Seed Funding Severo Ochoa Programme 2023-2026

Cristian Rodriguez, from Thermal Properties of Nanoscale Materials Group

The advent of 2D materials represented a breakthrough in modern electronic thanks to their unique electronic properties, especially when stacked with other materials, offering a wide range of diverse electronic, optical, and magnetic properties never seen before. The synergy between the tuneability and bio-friendliness of organic molecules with the rich physics in 2D materials opened a new landscape to explore. Thanks to a diversity of physical processes at the heterointerface, the properties of the 2D materials can be tailored at demand. While the requirement of crystallinity in the organic film limits their applicability, the existence of giant surface potentials in some organic semiconductors opens a new path to tune the properties of 2D materials without the limitations of crystallinity. Here, we will explore the effect of this phenomena in the electronic states and charge transport of MoS₂, by tunning the dipolar orientation of the organic film, with the perspective of locally tunning the structure of the organic film and induce local changes in the electronic properties of the 2D material. This will have exciting new applications as memristive devices and high-density sustainable memories.

Rosa M. Gonzalez, from Novel Energy-Oriented Materials Group, Camilo Mesa and Sara Martí, from Advanced Electron Nanoscopy Group

CATANIA project aims to leverage in an innovative way the 78% of the air composition, which corresponds to the nitrogen part, by developing a novel concept of air-cathode for future batteries. During this project, affordable Ti-based electrocatalysts will be synthetized and evaluated to carried out the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), which produces ammonia from nitrogen gas, as well as, to perform the reverse reaction, the oxidation of ammonia to nitrogen gas (NER). These reactions involve up to six electrons and many steps, which difficult their study and their application. Both studies will be performed in aqueous basic media (pH ≥ 11), following sustainable guidelines to avoid flammable and toxic organic solvents, facilitating future implementation in a real device. The integration of both electrocatalysts in the same electrode would generate a bifunctional air-cathode capable to perform both reactions in a reversible way, which means that applied in a battery it will be rechargeable. The achievement of this goal would transform radically the actual metal-air batteries, which uses O₂ as active gas (21% of the air), enhancing dramatically their energy density, but also it will impact on already implemented fuel-cell applications such the electro-generation of ammonia or green hydrogen.

Neus Gómez and Muriel Freixanet, both from the Inorganic Nanoparticles Group

CEOTOM address the critical need for improved contrast agents in X-ray computed tomography (CT). While CT provides high-resolution 3D anatomical imaging with deep tissue penetration, existing iodine-based contrast agents exhibit limitations, particularly in achieving the necessary contrast enhancement for early and precise disease detection. This aspect often requires repeated, high-dose administrations of contrast agents, leading to potential dose-related toxic effects, notably nephrotoxicity. Moreover, the substantial number of CT images necessary for 3D reconstruction raises concerns about radiation exposure, especially in paediatric patients, with potential adverse effects such as the generation of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, and alterations in gene expression. To overcome these challenges, we propose the innovative use of cerium dioxide-based nanoparticles (NPs), specifically Au@CeO2 NPs, as advanced dual theragnostic agents, providing superior X-ray absorption while mitigating oxidative stress associated with radiation exposure. Notably, they present the capacity to provide higher contrast across the entire range of tube potentials commonly used in clinical CT scans, surpassing iodinated agents in efficacy. This approach represents a promising advancement, combining enhanced imaging capabilities with the ability to counteract the harmful effects of radiation-induced oxidative stress.

Alba Garzón, from Advanced Electron Nanoscopy Group and Alejandro Gómez, from Magnetic Nanostructures Group

