Objective CONTEXT - Nanoporous structures are used for application in catalysis, molecular separation, fuel cells, dye sensitized solar cells etc. Given the near molecular size of the porous network, it is extremely challenging to modify the interior surface of the pores after the nanoporous material has been synthesized.THIS PROPOSAL - Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is envisioned as a novel technique for creating catalytically active sites and for controlling the pore size distribution in nanoporous materials. ALD is a self-limited growth method that is characterized by alternating exposure of the growing film to precursor vapours, resulting in the sequential deposition of (sub)monolayers. It provides atomic level control of thickness and composition, and is currently used in micro-electronics to grow films into structures with aspect ratios of up to 100 / 1. We aim to make the fundamental breakthroughs necessary to enable atomic layer deposition to engineer the composition, size and shape of the interior surface of nanoporous materials with aspect ratios in excess of 10,000 / 1.POTENTIAL IMPACT Achieving these objectives will enable atomic level engineering of the interior surface of any porous material. We plan to focus on three specific applications where our results will have both medium and long term impacts:- Engineering the composition of pore walls using ALD, e.g. to create catalytic sites (e.g. Al for acid sites, Ti for redox sites, or Pt, Pd or Ni)- chemical functionalization of the pore walls with atomic level control can result in breakthrough applications in the fields of catalysis and sensors.- Atomic level control of the size of nanopores through ALD controlling the pore size distribution of molecular sieves can potentially lead to breakthrough applications in molecular separation and filtration.- Nanocasting replication of a mesoporous template by means of ALD can result in the mass-scale production of nanotubes. Fields of science engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and filmsengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsnatural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicsmicroelectronicsnatural scienceschemical sciencescatalysisengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfuel cells Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-SG-PE8 - ERC Starting Grant - Products and process engineering Call for proposal ERC-2009-StG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Coordinator UNIVERSITEIT GENT Address Sint pietersnieuwstraat 25 9000 Gent Belgium See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments projects.principal_investigator Christophe Detavernier (Prof.) projects.administrative_contact Nathalie Vandepitte (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 1 432 799,99 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITEIT GENT Belgium EU contribution € 1 432 799,99 Address Sint pietersnieuwstraat 25 9000 Gent See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments projects.principal_investigator Christophe Detavernier (Prof.) projects.administrative_contact Nathalie Vandepitte (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window
