Novel Materials

Main research lines

  • Synthesis of nanocarbon/semiconductor hybrids for photo and electrocatalysis, interaction of nanocarbons with liquid molecules, polyelectrolytes and inorganic salts.
  • Synthesis of inorganic nanowires and assembly as macroscopic yarns and fabrics.
  • Sensors: triboelectric, thermoresistive , chemical, piezoresistive, piezoelectric.
  • Hierarchical materials: materials design from the nanoscale to the macroscale, nano-reinforced materials, composite materials with enhanced electrical and thermal conductivity.
  • Electrospinning for polymeric nano-membranes.
  • Sustainable materials: bio-based nanocarriers, novel guest-host nanomaterials, nano-cross linkers, multifunctional polymer nanocomposites, renewable and recyclable polymeric materials, biodegradable polymers, carbon fiber reinforcement, etc.
  • Fire retardant materials through nanodesign: multifunctional nanomaterials to increase fire retardancy, layered double hydroxides, Metal-Organic Frameworks, sepiolite, molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), nanocarbon, nano metal hydroxide, graphene, cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), etc.
  • Energy storage and energy saving materials.
  • Phase-change materials for thermal management.
  • High-throughput design and synthesis (magnetron sputtering) of novel catalysts for green hydrogen production and energy generation from hydrogen by means of elastic strain engineering.
  • Advanced high strength steels showing combination of enhanced mechanical and in use properties.
  • High alloy steels, superalloys and high entropy alloys.
  • Analysis of chemistry-processing-microstructure-properties relationship on macro- and microscales with emphasis on their strength, ductility, fatigue and
    fracture resistance.
  • Study of solidification-microstructure relationships using traditional (vacuum induction melting, vacuum arc melting, gravity and tilt casting, directional solidification) and advanced techniques (centrifugal and suction casting, vacuum melt atomization).
  • Rapid screening of phases, crystal structures, properties, microstructure and kinetics in bulk materials by the Kinetic Diffusion Multiple Technique.
  • Deposition of multiscale functional coating layers by employing methods such as blade casting, spin coating, spray coating, electrospining, etc.
  • Impact, high temperature, mechanical, fire, predictive simulation.
  • Prediction and prevention strategies for metal, polymer-based composite materials under simultaneously extreme conditions such as high-temperature behaviour under structural loading.
  •  Nanostructured silicon anodes.
  • Carbon nanotube fabrics for hybrid electrodes and metal-free current collectors.
  • Defect-engineered electrodes.
  • Fire-retardant electrolytes.
  • Flame resistant all solid-state polymer electrolytes.
  • Electrolyte composition optimisation accelerated by Artificial Intelligence.
  • Flexible and structural batteries.
  • Fire-retardant electrolytes.
  • Electrolyte composition optimisation accelerated by AI.
  • New electrodes and interfacial strategies for Zinc-ion batteries.
  • Composite materials.
  • Alloys.
  • Hybrids.
  • Sandwich-structured fire retardants.
  • Porous polymers and polymer-based aerogels.
  • Reversible crosslinking.
  • Bio-based polymers fibres and additives.
  • Reprocessable composites.
  • Valorization of by-products in H2 production.
  • Thermal energy storage/phase change materials
  • Bioresorbable 3D printed metallic and composite scaffolds for bone regeneration.
  • New materials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
  • Biodegradable cardiovascular metallic stents via 3D printing.
  • Synthesis of novel biomaterials.
  • Drug delivery.
  • Processing of biomaterials into complex 3D structures.
  • Evaluation of physicochemical properties.
  • Degradable metal nanoparticles for biomedical applications (anticancer or antibacterial activity).
  • Biofunctionalization and surface modification on materials with molecules to improve their performance.
  • Mechanotransduction.

RESEARCH GROUPS