Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet Double layer (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The structure of the double layer at the electrode-electrolyte interface dictates the electrocatalytic performance. A better understanding of the double layer is thus necessary for the optimization of key reactions such as the electrocatalytic hydrogen production and the CO2 electroconversion to value-added products, both of which are central to transitioning to carbon-free fuel alternatives. However, there is currently a significant lack of appropriate characterization methods to resolve this interfacial region. Meanwhile, recent results demonstrate that the models so far employed to predict the physical behavior at the double layer are incomplete. Therefore, for the field of electrocatalysis to reach its performance targets, it is critical we develop new techniques to fill this gap in our understanding of the catalyst-electrolyte interface. In this work, we propose to leverage the unique properties of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and total electron yield X-ray absorption spectroscopy (TEY-XAS) in a dip-an-pull geometry to resolve the concentration and configuration of the ions and water molecules present in the double layer. Using single crystal electrodes that are well-defined surfaces, we propose to use these spectroscopic insights to verify the nature of non-specific ion-water-electrode interactions suggested by previous electrochemical and computational investigations. Once optimized, we propose to expand the application of this spectroscopic approach to electrocatalytically relevant conditions for the hydrogen evolution reaction on Pt(111) and for the CO2 reduction reaction on Au(111). The as-described methodology will not only provide unprecedented insights into the elusive contribution of the double layer during electrocatalysis, but it will also enable the standardization of a powerful characterization tool that will greatly benefit the field of surface chemistry and catalysis.

Mots clés : x ray spectroscopy, hydrogen evolution reaction, co2 electroreduction, electrical double layer

Participants :
- Université de Leyde (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187624.32 €
Projet PoCalopH (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) has the unique potential to utilize the vast carbon source CO2 for production of valuable synthetic fuels being a sustainable process, if the electricity is obtained from renewable energy sources. Several metal surfaces are known to catalyze the electrochemical CO2RR. However, they suffer from poor selectivity and energy efficiency. Recently, this limitation has been mitigated by functionalizing metal catalysts with polymer-coatings. However, previous investigations are non-systematic. Several electrocatalysts (Au, Cu, Ag, Pt) of different morphologies (bulk electrodes, nanoparticles, foams) were combined with a variety of different polymers. This renders a general view of the polymer´s role in electrocatalysis impossible. Coordinative stabilization of intermediates is the most frequently proposed origin of the performance increase, however, local effects like pH fluctuations were never detected. This is a severe gap of knowledge considering the high pH sensitivity of electrocatalysts. Within PoCalopH, the researcher will, therefore, systematically investigate the influence of various polymer-coatings on the selectivity and efficiency of gold and copper catalysts and will correlate these effects to local pH changes. This will be realized by equipping the most efficient polymers with fluorescent pH reporters allowing for a spectroscopic pH read out. The results will be systematically compared to those obtained from non-coated electrodes. Therefore, PoCalopH will create a double benefit of polymer-coatings combining performance increase with valuable insights into local pH-effects within the coating. This will precise mechanistic knowledge on the electrochemical CO2RR and may enable the rational design of polymer-coated CO2RR catalysts.

Mots clés : fluorescent ph reporters, synthetic chemistry

Participants :
- Université de Leyde (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 203464.32 €
Projet POLY-FEN (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals (NF-LCs) represent a unique and promising class of materials with exceptional properties that have the potential to revolutionize a wide range of technological applications, promising reduced energy consumption and improved switching speed. To fully harness the potential of NF-LCs, a key step is their transformation into processable polymers, facilitating their integration into practical engineering applications for ultra-fast electro-optical switches and modular optics. The "Polymer-Ferroelectric Nematic" (POLY-FEN) project is dedicated to the synthesis of processable and photo-responsive polymer networks with extreme dipoles derived from room-temperature NFs and harness their properties to create innovative solutions that outperform conventional technologies. I will demonstrate the advantages of the synthesized materials by building devices in which the alignment and 3D topography of the polymer films can be re-written by actuation with electricity and light. POLY-Fen leverages recent advancements in the field of NFs, my unique skill set in synthesis and design of building-blocks for stimuli-responsive materials, and the extensive knowledge of the host group in liquid crystalline materials and device engineering. The POLY-FEN project represents a substantial step toward unlocking the potential of NF-LCs, positioning them as a cornerstone for future LC device innovations. Since their discovery in 2017, only a few NF motifs have been reported. Of these, none show inherent stimuli-responsive behavior, further emphasizing the pioneering nature of the proposed work. The knowledge and innovation generated by this project will not only advance my career but also provide substantial societal and economic benefits through tangible advancements in the fields of energy-efficient electronics, advanced optics, and other high-impact technologies.

