International recognition of Dr. Ioanna Sideri’s publication in a thematic collection for International Women’s Day

The postdoctoral researcher at TPCI/NHRF, Dr. Ioanna Sideri, is the lead author of the publication entitled “Terpyridine-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes towards selectivity in the oxygen reduction reaction”, which was published in the international scientific journal Nanoscale Advances of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

The paper was recently selected by the journal to be included in a thematic collection for International Women’s Day (International Women’s Day Collection), an initiative by the Royal Society of Chemistry that highlights scientific excellence and the contributions of female researchers to the advancement of nanoscience and advanced materials.

The publication is the result of an international collaboration between the Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute (TPCI) of NHRF and the Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA-CSIC), Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain. Co-authors of the work include Researcher Dr. Raul Arenal, and the Research Director of TPCI/NHRF, Dr. Nikos Tagmatarchis.

The study focuses on the rational design of nanostructured electrocatalytic materials through the chemical functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with terpyridine molecules, which act as coordination sites for metal ions. This strategy enables precise control over the molecular structure of the nanomaterials and their catalytic behavior.

The new materials were synthesized and extensively characterized using spectroscopic and thermal techniques, as well as microscopy methods (Raman, UV–Vis, XPS, TGA, TEM). Their electrocatalytic performance in the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) was also investigated. This reaction is a critical step in clean energy technologies, such as fuel cells and metal–air batteries.

The study reveals how the precise molecular architecture of the carbon nanotube surface and the nature of the metal center can influence the reaction mechanism and selectivity of the ORR, providing important guidelines for the design of new, efficient electrocatalysts based on nanostructured carbon materials.

The selection of the publication for the Royal Society of Chemistry’s International Women’s Day Collection highlights Dr. Ioanna Sideri’s contribution as an emerging researcher in the field of nanomaterials chemistry and emphasizes the important role of women scientists in advancing research for sustainable energy technologies.