Project description DEENESFRITPL Water’s hydrogen-bond structure under a new microscope Water is the most abundant liquid on Earth. Essential for life, it is part of nearly every single biological, geological and chemical process. The structure and dynamics of the hydrogen-bonding network in water remains under study. The EU-funded AngstroCAP project will develop new capillary devices to investigate the structure and dynamics of water. These devices are in a lab-on-a-chip type configuration with angstrom-scale channels and atomically smooth walls. The project will assemble capillaries of a few microns in length, by sandwiching two blocks of layered crystals, separated by an atomically thin 2D-crystal spacer. Inside these channels, researchers will image water condensation along with simultaneous structure analysis by spectroscopy under in-situ (temperature, pressure) environments. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective I will construct and apply next generation capillary devices as an exciting experimental platform to enable ground-breaking investigation of structure and dynamics of water at the ultimate molecular scale. These devices are in a lab-on-a-chip type configuration with angstrom-scale channels and atomically smooth walls. I am making them by scrupulous assembly tools in a controllable and reproducible fashion and they are extremely stable. Myself and my team will assemble capillaries of a few microns in length, by sandwiching two blocks of layered crystals, e.g. mica, graphite, boron nitride, separated by an atomically thin 2D-crystal spacer. Inside these channels, we will image water condensation along with simultaneous structure analysis by spectroscopy, under in-situ (temperature, pressure) environments. Another key aim of the project is to produce 2D slit-like pores on a large scale by slicing the pre-made 2D capillaries using sharp diamond knives, and explore their applications in size selective separation and biomolecular translocation. This ambitious research program is only possible because of my extensive angstrom-scale fabrication expertise, coupled with world leading fabrication capabilities at the University of Manchester.Objectives 1: To utilize angstrom-scale capillaries constructed out of two-dimensional (2D) materials as a versatile platform for studying confinement effect on structure and dynamics of water. 2: To construct new types of angstrom-scale 2D-pores from these capillaries for studying size-selective molecular separation, biomolecular sequencing and translocation. The project will have a lasting impact in understanding what the angstrom-scale confinement offers in terms of active control of molecular transport. Such confinement effects are efficiently utilized in various natural systems (e.g. protein channels) and the results could even aid in designing elementary building blocks of stimuli responsive artificial fluidic circuitry Fields of science engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesmicrotechnologylab on a chipnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloidsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopy Keywords angstrom 2D materials angstrofluidics water nanopores sequencing molecular separation Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2019-STG - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2019-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Host institution THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER Net EU contribution € 1 619 466,00 Address OXFORD ROAD M13 9PL Manchester United Kingdom See on map Region North West (England) Greater Manchester Manchester 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 Total cost € 1 619 466,00 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 1 619 466,00 Address OXFORD ROAD M13 9PL Manchester See on map Region North West (England) Greater Manchester Manchester 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 Total cost € 1 619 466,00