Mots clés : photoresponsive materials, adaptive materials, dielectrics, ferroelectric liquid crystals

Participants :
- Université de technologie d'Eindhoven (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187624.32 €
Projet MuST ArtEM (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Supramolecular polymers (SPs) are at the forefront of current research to functional bio-mimetic materials and systems. Among the plethora of SPs appeared in the literature in the last decades, those based on 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxyamide (BTA), which have shown to form double helical fibres both in organic and aqueous solution, have been employed as a robust platform for the design of bio-inspired materials with tailored and tuneable properties. Indeed, non-covalent synthesis allows to easily obtain a wide range of functional SPs by simply mixing chemically distinct monomers in solution, which will spontaneously self-assemble into dynamic structures. Such approach has been exploited to develop BTA-based SPs able to bind nucleic acids in a superselective fashion through multivalent interactions between positively charged co-assembled BTA monomers and the phosphate present in the oligonucleotide backbone. Building on these previous findings, MuST ArtEM aims to develop functional SPs to be exploited as artificial nucleases, able to recognize and cleave RNA. The recognition and the hydrolytic activity are provided by cationic components bearing the 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-zinc complexes (TACN-Zn2+), which is well known to catalyse the hydrolysis of phosphodiester bonds. The positively charged components undergo clustered upon binding with the oligonucleotide, thus enhancing the hydrolytic ability of the zinc complex through cooperative catalysis. Once degraded, the RNA is no more able to induce clustering of the functional monomers, which will come back to the initial random distribution, switching off the catalytic ability of the fibres. Such functional SPs will be then tested in more complex systems, to trigger downstream self-assembly of DNA structures. Finally, liquid-liquid phase separation of the functional SPs will be achieved, developing bio-inspired compartmentalized hydrolytic microreactors.

Mots clés : supramolecular polymers, systems chemistry, supramolecular catalysis, out of equilibrium, dna nanotechnology

Participants :
- Université de technologie d'Eindhoven (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187624.32 €
Projet Social Inclusion (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

21st-century European society is dynamic and heterogeneous, characterised by cultural diversity resulting not only from migration but also widening acceptance of diversity in sexual orientation, gender cognitive, motor and neural capacities. Architectural and urban designers, educational institutions, and local agencies are called to offer a healthy, inclusive and permanently adaptive environment for all members of this society. The present study aims to develop an intervention model for advancing social interaction and inclusiveness in schools, schoolyards, playgrounds and similar parts of the built environment. It follows an affordance-based approach that supports a better understanding of the fit between the built environment and the people who use it to inform inclusive design approaches. Using a bottom-up approach based on stakeholders’ input, we integrate insights from different disciplines to develop, test and apply an intervention model based on information synthesised from behaviour mapping, tracking, observations, and questionnaires. This multidisciplinary approach delivers a comprehensive, multifaceted perspective on individual behaviours, physical activities, social interactions, and space usages for creating inclusive social settings. Designers, schools, and local authorities can use the intervention model to improve facilities, activities, and spaces, so all children feel safe, accepted, and free to participate, increasing social, mental, and physical health.

