Ana Castellanos-Aliga, David G. Calatayud

 Much of the current research in materials science and technology is focused on obtaining miniaturised devices and developing intelligent systems with multiple functionalities. The specialised literature highlights a pressing need for new functional materials, and the critical role they play in issues of particular importance such as energy, the environment and the economy. In view of this, nanotechnology is rapidly evolving towards the fabrication of complex materials with highly defined structures and properties. However, to date, progress in the field has been slow and scant, mainly due to the intrinsic difficulties of the manufacturing process itself, which usually involves the use of sophisticated technologies. These technologies also entail high energy consumption, thus contributing to global warming.

Against this background, the present project proposes a completely new and innovative approach to bio-inspired manufacturing, in which molecular recognition and soft chemistry processes will be combined to produce functional components with nanometric precision in a sustainable manner. This is a bottom-up approach in which it is proposed to use peptides to selectively bind to certain materials (inorganic surfaces), allowing the immobilisation of components following a predefined pattern with a high level of precision. Like a cell culture, various functional materials can be grown with controlled morphology and properties under extremely mild conditions (aqueous processes, at temperatures below 300°C), allowing large-scale production of complex systems, from the molecular to the macro scale. All of this using an accelerated growth process without the need for large energy inputs, thus contributing to driving solutions to climate change.

Application: This project addresses the challenge of developing innovative new technologies and/or production processes with the potential to dramatically improve the way we use energy for manufacturing. Specifically, the project aims to sustainably manufacture self-assembled functional components and/or materials with nanometric precision using a pioneering bio-inspired approach based on the combination of molecular recognition mechanisms and soft chemistry processes.