The work carried out in the project towards the achievement of the specific objectives is summarized below:
PROGENY’s overarching Objective was to develop foundational Gen-I POEMS platforms enabling sustainable and biocompatible information technology, sensors & instruments, and to empower fundamental materials research in biological matter.
(1) MATERIALS: Synthesis of 1D and 2D electronic surfactants capable of providing both stability and advanced opto-electronic functions on soap film surfaces. Characterize and model developed set of surfactants using standard and custom experiments and theoretical tools, for surface activity, optical, electronic, and optoelectronic properties.
CNRS: 2nd batch of electronic surfactants have been synthesized, characterized and optimizaed. Characterizations indicate that although the materials have good surface-active properties and they lower surface tension significantly, they still lack foamability which is the ability to stabilize a soap film due to fast surface absorption of surfactants to form a monolayer. So co-surfactants must be used. Some of the 1D molecules show pi-stacked continuum monolayers at interfaces and show signs of electron delocalization when compressed. 2D materials have shown transistor characteristics but have not reached targeted electronic transport values. We have identified contingency steps and have embarked on new design for a 3rd batch of 1D molecules, and for processing strategy for 2D molecules. We have also started working on interfacial graphene as an electronic material to be used in our soap film-based devices.
TUD-IAPP: Charge transport measurements on the surfactants MW1 to MW8 indicated that those materials are not suitable for bulk organic field effect and electrochemical transistors. The impedance measurements indicated the presence of free ions whose source is unknown.
UBREM: Electronic properties and monolayer models at the water-vacuum interface have been generated for two new classes of electronic 1D surfactants. The electronic band structure of the monolayer 2D surfactant has been obtained and the electron-hole recombination dynamics has been investigated with non-adiabatic molecular dynamics simulations.
(2) FILM: Enabled research in engineered stable soap films, by design and fabrication of custom R&D platforms. Stabilized a <5mm diameter soap film for >30days within a platform device. Characterized engineered soap films, for rheology and transport using experiments supported by theoretical interpretations.
CNRS: Standard characterizations for film with the 2nd batch of synthesized molecules are complete leading to design conclusions for optimized molecules synthesis to obtain the final successful material.
TUD-IAPP: We finished the frame of the R&D platform by depositing gold electrodes onto the frame from which the PEDOT electrodes are to be grown once thin liquid films can be stabilized. However, reflection interference contrast microscopy experiments showed that such large films could not be stabilized with the currently available surfactants.
WI: Project results related to surfactant and soap films were disseminated at the peer conference EUfoam 3-6 July 2022 Kraków, Poland. Oral presentations and posters generated enthusiasm from the surfactant community and new future collaborative possibilities particularly in the fields of neutron based characterizations, Multiphysics modelling, and in intelligent and adaptive foams. Networking resulted in induction of a new project advisor: Prof. Dr. Bjoern Braunschweig from the University of Munster.
(3) DEVICE: Design, fabrication, and characterization of demonstrator devices.
TUD-IAPP: A breakthrough has been obtained in infrasound sensor design using self-standing liquid polyelectrolyte film and gel and organic electrodes emulating neural dendritic connections.
UCHAL: Innovative microfluidic chips for controlling and doping soap films and have been designed, fabricated, and tested. An acoustic chamber for testing transport in oscillating soap films has been fabricated and preliminary experiments performed characterizing gas transport and impedance measurements.
(4) PILOT: Eco-toxicological study of new materials and Engineering optimization with LCA of demonstrator devices for providing estimates of potential design improvements, new technological applications, and socio-environmental compatibility.
ECOIND: Ecotoxicology for first batch of molecules has been successfully conducted. We have concluded that the 1D electronic molecules are biodegradable.
ULEI: Foundation has been created for ex-ante LCA through a partner workshop. A second online workshop on LCA has been successfully conducted with 42 participants. LCA survey was conducted working directly with partner institutes. A manuscript of important socio-environmental relevance on “Sustainability assessment of cleanrooms under climate change and changing energy scenarios” has been submitted for review at Energy & Environmental Sciences (IF: 39).
(5) Project Outreach: WI: 114 applications from 23 countries on 3 continents were received in response to a worldwide competition for a large wall mural artistically communicating the Progeny theme. The winner of the competition was finalised. A 100 sqm mural wall has been selected in Sofia center (Bulgaria) and the task has been planned with the artists. Media covered the event. Mural was ready for public viewing by June 2023.
(6) Exploitation: A TEA, LCA, basic Business Plan, IP landscape, and an EIC transition proposal has been prepared. New collaborations with German Metrology Institute (PTB) and Foundation Bruno Kesler (FBK-Trento) have been initiated. A white paper for policy makers has been delivered.