The development of green hydrogen (H₂) technologies is crucial to achieve a carbon-neutral emission energetic model. Seawater electrolysis has emerged as a promising alternative due the inexhaustible source of water, offering the potential for sustainable H₂ production. However, the complex nature of conducting seawater electrolysis relies on the catalyst design and the competition between chlorine and hydroxide ions. High-entropy oxides (HEOs) nanomaterials have been recently identified as efficient electrocatalysts due to their ability to facilitate multiple reactions and create unique active sites. Understanding the correlation between the structure of HEOs and their catalytic performance is essential, yet unknown. Our goal in this project is to combine electrocatalytic characterization with advanced electron microscopy for gaining insights of the HEOs catalytic mechanism, their morphologic and compositional evolution, as well as to evaluate their activity and stability. Furthermore, the comprehensive study of the catalytic behaviour by electron microscopy is vital for understanding the arrangement and reactivity of HEOs atoms at single-particle and thus, enhancing the efficiency and durability of seawater electrolysis. ELECTROSEA aligns with the SO₃, as it integrates one of the main Applications Domain (Nanosolutions for Sustainable Energy Technologies) with three Enabling Research Areas (Nanocharacterization, Electrocatalysis and Nanomaterials & Nanofabrication).

Salvio Suárez , from Nanostructured Functional Materials Group and Eduard Masvidal, from Advanced Electronic Materials and Devices Group

Neuroelectronic technology is reaching a maturity stage where novel medical therapies are actively researched. However, currently available solutions suffer from limited tissue integration, particularly for brain surface mapping applications. The key to chronic, high-performance neural interfacing lies in minimizing the mechanical mismatch between the device and the target tissue, which involves establishing a conformal and stable functional contact. To achieve this, NEUROBOND is pioneering the integration of biologically inspired membranes (that boast exceptional features such as biocompatibility and mussel-inspired adhesion particularly effective in humid environments) with microfabricated flexible neural interfaces. Ultimately, NEUROBOND aims to validate a proof-of-concept neuroelectronic device that provides stable bidirectional capabilities, encompassing both neural sensing and modulation. The successful realization of this project will mark a significant contribution to the next generation of bioelectronic devices, enhancing their functionalities and broadening their potential applications.

Patricia Ramirez, from NanoBiosensors and Bioanalytical Applications Group and Arnau Carné, from Supramolecular NanoChemistry and Materials Group

Environmental and public health challenges include water pollutants arising from industrialization, agricultural activities, and urbanization. In Europe, more than 700 pollutants, such as heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, among others, have been identified in the aquatic environment. Conventional methods are based on the analysis of individual pollutants, whilst people and ecosystems are generally exposed to complex mixtures. Therefore, it is not sufficient to detect a single pollutant per sample; the evaluation of multiple contaminants at the same time is required to improve water quality. We aim to develop a novel analytical method that facilitates and simplifies water analysis, minimizing exposure to hazardous pollutants and improving the population's well-being. Bimodal waveguide interferometers (BiMW) offer a promising analytical platform capable of monitoring multiple pollutants simultaneously in real-time, label-free and very high sensitivity. However, it requires biomolecules as recognition elements and for small pollutant molecules (<500 Da), their production is a limiting factor due to their low immunogenicity. Recent trends highlight the use of porous materials, such as metal-organic polyhedral (MOP), to address this shortcoming with biomolecules. For this reason, in the SAMOA project, we propose the integration of MOPs within BiMW sensors for the simultaneous, direct, and real-time detection of four different pollutants in water samples.

M. José Esplandiu, from Magnetic Nanostructures Group and Marianna Sledzinska, from Thermal Properties of Nanoscale Materials Group

The 2D materials family is rapidly expanding, including new elements and offering new functionalities and applications. Elastic properties of 2D materials are garnering attention due to their high Young’s modulus and capacity to withstand large strains. One exciting feature is the possibility of controlling their properties, such as optical bandgap, thermal conductivity, chemical reactivity or in-built piezoelectric effects through strain modulation. However, various fundamental issues remain to be solved, especially how to effectively apply strain to 2D materials. Once achieved, this leads to improved control over the strain distribution in the material and can enable new functionalities.

This project aims at addressing this challenge by studying synthesised single/few-layer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) on nanopatterned polymeric substrates with piezoelectric, electrochemical and light responsive attributes to induce strain and probe shifts in chemical reactivity. Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence together with machine learning algorithms will be applied to understand the strain distribution in the materials. These platforms will be used to control electrochemical reactions and assess in-built piezoelectric effects in TMDs to further promote chemical reactivity. Success in this project opens opportunities to study valuable chemical reactions alongside potential for generating wireless self-powering devices of interest in energy, environmental and biomedical applications.