Solvothermaly synthesized zirconium oxide nanopowders, pure and doped with various amounts of iron ions (1 - 20 %), were used as modifiers of glassy carbon electrode. The modified electrodes were tested in the reaction of electrochemical oxidation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) in order to investigate the influence of doping on electrochemical performance of zirconia matrix. The techniques of cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were employed. Cyclic voltammetry showed that electrooxidation of TCP proceeded through oxidation of hydroxyl group. Possible pathway included formation of quinones and formation of polyphenol film on the electrode surface leading to the electrode fouling. Iron doping enhanced the activity of zirconia matrix towards TCP electrooxidation. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed the importance of iron content in zirconia matrix for preferable pathway of TCP electrooxidation. Quinone formation pathway was favored by low iron doped zirconia (doped with 1% of iron), while polyphenol film formation on the electrode surface was more pronounced at samples with higher iron ion content (for doping with 10 and 20 % of iron). The sample with 5 % of added iron ions, showed intermediate behavior where formed polyphenol film showed slight degradation.

Ternary chalcogenide nanoparticles, CuInS2 and CuInSe2, were synthesized in high- temperature boiling organic non-polar solvent. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that both materials have tetragonal (chalcopyrite) crystal structure. Morphology of the obtained materials was revealed by using transmission electron microscopy. Agglomerated spherical CuInS2 nanoparticles with broad size distribution in the range from 2 to 20 nm were obtained. In the case of CuInSe2, isolated particles with spherical or prismatic shape in the size range from 10 to 25 nm were obtained, as well as agglomerates consisting of much smaller particles with diameter of about 2-5 nm. The particles with the smallest diameters of both materials exhibit quantum size effect