Researchers from the IBB-UAB and from the ICMAB-CSIC have obtained four molecules of only seven amino acids with the ability to self-assemble, which enables a fast and non expensive process to obtain nanomaterials for biomedical and nanotechnological purposes. They have used them to create one of the most resistant bionanomaterials described until now.

Scientists at the CSIC have developed a new method for the direct growth of graphene on dielectric substrates, avoiding the step of transferring the graphene from the copper catalyst substrates to the substrates of practical interest, as silicon or glass, avoiding therefore the economical cost. It is a scalable and reproducible method to use graphene in multiple applications.

Scientists at the CSIC and at the Jožef Stefan Institute have developed a method to combine at the nanoscale cellulose nanofibers with ceramic nanoparticles such as alumina and zirconia, resulting in mechanically strong and highly electro-conductive ceramic materials that can be subjected to different types of machining, such as green machiningm or electro-discharge machining.

A study developed at the ICMAB-CSIC and published in Nature Photonics describes the technique to provide structural coloration on a cellulose derivative through its nanostructuration. The colors obtained do not depend on pigments but on nanostructures that interact differently with the incident light. Applications include ecofriendly production of color in packaging systems or decorative paper, anti-counterfeiting technology, or biocompatible, biodegradable, washable and edible and low cost detectors, sensors or labels.

They detect light below its absorption band and with a high efficiency. The presented devices demonstrate a wide spectroscopic photodetection and compactness of the device, making them much more portable and suitable for integrated electronics applications. The study was carried out by ICMAB researchers in collaboration with researchers from Dresden (Germany) and from Beijing (China).

CSIC scientists have developed resin microcapsules containing corrosion inhibitors. This system allows the progressive and efficient release of the inhibitors, reducing both costs and environmental impact. This methodology can be applied on construction materials such as paint, coatings and, especially, reinforced concrete structures (RCS).

Adding functional nanoparticles to materials is a way of incorporating new properties to improve conventional materials. But erosion over the years can make the material to release some of these nanoparticles into the air, which can be a health hazard. CSIC scientists have developed a method for monitoring construction materials and the nanoparticles released from them.

ICMAB researchers have designed ultrathin materials that maximize the absorption of light in a large range of the solar spectrum. The followed strategy is low cost and fully scalable. The obtained superabsorbers materials have many potential applications, especially in the field of photovoltaic energy and photodetection.