Final Report Summary - PROCOTEX (Products of coated textiles) The project PROCOTEX aimed to provide training to early-stage and experienced researchers in three technologies being: - electrospinning and nanofibres; - coating of fibrous structures through electroless deposition of conductive polymers and metals; - (electro)catalysis of metallophthalocyanines including its layers obtained through Self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formation. Based on the training provided in the first year, a number of prototype products were going to be developed in the second year. In fact three products were envisaged that should be the result of development using the three different technologies in which the students are trained. 1. Textile fibre with transistor properties as on-off switch for textile sensors: on-off switching of textile sensors is of crucial importance. Despite that textile sensors are constructed from textiles and are thus smoothly implemented in the textile structure, measurement and control means are not, among them on-off switches. Therefore such switches are developed by using transistor technology. Fibres are coated with a metal layer (metallic layer of the transistor) through electroless deposition, followed by coating with an insulating layer using dip-coating technology, followed by coating with a semiconductor and finally source and drain are added on top through electroless deposition. Such architecture on a fibre mimics the transistor architecture of a flat transistor obtained at the surface of a film substrate. 2. Sensor for nitric oxide (NO) detection: NO plays regulatory roles in physiological processes such as smooth muscle relaxation, anticoagulation and neurotransmission. Direct detection of NO in vivo is a necessity for studying its role in these physiological processes. NO is unstable with a short half-life time of about 5 seconds, and it rapidly reacts with oxygen to form nitrite or nitrate ions. Thus, methods for direct determination of NO must be fast, and must show high selectivity and sensitivity. In our research, we use phthalocyanines as modifiers for electrodes used for NO detection in order to improve on the sensitivity and selectivity of its detection. We developed this kind of electrodes before to monitor NO injected into blood and released from rat brains. In PROCOTEX we will modify the electrode surfaces with nanofibres to increase specific surface area. This allows the immobilisation of a higher concentration of MPcs onto the same geometrical area with the result of improving sensitivity and detection limit. 3. Filter for dedicated filtration of NOx: proof of principle is given for the use of nanofibrous structures in air and liquid filtration. However, selective filtration towards NOX would boost these types of filters to a higher technological and application level. In order to reach that position nanofibrous structures need to be modified with suitable MPcs that act as catalyst for NOX oxidation and thus eliminate NOx by oxidation. The different technologies to be combined were brought together by the 3 partners, being: - electrospinning, being offered by UGENT, Ghent University, Department of Textiles; - electroless deposition, being UGENT, Ghent University, Department of Textiles and TEIPIR, Technological Education Institute of Pireaus, Department of Textiles; - MPcs and SAM formation, being RHODES, Rhodes University, Department of Chemistry. Each group developed a course to train the students and labs were established at the different partner institutions to allow access to all 3 technologies. Although the exchange of researchers was less executed as planned, most of the milestones and deliverables were reached. More important the PROCOTEX project resulted in: - an efficient and deep training of a substantial number of students in electrospinning, electroless deposition, MPcs and SAM formation; - the establishment of electrospinning and electroless deposition labs; - 12 direct and 6 indirect papers in high impact factor international journals; - 1 workshop and 3 conference contributions; - 1 patent application and a second one in preparation; - the exchange of researchers allowing to bring MPc and MPc-SAM formation technology to Europe.
