Project description
Supramolecular structures could help combine 2D materials and boost their properties
Atomically thin, 2D layered materials have been of interest to researchers for both fundamental studies and practical applications owing to their extraordinary mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties. The most widespread method of combining two or more of these materials into one is by manually stacking one material on top of the other. The EU-funded SUPRA2DMAT project aims to use supramolecular chemistry to bond the different materials into a robust structure. The use of functional molecular assemblies as linkers could modulate and enhance the properties of the final material. Project activities could pave the way towards the development of a new generation of multifunctional, high-performance devices for use in optoelectronics and chemical sensing, and in the long run, in energy and spintronics.
Objective
SUPRA2DMAT is a multidisciplinary project aimed at exploiting materials engineering, by mastering supramolecular approaches, to combine the outstanding physico-chemical properties of graphene and other 2D layered materials (2DLMs) with the chemical and functional programmability of molecular components, with the ultimate goal of modulating and enhancing the properties of 2DLMs and imparting them a responsive nature. The monolayer nature of 2DLMs makes them extremely sensitive to environmental changes at the nanoscale. Controlled processing and interfacing of 2DLMs with functional molecular assemblies will be attained by means of non-covalent and (dynamic) covalent chemistry approaches. The physisorption of redox, magnetic or optical switches to create crystalline superlattices on 2DLMs will enable the fabrication of high-performance electrical devices capable to simultaneously respond to at least two external independent stimuli. Structurally precise hairy 2D and 3D layer-by-layer porous composites for multianalyte chemical sensing will be tailored via chemisorption of supramolecular receptors of the target analyte onto the 2DLMs. Highest sensitivity and selectivity in the sensing of water molecules (humidity) as well as heavy or alkali metal ions through an electrical readout will be guaranteed by the choice of the receptor and 2DLM and their nanostructuration.
The knowledge developed in SUPRA2DMAT will lead to the emergence of a conceptually new generation of multifunctional high-performance devices for applications in optoelectronics and chemical sensing, and on the long term also in energy and spintronics. SUPRA2DMAT will also bring a useful contribution to the development of future emerging technologies based on 2DLMs for light-weight, low-cost and large-area applications products on flexible substrates, e.g. for nanoscale multifunctional logic technologies and environmental monitoring, thus opening new and important perspectives in materials and nanosciences.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicsoptoelectronics
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materialstwo-dimensional nanostructuresgraphene
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcomposites
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkali metals
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicsspintronics
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Funding Scheme
ERC-ADG - Advanced GrantHost institution
67000 Strasbourg
France