Projects

Waste heat—the rejected by-product of all energy conversion processes—remains a huge and unexplored reservoir of green energy. It is estimated that two-thirds of the 160 TWh required for global power consumption is lost to the environment each year. Converting even a fraction of this wasted energy into electricity at the cost of 10 cents per kWh would generate a new EUR 1.0 trillion industry—creating jobs, boosting the economy, and increasing energy efficiency.

One of the most challenging problems in material science is establishing a relation between material’s properties and interfacial structure.

This project aims at establishing a fundamental and applied research program via the set up of a new “virtual modeling lab” which will open the path towards a change of paradigm in the modelling of Space Weather impact.

MATBIOCAT focuses on merging synthetic materials with biomolecules to create functional nanostructures, enhancing performance in extreme conditions for biotransformation processes. The aim is to improve biocatalyst stability in organic solvents, high temperatures, and extreme pH values. Three main sections involve enzyme encapsulation in polymeric networks, designing metal-based nano/microstructures, and creating enzymatic bioreactors. Collaboration across enzymology, polymer chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and material science contributes to this multidisciplinary effort. Challenges include ordered placement of biocatalysts in stable films or microstructures to preserve catalytic performance. The project's ultimate goal is to develop advanced biomaterials with improved enzymatic function, holding potential for various applications.

The experimental confirmation of 2D topological insulators (2D-TI) with unique conductivity properties in 2007 has potential for advanced quantum computers and spintronic devices. Topological insulators conduct at the edge, offering scattering-free, spin-polarized channels crucial for dissipationless electronics. Challenges persist in practical device creation due to technical complexities. Discovery of 2D-TI phases in TMD materials like 1T-WTe2 enables van der Waals heterostructures, promising high-performance electronics and quantum computing applications. This proposal aims to engineer a spintronic device through rationalized heterostructure design, local and mesoscopic property characterization, and multiscale imaging and transport studies.