Project description DEENESFRITPL Rational design of materials ‘beyond graphene’ enabling innovative devices Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb-shaped lattice, was discovered in 2004. This wonder material’s discovery led to the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010. Only four additional members of the graphene family have been discovered since, none of which has the narrow bandwidth of commercial silicon. The European Research Council-funded BEGMAT project will develop a comprehensive strategy to construct materials ‘beyond graphene’ in a controlled way, by covalent organic chemistry from abundant precursors free of metals and critical raw materials. The project will elucidate structure-properties relationships and create essential knowledge supporting the development of layered functional materials and processes for device manufacture. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective There is an apparent lack of non-metallic 2D-matrials for the construction of electronic devices, as only five materials of the “graphene family” are known: graphene, hBN, BCN, fluorographene, and graphene oxide – none of them with a narrow bandgap close to commercially used silicon. This ERC-StG proposal, BEGMAT, outlines a strategy for design, synthesis, and application of layered, functional materials that will go beyond this exclusive club. These materials “beyond graphene” (BEG) will have to meet – like graphene – the following criteria: (1) The BEG-materials will feature a transfer of crystalline order from the molecular (pm-range) to the macroscopic level (cm-range), (2) individual, free-standing layers of BEG-materials can be addressed by mechanical or chemical exfoliation, and (3) assemblies of different BEG-materials will be stacked as van der Waals heterostructures with unique properties. In contrast to the existing “graphene family”, (4) BEG-materials will be constructed in a controlled way by covalent organic chemistry in a bottom-up approach from abundant precursors free of metals and critical raw materials (CRMs). Moreover – and unlike – many covalent organic frameworks (COFs), (5) BEG-materials will be fully aromatic, donor-acceptor systems to ensure that electronic properties can be addressed on macroscopic scale. The potential to make 2D materials “beyond graphene” is a great challenge to chemical bond formation and material design. In 2014 the applicant has demonstrated the feasibility of the concept to expand the “graphene family” with triazine-based graphitic carbon, a compound highlighted as an “emerging competitor for the miracle material” graphene. Now, the PI has the opportunity to build a full-scale research program on layered functional materials that offers unique insights into controlled, covalent linking-chemistry, and that addresses practicalities in device manufacture, and structure-properties relationships. Fields of science engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcrystalsengineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materialstwo-dimensional nanostructuresgrapheneengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringmining and mineral processingnatural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencesengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsmobile phones Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-StG-2015 - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2015-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Host institution HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITAET ZU BERLIN Net EU contribution € 1 198 977,50 Address UNTER DEN LINDEN 6 10117 Berlin Germany See on map Region Berlin Berlin Berlin 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 € 1 198 977,50 Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITAET ZU BERLIN Germany Net EU contribution € 1 198 977,50 Address UNTER DEN LINDEN 6 10117 Berlin See on map Region Berlin Berlin Berlin 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 € 1 198 977,50 UNIVERZITA KARLOVA Participation ended Czechia Net EU contribution € 163 560,00 Address OVOCNY TRH 560/5 116 36 Praha 1 See on map Region Česko Praha Hlavní město Praha 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 € 163 560,00