Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SENTINEL (Single-Entity NanoElectrochemistry)
Período documentado: 2021-01-01 hasta 2023-03-31
SENTINEL stands for single-entity nanoelectrochemistry. This is a new area of science which tackles electrochemistry at the level of individual entities such nanoparticles (metal, semiconducting, soft matter), living cells at the nanoscale, as well as single redox-active (macro) molecules. The study of systems at this level is a hugely important emerging area of electrochemistry which is inter/multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral.
Electrochemistry is the enabling science to address key problems of major societal relevance, spanning from electrocatalysis, in the context of energy conversion (e.g. fuel cells and solar cells) and energy storage (battery and water splitting technologies), to the development of advanced analytical tools for environmental monitoring and point-of-care medical diagnostics. SENTINEL aimed to join leading teams from across Europe, with global partners in industry (SMEs and multinationals) and the academic sector in the USA and China to equip a next generation of scientists with the skills to help impact society with new technological developments in this critical area of science.
SENTINEL complemented its scientific training with innovative and world-class coaching techniques. For example, we employed sport related concepts to empower the researchers with leadership skills, we engaged the fellows in the art of scientific illustration through a successful science-art business and we collaborated with a campaigning charity to equip the fellows with the skills needed to make their voices heard in public debates about science. These training sessions were supplemented by business leaders from the (electro) chemical community sharing lessons in product development, IP protection and project management.
In SENTINEL, we developed a range frontier electrochemical techniques that now generate unprecedented amounts of data compared to traditional electrochemical methods.These new techniques will offer the opportunity of tailoring the measurements in an adaptive manner in response to incoming data. In conclusion, nanoelectrochemistry is entering a new era where data is central and the challenge is now how to acquire, handle, store, curate, analyze and present complex datasets for the benefit of scientific and technological advancement, and in turn society as a whole.
Electrochemistry is the enabling science to address key problems of major societal relevance, spanning from electrocatalysis, in the context of energy conversion (e.g. fuel cells and solar cells) and energy storage (battery and water splitting technologies), to the development of advanced analytical tools for environmental monitoring and point-of-care medical diagnostics. SENTINEL aimed to join leading teams from across Europe, with global partners in industry (SMEs and multinationals) and the academic sector in the USA and China to equip a next generation of scientists with the skills to help impact society with new technological developments in this critical area of science.
SENTINEL complemented its scientific training with innovative and world-class coaching techniques. For example, we employed sport related concepts to empower the researchers with leadership skills, we engaged the fellows in the art of scientific illustration through a successful science-art business and we collaborated with a campaigning charity to equip the fellows with the skills needed to make their voices heard in public debates about science. These training sessions were supplemented by business leaders from the (electro) chemical community sharing lessons in product development, IP protection and project management.
In SENTINEL, we developed a range frontier electrochemical techniques that now generate unprecedented amounts of data compared to traditional electrochemical methods.These new techniques will offer the opportunity of tailoring the measurements in an adaptive manner in response to incoming data. In conclusion, nanoelectrochemistry is entering a new era where data is central and the challenge is now how to acquire, handle, store, curate, analyze and present complex datasets for the benefit of scientific and technological advancement, and in turn society as a whole.
The ambition of SENTINEL is to equip the next generation of electrochemists with the skills needed to tackle the most important societal challenges. Our fellows have made substantial progress with the development of novel electrochemical techniques for the characterisation of nanomaterials. For example, we developed and applied a new method for the characterisation of the electrocatalytic activity of nanoparticles and discovered how the activity depends on the local physio-chemical properties of the nanoparticle. In parallel the team in Paris has developed an innovative optical method for studying the generation of nanobubbles on the surface of Pt nanoparticles. The team based in Aarhus developed an innovative approach to measure the surface charge of DNA-based nanostructures and they are further developing the methodology to enable the charge mapping at the surface of living cells.
We have also performed a range of training activities for the fellows, including a leadership lecture from a former Olympic medallist.
