New projects & Milestones
Molecular materials are uniquely placed to spur a revolution in the next decades, thanks to their ability to accommodate a wide span of functionalities, and the possibility to fine-tune them to suit a variety of technological purposes. However, while these materials already show optimal behaviour either in solution, as single crystals or as microcrystalline powders, their integration into functional devices still poses a scientific challenge, since, once incorporated into solid matrices or hybrid devices, they often lose (at least partially) their inherent properties and/or their response efficiency.
Our objective at the Nanostructured Functional Materials research group (NANOSFUN) is to develop new strategies to obtain molecular (bio)nanostructures, with adapted properties and smart responses to external stimuli, which can be incorporated into solid matrices, surfaces or as stable colloidal suspensions, while retaining their initial features and performance. For this, a wide range of molecular and biological building blocks are employed, using Nature as a strong source of inspiration. We work with the idea that ultimate control on every length scale and material interfaces is required to reach the intrinsic limits and functions of these (supra)molecular materials, and with the aim of finding applications for them oriented at improving our everyday life.
Our main lines of research are the following:
Nanoscale functional polymers for brain diseases and regenerative medicine
The NANOSFUN group is deeply involved in the development of polymeric nanoparticles and coatings for health and social welfare. This embraces mostly, though not exclusively: I) Nanoparticles for diagnosis and therapy, II) Fine-tuning of the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance, biocompatibility or other additional properties via surface (bio)functionalization and III) Thin films for the regeneration of human cells/tissues allowing for the proper functioning of organs or surgical adhesives and appliance bonding.
We work both with commercial FDA-approved polymers, as well as with novel biopolymers, specifically designed for improved performance. A large part of our activities is devoted to the development of novel families of polymers based on coordination chemistry and catechol.
The areas where these materials produce impact are mainly healthy aging, inflammatory and infectious diseases, and regenerative medicine.
Chromogenic and emissive nanomaterials for energy efficient devices
We aim to develop advanced nanostructured molecular materials that smartly modify their optical properties (i.e. absorption and emission) as a response to external stimuli, such as pH, temperature and light. These materials are key to the engineering of near-future commercial products that try to tackle social and environmental needs, such as sustainability, comfort and security. The main materials we develop for these applications are: I) UV/vis/NIR-light induced color-changing films and coatings for rewritable devices, anticounterfeiting technologies and dynamic photoprotective coatings, II) Temperature-responsive fluorochromogenic micro/nanocomposites for thermal optical sensing and temperature-dependent optical filters, and III) Vis/NIR activated upconverting fluorescent materials for energy conversion, anticounterfeiting technologies and (bio)imaging.
For this, we follow novel and emerging concepts, principally based on the micro/nanoencapsulation of oil or phase-change materials mixtures of molecular dyes (such as spirooxazines, spiropyrans, porphyrins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which allow advanced, tuneable and customizable optical change effects of different degrees of sophistication: from highly fast to irreversible responses, multi-responsiveness, multiple outputs (colour, fluorescence), threshold-based changes, invisible (to the human eye) optical variations.
The principal areas in which these technologies find application are smart windows, smart devices and security (such as anticounterfeiting).
Collaborations with industry and technology transfer
In addition to our fundamental research activities, we have established ourselves as a reference group in joint projects with the private sector across two fundamental areas:
- Micro/Nanoencapsulation of active ingredients
- Photo/Thermochromism.
NANOSFUN currently has 50 m2 of lab space devoted exclusively to applied-science research, fully equipped and capable of scale-up work up to 10 L. Our early advances have prompted us to pursue market-oriented research through dedicated spin-off companies (Futurechromes S.L. and Catechol Adhesives S.L.).