Development of application oriented novel materials and structures. Organic, inorganic and hybrid structures are processed and characterized and their application potential established. Most of the material development is oriented to sensor and actuators applications. Other areas such as energy generation and storage are also considered due to the potential of some of the developed materials in these areas.
Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Composites
Functional Materials Micro/Nano Structures
Main References
Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Composites
SEM image of different zeolite and zeolite/PVDF composite. Dielectric behaviour of the composites prepared with different zeolites.
SEM image of Montmorillonite clay interaction with PVDF polymer. Functionally graded material produced by the control of temperature throughout the composite film.
(a) (b)
Focus SEM image of the cross section of the 10/90 wt.% PVDF/CoFe2O4 film. b) SEM image of the PVDF/CoFe2O4 nanofibers obtained at 20 kV voltage, 0.5 ml/hour flux, 0.5mm needle diameter, 20 cm collector-needle distance and 20 wt.% of ferrite nanoparticles.
Polymer-based magnetoelectric (ME) materials are an interesting, challenging and innovative research field, that will bridge the gap between fundamental research and applications in the near future.
The values of the magnetoelectric coefficients found on materials such as PVDF/CoFe2O4 films (Figure 1a) and PVDF/CoFe2O4 nanofibers (Figure 1b) as well as the broad range of the magnetic field at which they respond, together with the flexibility, robustness and ease of fabrication related to the polymer-based materials, allow a large range of applications, in particular in the fields of sensors and actuators.
Functional Materials
Morphology of the electrospun fiber membranes of PHB; drug release curves of electrospun fibers with CHX and PHB/PEO with CHX antibacterial activity assays against bacteria's.
Electrical conductive PVDF/PPy nanocomposites prepared with optimized addition of Py, FeCl3 and HCl at 0 ºC and at varied reaction times: a) 0 min, b) 5 min, c) 2 h, and d) 48 h.
Schematic illustration of the effect of the concentration, flow rate and applied voltage on PVDF and PVDF composites electrospray/electrospun microstructures.
Scheme of polymer dipoles interaction with diferente Ag nanoparticles size: 6 nm, 27 nm and 60 nm, responsible for the electroactive phase crystallization of the PVDF polymer.
Different zeolite-type microposorus materials used on the production of sensors.
Micro/Nano Structures
Electroactive polymer and polymer composites nano and microparticles obtained through nanoprecipitation method.
Electroactive polymer and polymer composites nano and microparticles obtained through nanoprecipitation method.
Main References
- Lopes, A.C., Caparros, C., Ferdov, S., Lanceros-Mendez, S., (2013), Influence of zeolite structure and chemistry on the electrical response and crystallization phase of poly(vinylidene fluoride), Journal of Materials Science, 48:2199–2206.
- Lopes, A.C., Costa, C.M., Tavares, C.J., Neves, I.C., Lanceros-Mendez, S., (2011) Nucleation of the electroactive γ phase and enhancement of the optical transparency in low filler content poly(vinylidene)/clay nanocomposites, Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 115 (37): 18076-18082.
- Martins, P. and S. Lanceros-Méndez, Polymer-based Magnetoelectronic Materials. Advanced Functional Materials, 2013.
- Silva, M., et al., Optimization of the Magnetoelectric Response of Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/Epoxy/Vitrovac Laminates. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2013.
- Lopes, A.C., Carabineiro, S.A.C., Pereira, M.F.R., Botelho, G., Lanceros-Mendez, S., (2013) Nanoparticle size and concentration dependence of the electroactive phase content and electrical and optical properties of Ag/poly(vinylidene fluoride) composites, ChemPhysChem, 14 (9):1926-1933.