We have significantly expanded and developed microscopy methods for nanoelectrochemistry, in which the team has particular expertise, including:
• The advancement of electrical and electrochemical capabilities of atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques for the electrical and electrochemical characterization of single proteins and protein membranes;
• The development of new scanned electrochemical probes, including multi-channel probes for the multifunctional analysis of single cells and single nanoparticles;
• High-speed methods, taking advantage of recent developments from our industrial partner, Keysight, in GHz-AFM, which combines the GHz electrical characterization capabilities, using network-analysis concepts from telecommunications, with the nanoscale resolution imaging capabilities of the AFM.
To complement these methods, we have pursued the combination of optical and electrochemical methods pioneered by the team in Paris; and innovative applications of nanopipette methods and the creation of nanoelectrochemical cells for trapping and characterising a wide variety of single entities (from molecules to nanoparticles) developed by the teams in Leeds, Warwick, and Twente.
A major focus of the team has been on multifunctional analysis, with multichannel probes (developed by Warwick) that can carry out simultaneous analysis of topography, membrane charge, permeability, stimulation-detection, and other functions at the nanoscale, to define a new-state-of-the-art for single cell analysis. Secondly, it explored new transduction mechanisms for the detection and identification of single macromolecules such as nucleic acids based on impedance spectroscopy and nanogap electrodes (Twente), that created new paradigms for single molecules analysis.This work was published in peer reviewed journals and in conferences.
Also, we used a range of complementary methods developed by Bochum, Warwick, and Paris to study the electrocatalytic properties of solid-state nanoparticles. This work has advanced our understanding of electrocatalysis at the nanoscale (structure-activity relationships) and will guide in the future the rational development of the next generation catalysts. We addressed individual particles immobilised on nanoelectrodes; impact experiments, where the response of nanoparticles impinging from solution onto an electrode is measured; single-particle optical tracking and spectroscopy; correlative electrochemical microscopy, bringing together electrochemical images with complementary microscopy, such as AFM and various electron microscopies.
We have also performed a range of training activities for the fellows, including a leadership lecture from a former Olympic medallist.
We have significantly expanded and developed microscopy methods for nanoelectrochemistry, in which the team has particular expertise, including:
• The advancement of electrical and electrochemical capabilities of atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques for the electrical and electrochemical characterization of single proteins and protein membranes;
• The development of new scanned electrochemical probes, including multi-channel probes for the multifunctional analysis of single cells and single nanoparticles;
• High-speed methods, taking advantage of recent developments from our industrial partner, Keysight, in GHz-AFM, which combines the GHz electrical characterization capabilities, using network-analysis concepts from telecommunications, with the nanoscale resolution imaging capabilities of the AFM.
To complement these methods, we have pursued the combination of optical and electrochemical methods pioneered by the team in Paris; and innovative applications of nanopipette methods and the creation of nanoelectrochemical cells for trapping and characterising a wide variety of single entities (from molecules to nanoparticles) developed by the teams in Leeds, Warwick, and Twente.
A major focus of the team has been on multifunctional analysis, with multichannel probes (developed by Warwick) that can carry out simultaneous analysis of topography, membrane charge, permeability, stimulation-detection, and other functions at the nanoscale, to define a new-state-of-the-art for single cell analysis. Secondly, it explored new transduction mechanisms for the detection and identification of single macromolecules such as nucleic acids based on impedance spectroscopy and nanogap electrodes (Twente), that created new paradigms for single molecules analysis.This work was published in peer reviewed journals and in conferences.
Also, we used a range of complementary methods developed by Bochum, Warwick, and Paris to study the electrocatalytic properties of solid-state nanoparticles. This work has advanced our understanding of electrocatalysis at the nanoscale (structure-activity relationships) and will guide in the future the rational development of the next generation catalysts. We addressed individual particles immobilised on nanoelectrodes; impact experiments, where the response of nanoparticles impinging from solution onto an electrode is measured; single-particle optical tracking and spectroscopy; correlative electrochemical microscopy, bringing together electrochemical images with complementary microscopy, such as AFM and various electron microscopies.
We expect to further the development of the innovative characterisation methods and start to apply them to study processes of industrial relevance. For example, we will apply them to study the next generation of battery materials in collaboration with our industrial partner Keysight Technologies. Also, we expect to further the application of these electrochemical technologies to the analysis of single cells and single molecules to elucidate, for example, the mechanism underpinning chemotherapy resistance in brain tumours. Most of all we will continue to support, challenge and empower our fellows hoping they will become the best citizens they can be.