Objective Self-regenerating materials are intriguing. If critical properties of a failing material or device could be easily restored, this would significantly extend its life time. In this proposal, we describe our vision of a technology platform for the self-regeneration of surface properties. Functional surfaces fail due to damage or contamination. Instead of trying to make “better” functional materials, we here propose a fundamental change in the design of such materials. We want to make a material that can shed its entire contaminated or defective layer, like a reptile shedding its skin, and present a clean, functional one. By shedding defined layers, instead of just eroding a polymer surface, the emerging surface stays homo¬geneous, and cavities or crater-like erosion are avoided. Further¬more, our vision is a material where we can selectively disintegrate the topmost degradable layer of a stack, while the other degradable layers remain in place. That way, the process can be repeated until all layers of the stack have been sequentially removed. The selective and sequential shedding of polymer layers from a multi-stack, with the aim of obtaining functionally intact successive functional layers, is so far an unresolved and therefore extremely attractive, fundamentally important concept, both from a basic science and an application point of view. We want to demonstrate the feasibility of our concept with two research objectives: (1) the sequential regeneration of a functional surface property, exemplified by antimicrobial activity; (2) the regeneration of the activity of a functional device, exemplified by a glucose sensor. We will assemble our target materials, and study their properties and disassembly using surface plasmon resonance/optical waveguide spectroscopy (SPR/OWG), atomic force microscopy, ellipsometry, and other relevant techniques. We will also develop a method to measure water diffusion through thin films using SPR/OWG. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencesnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopyengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and filmsengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopy Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-StG-2014 - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2014-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Coordinator ALBERT-LUDWIGS-UNIVERSITAET FREIBURG Net EU contribution € 1 498 987,50 Address Fahnenbergplatz 79098 Freiburg Germany See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau, Stadtkreis Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all ALBERT-LUDWIGS-UNIVERSITAET FREIBURG Germany Net EU contribution € 1 498 987,50 Address Fahnenbergplatz 79098 Freiburg See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau, Stadtkreis Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