Mots clés : learning environment, social activity, social interaction, affordances, inclusiveness

Participants :
- Université de technologie de Delft (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187624.32 €
Projet InPforPE (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

InPforPE aims to mitigate energy losses in semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) resulting from Auger recombination (AR) throughInPforPE aims to mitigate energy losses in semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) resulting from Auger recombination (AR) through photonic enhancement. Despite the wide-ranging applications of QDs, such as energy-efficient displays and light-emitting diodes, their full potential is hindered by the adverse effects of AR-induced losses. Auger recombination, a significant and inevitable non-radiative decay process, occurs on a timescale of approximately 100 ps for multi-carrier states of QDs. This phenomenon obstructs the utilisation of QDs in high-intensity lighting applications and laser systems. Previous efforts to address these challenges have focussed on reducing the rate of AR. Here, we propose a disruptive new approach in which we enhance the rate of the radiative transitions, and hence the rate of absorption and emission through photonic enhancement, aiming to outcompete AR. The photonic enhancement is achieved by encapsulating QD within a metallic Au nanoshell, acting as a plasmonic nanoresonator to leverage electric field effects. The primary objective is to synthesise and characterise InP-based Au nanoresonators, covering a range of emission wavelengths from green to red. The emission wavelength is tuned by changing the core size of the InP QD, which is a direct manifestation of the quantum confinement effect exhibited by these particles. Furthermore, we aim to study the charge carrier dynamics in these systems at both ensemble and single-particle levels. The enhanced radiative lifetime and biexciton quantum yield of InP QDs in the presence of an Au metallic shell will be valuable for their use as light-emitting materials or optical gain media for lasing. The proposed system aligns well with the EU's Work Programme, advancing eco-friendly technology for efficient displays, high-output light-emitting diodes, lasers, and optical communication.

Mots clés : excitons, emission properties, energy, electric field, semiconductor quantum dots, nanoresonator, single particle pl spectroscopy

Participants :
- Université de technologie de Delft (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 203464.32 €
Projet NOMAD (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Empty and vacant spaces constitute a significant waste of resources in European cities. At the same time, ways of inhabiting cities are changing and becoming more flexible. In this context, urban nomads are people who experiment with temporary ways of living and working, inhabit places for a short period of time and eventually have to move. The research “NOMAD - NOmad MAnagement of urban Development. The value of temporary communities” intends to explore and operationalise the urban values produced by temporary uses. Currently, local communities' well-being is increasingly promoted by European policies and the New European Bauhaus. Temporary uses are realized by different kinds of urban communities in urban regeneration processes. But, although they generate urban values, the values they produce for urban development are still not evident. The main objectives of the research are to identify the urban values of temporary communities and to boost temporary reuse practices through a value-driven approach. For this purpose, NOMAD will focus on the significant experience of two pioneer cases Stad in de Maak in Rotterdam and Communa in Brussels. The research will follow a cross-disciplinary approach to get the Nomadic Urban Values (NUV) generated by the temporary uses, by changing the urban atmosphere and the urban ecosystem services. The field research and workshops will be conducted in a van, both for the field research, and for the dissemination. The research will consist of two phases. The first phase includes the NUV monitor and map, collecting people's perceptions, sounds, images and statistical information, that will be analysed and collected in multimedia maps. The second phase of the research will involve the NOMAD catalogue and platform, collecting nomadic practices in a catalogue of temporary reuse alternatives, and a platform with multimedia maps and results to facilitate different stakeholders in temporary use planning.

Mots clés : urban studies, real estate management, community value, temporary use, adaptive reuse, urban atmosphere, urban impact, multidimensional analysis

Participants :
- Université de technologie de Delft (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187624.32 €
Projet AIRHAR (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Radar systems have been used in ambient sensing to track various subjects using electromagnetic waves. Thanks to the increasing capability of artificial intelligence algorithms in solving classification tasks, human activity detection (HAR) using radar systems have become possible. However, most previous solutions use bulky fixed radar systems with tens to hundreds of watts of power consumption, requiring rigid wall plug connection, making them environmentally unfriendly and difficult to use in applications like indoor security, healthcare, and mobile robots.  In this project, we aim to develop a portable radar system for HAR by following a hardware-software co-design approach to significantly reduce the signal processing energy consumption compared to conventional radar-based HAR systems. On the software side, we will explore novel time-domain feature extraction methods to reduce the energy consumption of radar data analysis by at least 2 times. We will also apply brain-inspired neuromorphic principles to reduce 50 times the energy cost of state-of-the-art deep neural network architectures to solve radar-based HAR tasks. On the hardware side, we will develop artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator hardware based on field-programmable gated arrays (FPGAs) and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) to decrease the hardware energy consumption in radar data processing by at least 10 times. Overall, we expect the project results to revolutionize the paradigm of radar data processing to achieve over 20 times the whole system energy reduction, which will significantly contribute to the target of greenhouse gas emission reduction defined in the European Green Deal. The developed energy-efficient AI-powered portable radar system for HAR is promising to initiate a commercialized product for indoor security, healthcare, and mobile robot applications, and it will be competitive in the rapidly growing Internet-of-Things market worth USD 2400 billion by 2029.

