos, L. Tsetseris, G. Kiriakidis, G. Deligeorgis, F. Iacovella, V. Binas, Low-energy consumption CuSCN-based ultra-low-ppb level ozone sensor, operating at room temperature, Sensors and Actuators A: Physical 338 (2022) 113462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2022.113462.
• V. Kabitakis, E. Gagaoudakis, M. Moschogiannaki, G. Kiriakidis, A. Seitkhan, Y. Firdaus, H. Faber, E. Yengel, K. Loganathan, G. Deligeorgis, L. Tsetseris, T.D. Anthopoulos, V. Binas, A Low‐Power CuSCN Hydrogen Sensor Operating Reversibly at Room Temperature, Adv Funct Materials 32 (2022) 2102635. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202102635.
• M. Moschogiannaki, L. Zouridi, J. Sukunta, S. Phanichphant, E. Gagaoudakis, C. Liewhiran, G. Kiriakidis, V. Binas, High performance hydrogen gas sensors based on PdO-decorated p-type CoV₂O₆ nanoparticles, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 324 (2020) 128744, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2020.128744.
• E. Petromichelaki, E. Gagaoudakis, K. Moschovis, L. Tsetseris, T.D. Anthopoulos, G. Kiriakidis, V. Binas, Highly sensitive and room temperature detection of ultra-low concentrations of O₃ using self-powered sensing elements of Cu₂O nanocubes, Nanoscale Adv. 1 (2019) 2009–2017. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9NA00043G.

Team members

• Prof. Vassilios Binas
• Dr Gagaoudakis Emmanouil
• Ms Sfakianou Angeliki (PhD candidate)
• Mr Tsichlis Christos (PhD candidate)