Acknowledgements

As the author of this project I would like to thank for the support and guidance of my project supervisors, Prof. dr hab. Teresa Grzybek, dr Monika Motak at the AGH University of Science and Technology, and Prof Narcis Homs of the Universitat de Barcelona throughout this project.

I also would like to thank for the patience, generosity and technical support of Dr Weijie Cai and mgr.inż. Łukasz Bednarczuk without whom I would not have been able to carry out this.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the help, guidance and great atmosphere, both inside and outside of university, afforded to me throughout my study in Barcelona by all the remaining members of the Material and Catalyst group at the Universitat de Barcelona.