Project description
Smart materials combining actuation and sensing
Magnetic systems are crucial for micro and nanotechnologies, such as fluidic and robotic applications. Despite their potential, significant energy inefficiencies hinder their use. Relying on electromagnets for generating time-varying magnetic fields leads to joule energy losses and heat. Current solutions struggle with low magnetoelectric effects, limited by high voltage or low temperatures. The ERC-funded ACTIONS project seeks to address these challenges by developing magneto-ionic materials that use electric fields instead of electric currents. ACTIONS aims to expand these effects from thin films to 3D nanomagnets to achieve low-power actuation and programmable magnetic properties. Combining actuation and sensing in one material, ACTIONS envisions smarter, energy-efficient solutions that could transform magnetic technologies and create a new class of sustainable smart materials.
Objective
ACTIONS proposes a material-based concept to drastically reduce the energy consumption of magnet-based micro- and nanotechnologies. Magnetic systems offer unique advantages for actuation in miniature fluidic and robotic systems, but their integration is hindered because electromagnets are required to create time-varying magnetic fields, causing joule energy loss and heat effects. Alternative control of magnetic materials using an electric field instead of electric current would present an energy-efficient solution. However, established magnetoelectric effects are small and restricted to low temperature or high voltage. Recently, we have demonstrated low-voltage control of magnetic films in liquid electrolytes by exploiting electrochemical reactions and ionic motion.
ACTIONS targets the engineering of these emerging magneto-ionic materials to use their immense unexplored potential for low power actuation. The innovative strategy of ACTIONS is to transfer magneto-ionic effects of ferromagnetic metal thin films in liquid electrolytes to 3D nanomagnets and assemblies with defined anisotropy and at critical points. I will use a unique combination of in situ analytical and magnetic techniques to study the magneto-ionic control of magnetization; on this base I plan to attain magneto-ionic micromagnets with voltage-reconfigurable stray fields, which can potentially replace microelectromagnets. Additionally, ACTIONS recognizes the inherent cross-link between electrochemistry and magnetism in magneto-ionic systems as a ground-breaking route to combine actuation and sensing in one material. Interfacial chemistry sensing will be based on the electrical response. The final objective is to identify materials in which actuation and sensing can be programmed on demand by a voltage protocol. The concept in ACTIONS goes beyond conventional multifunctional composites and could establish a paradigm change in magnetic technologies and a novel class of energy-saving smart materials.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences electrochemistry
- engineering and technology materials engineering composites
- engineering and technology nanotechnology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
09111 Chemnitz
Germany
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