Multifunctional Digital Materials Platform for Smart Integrated Applications

Project Information

DIGISMART

Grant agreement ID: 787410

DOI

10.3030/787410

Project closed

EC signature date 10 August 2018

Start date 1 January 2019

End date 31 December 2022

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 2 871 042,00

EU contribution

€ 2 871 042,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSIDADE NOVA DE LISBOA
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - DIGISMART (Multifunctional Digital Materials Platform for Smart Integrated Applications)

Reporting period: 2022-01-01 to 2022-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The ground-breaking objectives of DIGISMART (Fig 0) were:
1. To develop a new, low cost and low temperature direct digital local growth deposition process combining combustion aqueous synthesis and photothermal reactions, compatible with eco-friendly substrates such as biopolymers.
2. To produce: transparent conductors In free with low resistivity's (<10- 3 cm), transmittances >85% and high mobility's ( ); dielectrics (constant >10) based on single or staked amorphous films such as Al2O3, SrOwith leakage current <1 nA/cm2.
3. New combinations of oxides In free for active n- and p-type TFT.
4. Produce electrochromic devices presenting simultaneously current and optical modulation (colour efficiency>200 cm2C-1).
5. Pseudocapacitors with a specific capacitance > 80% at 10 A/gr; RRAM's: type 1 - dual operation TFT, and type 2 - MSM structures, with the following characteristics: Vforming <2 V; Vswitching>1 V; RHR/RLR ~100; Cycles (<20% perform.) ~ 104; T >85%.
By this way, DIGISMART promoted new ideas for practical ends, contributing to place Europe in a leading position on sustainable flexible electronics, using multifunctional materials and green technologies.
However, closing of the project on 31st December 2022, some of expected results involving device integration at a nanoscale were not fully achieved, despite being under activity. The project was shortened by more than one year.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

- Understanding the physics of new multifunctional MO nanoparticles (ZnO, CuOx, TiOx) with exceptional performances at nanoscale, using low-cost fabrication technologies as DLW combined with self-heating combustion reactions for T<150C, In free semiconductors (n-type: ZTO (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28459-6); p-type: SnO; CuAlO2; Halide Perovskites (DOI10.1021/acsnano.0c02862); conductors (AgNW/AlOx Nanocomposites (DOI10.1021/acsaelm.2c01007); ZnO:H; graphene and carbon nanotubes, dielectrics (ZrO; nanocellulose; AlOx; ZAO; Hybrid (Ag)ZnO/Cs/PMMA nanocomposite) and electrochromic (WO3; TiO2) materials compatible with flexible substrates. Processing inverters, dual gate transistors, amplifiers, and logic gates on flexible substrates all ink/screen printing based, DOI10.1002/admt.202100633.

Figure 1- ZTO multiple transistors from 6 fibres, showing uniform & reproducible process, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28459-6

Figure 2. Evolution of ON and OFF currents and as a function of time and number of scans used, of p-type TFT, (DOI10.1021/acsnano.0c02862).

Figure 3. Flexible planar handwritten logic-gates on a single sheet office paper with driving printed ZnO EGTs gated by CICH and pencil-drawn resistances as the load (DOI10.1002/admt.202100633).

Figure 4. Images of the electrochromic samples produced through laser irradiation in air of ITO glass substrates with two and three layers of the precursor solution.
- Alternative conductors using DLW on silver and LIG (Fig5)

Figure 5 – a) Fabrication Methodology of silver electrodes by DLW; b) temperature sensor on both paper and PEN substrates; c) Flexible PCB based on a 555-timer fabricated through DLW.

Figure 6. Schematic representation of the w-cLIG-MSC fabrication (doi.org/10.1088/2058-8585/ac8e7).
- Sustainable carbon sources for green LIG electronics, sensors (DOI10.1063/5.0100785; ) and supercapacitor (DOI: 10.1007/s00604-022-05610-0)
- Solution based Non-Volatile Memories (NVM) using 2 different approaches: A) combustion synthesis combined with LDW an B) hydrothermal combined with LDW for nanoparticles. See DOI10.1039/d0tc05368f

Figure 7. IV sweep characteristic of Pt/ZTO/Ti/Au devices setting in the forward polarity for 100 switching cycles. Se doi.org/10.1002/aelm.201900958)
- Integration of Electrolyte-gated transistors (EGTs) with ECD, partially accomplished, due to termination of the project in month 48. The ZTO ECGT was processed by screen printing, using nanopaper composite gated transistors (NCGT), showing all the viability of the concept proposed. See doi.org/10.1002/adsu.202200177

Figure-8. Dynamic electrical characterization of the fabricated fully screen-printed ZnO NCGTs. Please see doi.org/10.1002/adsu.202200177.

Figure 9- Mechanical electrical stress measurements of the fully screen-printed ZnO NCGTs on the flat state after consecutive 100 outward folding/unfolding cycles. See doi.org/10.1002/adsu.202200177.

- Establishment of processes to fabricate electronics circuits via LIG, such as of electrodes, sensing resistive elements and the possibility to control the conductance of the material. That is, the possibility to establish a channel layer modulated via a gate electrode and so active devices such as transistors. Moreover, the control of the depth penetration allows us to change the material performances not only on the surface (2D) but along its bulk (3D). This is one of the most outstanding results achieved.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Results in DIGISMART were extensively disseminated:
• 131 peer-reviewed scientific papers (28 in 2022 and 10 under publication), where 44% in journals with impact factor above 7.
• 99 communications (35 in 2022), from which 58 plenary/keynote, 25 invited, 23 Oral talks and 1 poster.
• Dissemination to general audience, with the team participating in 2 European Research Night events and 9 videos/interviews to radio and internet news channels. The team was also present in multiple events promoted on a yearly basis at FCT-NOVA where young students (basic and high-school level) have the possibility to know the research being done at campus.
• 310 news connected to the PI (Elvira Fortunato) and his team.
• 34 Awards and distinctions, from which we would like to highlight the following: 2021 Human Rights by the Portuguese Parliament; FEMS Materials Innovation Prize; PESSOA Prize (Jornal Expresso-CGD); 2020 “Estreito de Magalhães” by Chile Government; Horizon Impact Award 2020 by the EC; the prize of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations: WFOE GREE AWARD Women in 2020; Most Influential Women in Portugal (Executive Magazine) for the 5th consecutive year; 2019 Personality of the year newspaper “Sem Mais 2019”; Elvira Fortunato among the 20 hidden inventors with the paper transistor, 2022; Elvira Fortunato, IUMRS Frontier Materials Scientists Award 2022; Elvira Fortunato, part of the group of 27 inspiring European Women, elected by the current French Presidency of the European Union, 2022;

Regarding exploitation:
• E-GREEN originated from DIGISMART to evaluate commercialization potential of printed circuit boards by green graphene, but also stopped for the same reasons as DIGISMART.
• Strong contribution to setup the infrastructure EMERGE, GA 101008701, the first to lend services on flexible electronics, away from silicon.
• The activator of 2 other EU projects (TERRAMETA, GA nº 101097101, in memories; SUPERIOT, GA nº 101096021, in energy storage and control).
• Enhancement CENIMAT/I3N competences in nanoanalysis and nanoimprinting. 1 start-up having the supervisor and the PI as the founders (NPTE).
• At a national level, contributed to participate in 7 Portuguese mobilized agendas of the Portuguese Plan of Resilience. The overall budget involved exceeds 12.9M€, about 4 times the DIGISMART budget.

All the items listed in the section above go beyond the state of the art.

Figure 6

Figure 1

Figure 9

Figure 10 - Major Achievements - Task 1.2 MO Conductors

Figure 8

Figure 4

Figure 3

Figure 2

Figure 5

Figure 0 - Sketch of DIGISMART actions

Figure 7