Mots clés : radar systems, deep neural networks, edge computing, internet of things, neuromorphic computing, human activity recognition, pattern recognition

Participants :
- Université de technologie de Delft (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 203464.32 €
Projet PROPHOTOM (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Label-free detection and discerning of single proteins is essential to reduce the impact of degenerative diseases (e.g. cancer) by its ultra-early detection as well as to expand our understanding on the processes taking place in living beings. The objective of this project is developing a new technique for the optomechanical label-free detection and characterization of single protein. The working principle of the proposed technique consist on illuminating a protein and transferring its photothermal heating to a suspended membrane on which it is adsorbed. This suspended membrane can mechanically oscillate in drum-like modes, so as the protein transfers its heat to the membrane, its mechanical properties will change, producing a shift in its resonance frequency. Therefore, tracking the resonance frequency as a function of the incident light’s wavelength will allow discerning among different proteins by obtaining their absorption spectra.  On the other hand, PROPHOTOM will have a high impact on my career. Implemented at TU Delft and supervised by Prof. Peter G. Steeneken and Dr. Farbod Alijani, this project will allow introducing myself into new subjects which the supervisors master (2D materials and condensed matter physics). Furthermore, the supervisors will benefit from my wide expertise on mechanical resonators for the optical characterization of biological samples, which guarantees the two-way transfer of knowledge. In addition to the scientific training, this project will also provide me different non-scientific skills, increasing my competencies and employability while allowing me developing an international network.  Eventually, this project will contribute significantly to Europe’s economic and societal advance providing knowledge in different subjects (biophysics, biochemistry or medicine) and new technologies, contributing to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3 & 9) and Horizon Europe Missions (HEM cancer).

Mots clés : optomechanics 2d materials biophysics protein analysis

Participants :
- Université de technologie de Delft (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187624.32 €
Projet POWER (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In POWER, a novel asymmetric supercapacitor (SC) will be fabricated using two-dimensional (2D) transition metal (TM) doped dichalcogenides, with the aim of developing the next generation of high energy and power density SCs as energy storage devices. For the first time, TM (Fe, Co, Ni, Mn, and Zn) doped 2D MoSe2, and WSe2 will be used to fabricate the asymmetric SC and combined with a battery to form a hybrid. This is a timely proposal as the energy-hungry world demands more energy and this growing demand for electrical power requires sustainable energy conversion and storage systems. This is aligned directly with the EU’s Energy Storage and Development roadmap up to 2030. The TM doped MoSe2 and WSe2 will be synthesised using low temperature hydrothermal approaches, and then mixed with binders, and used to form the negative electrode. A commercial activated carbon electrode will be used as the positive electrode, to give the asymmetric SC. The modified electrodes will be characterised using high resolution surface analytical techniques and electrochemical methods. The performance of the fabricated SCs will then be assessed and the potential applications of the optimised SC, considering both the TMs and dichalcogenides, will be explored. By working on POWER, the fellow will have the opportunity to focus on a multidisciplinary project, encompassing Physical Chemistry, Physics, Materials, Electrochemistry and Energy with global impact in the energy sector. Through a tailored Career Development Plan with a 3-month secondment at TU Delft, the fellow will be able to establish new research collaborations within Europe and reach her goal of becoming an independent researcher. With communication targeted on various groups and potential end users, the fellow will develop the skills required to communicate with non-experts, including the public, community groups and charities, enriching her academic experience in the non-academic sector.

Mots clés : 2d layered materials, metal chalcogenides, defect engineering, supercapacitors, energy storage

Participants :
- Université nationale d'Irlande à Maynooth (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 215534.4 €
- Université de technologie de Delft (Pays-Bas) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €