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CIC nanoGUNE is coordinating the SPEAR project, which seeks to explore new materials for the next generation of computer memories and processors; five European academic institutions (CEA-France, ETH Zürich-Switzerland, IMEC-Belgium, U. Hamburg-Germany, Martin Luther University Halle–Germany) and three European companies (ANTAIOS-France, QZabre-Switzerland, NanOsc-Sweden) are also involved in the project.

Graphene is a diamagnetic material, this is, unable of becoming magnetic. However, a triangular piece of graphene is predicted to be magnetic. This apparent contradiction is a consequence of “magic” shapes in the structure of graphene flakes, which force electrons to “spin” easier in one direction. Triangulene is a triangular graphene flake, which possesses a net magnetic moment: it is a graphene nanometer-size magnet. This magnetic state opens fascinating perspectives on the use of these pure-carbon magnets in technology.

The Nanooptics Group of CIC nanoGUNE is involved in the Work Package 8: Photonics and Optoelectronics in the Graphene Flagship Core 3 project, the fourth funding cycle of the €1 Billion research initiative funded by the European Commission. The mission of Work Package Photonics and Optoelectronics is to develop GRM-based components for photonic and optoelectronic applications and to integrate them into photonic circuits, imaging arrays and optical sensors. NanoGUNE works on infrared sensing and is involved in infrared and terahertz detectors.

The nanomaterials group in nanoGUNE, led by Mato Knez, has developed a new technology called SCIP that allows an improvement of the mechanical properties of polymers. The technology can be directly applied to functionalize textile, opening new perspectives in product development in the sports/fashion or personal protection sector.