Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CHARISMA (ENTREPRENEURING CHEMICAL IRREVERSIBILITY TO PROTOTYPE RESPONSIVE SMART LABELS)
Reporting period: 2019-04-01 to 2021-09-30
The main objective of the CHARISMA project is to train 9 ESRs in the fields of chemistry, electrochemistry, materials science and device engineering, aiming at developing irreversible, sustainable and economically advantageous smart labels enabling direct human read-out with enhanced anti-counterfait possibilities.
In this interconnected world, the current state of the art of smart label technology is still underdeveloped and is led by cumbersome apparatuses often requiring separate read-out devices. In particular, the development of irreversible devices, unable to be counterfeited and easy to read would be of great importance for the field. The goal of the CHARISMA consortium is to combine the variegated expertise of the members of its consortium, ranging from chemistry, printed electronics, to display engineering and manufacture, to develop thin, flexible and mass producible irreversible smart labels that can be directly read without additional equipment. To fulfil these goals, close collaboration between academia and industry is of utmost importance. In this regard, the training of ESRs in this industrial doctoral programme, CHARISMA, based on the close interaction between the academic and non-academic partners of the consortium, is perfectly tailored to give them the required tools to successfully tackle the tasks of the project. Through the project, and the strengthening of relations between academia and industry in the consortium, we aim to train a new generation of researchers able to facilitate this important synergistic collaboration.
The development of these error-safe devices able to be read without external equipment would be of great societal impact, with potential uses in an array of applications. By tailoring the industrial training programme and the intersectoral secondments of each ESR, the goal is to increase the employability of these young researchers, not only in the academic sector, but also in the industrial one. These full-fledged scientists will thus receive a specialized training in the innovative fields of printed electronics, smart labels and internet-of-things through a collaborative effort of internationally-renowned academic groups and industrial leaders in their respective fields.
In this interconnected world, the current state of the art of smart label technology is still underdeveloped and is led by cumbersome apparatuses often requiring separate read-out devices. In particular, the development of irreversible devices, unable to be counterfeited and easy to read would be of great importance for the field. The goal of the CHARISMA consortium is to combine the variegated expertise of the members of its consortium, ranging from chemistry, printed electronics, to display engineering and manufacture, to develop thin, flexible and mass producible irreversible smart labels that can be directly read without additional equipment. To fulfil these goals, close collaboration between academia and industry is of utmost importance. In this regard, the training of ESRs in this industrial doctoral programme, CHARISMA, based on the close interaction between the academic and non-academic partners of the consortium, is perfectly tailored to give them the required tools to successfully tackle the tasks of the project. Through the project, and the strengthening of relations between academia and industry in the consortium, we aim to train a new generation of researchers able to facilitate this important synergistic collaboration.
The development of these error-safe devices able to be read without external equipment would be of great societal impact, with potential uses in an array of applications. By tailoring the industrial training programme and the intersectoral secondments of each ESR, the goal is to increase the employability of these young researchers, not only in the academic sector, but also in the industrial one. These full-fledged scientists will thus receive a specialized training in the innovative fields of printed electronics, smart labels and internet-of-things through a collaborative effort of internationally-renowned academic groups and industrial leaders in their respective fields.
The CHARISMA consortium has successfully started the project. In particular, despite the COVID pandemics that prevented travel and put a lot of countries in lockdown, the first four milestones of the project have been met: the signing of the consortium agreement and setting-up of the committees, the recruitment of the 9 ESRs, the progress check and the enrolment of the 9 ESRs in PhD programmes. The ESRs, hired by academic or industrial partners, were all enrolled in the PhD programmes of the University of Vienna, Austria, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal, and Tampere University, Finland. The training of the ESRs is progressing well.
Further, the two first network-wide schools of the CHARISMA industrial programme have been completed and very well received by the ESRs of the consortium. During these schools, the ESRs were taught an array of disciplines spanning from organic materials to device engineering and characterization. These lectures allowed the ESRs to gain the required knowledge to bring forward their doctoral projects and understand the research of their interdisciplinary peers. These schools thus enable the collaboration between the different partners favouring the output of the project.
In addition to this network-wide scientific training through lectures, other training activities were pursued during the project. The training of the ESRs thus proceeded through hands-on-research at their home institution or during the secondments, the development of their personal Career Development Plan, and individual training at their enrolment institutions. The ESRs also received transferable skills training during the network-wide events workshops on dissemination and entrepreneurship. Through these experiences, the ESRs were taught the techniques to disseminate their results to a broad audience through presentations and online platforms. In the second workshop, they learnt the different steps of start-up creation as well as Intellectual Property management and financing opportunities.
