Thin films formed by nanoparticles from various metal oxides (WOx, CuOx, PdOx) were synthesized using a magnetron-based aggregation cluster source (MGA). The mixing ratios of the oxide particles were adjusted to achieve the best conductometric sensorial response towards hydrogen gas.

(i) Single-material films were investigated utilizing electron microscopy, energy dispersive and photoemission spectroscopies and small-angle x-ray scattering (SEM, TEM, EDS, XPS, SAXS).

(ii) Results of these analyses were used as an input for hard-sphere packing algorithm simulations generating models of synthesized mixed-materials films.

(iii) Optimized finite element modelling was used to calculate the conductivity of modelled films. Various material parameters were adjusted to receive a quality estimation of mixed-materials behaviour.

(iv) Output of the simulation was used as a lead for synthesizing films with optimum ratios of materials to generate nanoheterojunction-rich materials.

(v) promising candidates were assembled as conductometric gas sensors and tested towards hydrogen gas.