The scientific work performed since the start of the project encompasses the design of new chromogenic materials, electrochromic and photochromic, as well as their synthesis and full characterization. In addition, new power units and circuitry are being developed and integrated with the new materials produced. The results obtained have already been published in a scientific publication; another was recently submitted and a patent is currently being drafted. It is noteworthy to indicate that these results were made possible through the efforts of all ESRs and their supervising teams that, through their collaboration, are meeting the goals of this ambitious project.
Further, the two first network-wide schools of the CHARISMA industrial programme have been completed and very well received by the ESRs of the consortium. During these schools, the ESRs were taught an array of disciplines spanning from organic materials to device engineering and characterization. These lectures allowed the ESRs to gain the required knowledge to bring forward their doctoral projects and understand the research of their interdisciplinary peers. These schools thus enable the collaboration between the different partners favouring the output of the project.
In addition to this network-wide scientific training through lectures, other training activities were pursued during the project. The training of the ESRs thus proceeded through hands-on-research at their home institution or during the secondments, the development of their personal Career Development Plan, and individual training at their enrolment institutions. The ESRs also received transferable skills training during the network-wide events workshops on dissemination and entrepreneurship. Through these experiences, the ESRs were taught the techniques to disseminate their results to a broad audience through presentations and online platforms. In the second workshop, they learnt the different steps of start-up creation as well as Intellectual Property management and financing opportunities.
The scientific work performed since the start of the project encompasses the design of new chromogenic materials, electrochromic and photochromic, as well as their synthesis and full characterization. In addition, new power units and circuitry are being developed and integrated with the new materials produced. The results obtained have already been published in a scientific publication; another was recently submitted and a patent is currently being drafted. It is noteworthy to indicate that these results were made possible through the efforts of all ESRs and their supervising teams that, through their collaboration, are meeting the goals of this ambitious project.
The results of the CHARISMA project on the development of new irreversible electrochromic organic materials will be protected with a patent, under preparation at UNIVIE. This could lead to new applications for these types of materials and the development of new products, increasing the European innovation capacity in the upgrowing field of smart labels. This could contribute to the European economic growth through the development of new businesses and products. Similarly, developments in flexible printed electronics as obtained during the first period of the project are at the forefront of the new paradigm of the Internet-of-Things under development worldwide.
The CHARISMA consortium also increased the knowledge of 9 talented ESRs in all aspects of the new field of organic chemistry, allowing the students to grasp all aspects of this ambitious multidisciplinary project. With the knowledge already acquired and the one they will receive during the second part of the project, the ESRs will lead the way for a new, highly competitive, development of researcher trained in the academic and industrial sectors, able to communicate between both worlds and increase intersectoral collaboration. Through their knowledge and experience, the ESRs of CHARISMA will demonstrate the benefits of introducing high industrial content in classic academic doctoral trainings. Through their successes and increase in employability, CHARISMA’s ESRs will be the perfect ambassadors of the MSCA Industrial Training Networks.
Finally, through the strengthening of intra and intersectoral collaborations, and creation of new ones, between the different participants of the CHARISMA network, the goal of the project is to create a network of European partners aiming to grow innovation after the end of the project. This will be done through follow-up projects, with the introduction of new partners, participation to international projects and expansion to new countries.
The CHARISMA consortium also increased the knowledge of 9 talented ESRs in all aspects of the new field of organic chemistry, allowing the students to grasp all aspects of this ambitious multidisciplinary project. With the knowledge already acquired and the one they will receive during the second part of the project, the ESRs will lead the way for a new, highly competitive, development of researcher trained in the academic and industrial sectors, able to communicate between both worlds and increase intersectoral collaboration. Through their knowledge and experience, the ESRs of CHARISMA will demonstrate the benefits of introducing high industrial content in classic academic doctoral trainings. Through their successes and increase in employability, CHARISMA’s ESRs will be the perfect ambassadors of the MSCA Industrial Training Networks.
Finally, through the strengthening of intra and intersectoral collaborations, and creation of new ones, between the different participants of the CHARISMA network, the goal of the project is to create a network of European partners aiming to grow innovation after the end of the project. This will be done through follow-up projects, with the introduction of new partners, participation to international projects and expansion to new countries.