Boosting 2D materials with molecules (Prof. Paolo Samorì)

ICN2 NANOSEMINAR IN MEDICINE & HEALTH by: Prof. Paolo Samorì, ISIS, University of Strasbourg & CNRS, Strasbourg, France

Title: Boosting 2D materials with molecules: from high-performance multiresponsive electronics to pressure sensing for health monitoring

Date: Thursday 13 July 2023

Introductory talk: "Advanced manufacturing with inkjet printing: functional nanomaterials for nanobiosensing applications" by Dr Massimo Urban, Doctoral Student at Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group at ICN2

Co-organised by ICN2 and Nanomedicine lab at the University of Manchester

The NanoSeminars are a line of seminars established by the ICN2 to provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas, based around a lecture by a world-class invited researcher. They bring to you three thematic series: Nano in Medicine & Health; Nano in Physics; and, Nano in Chemistry and Materials. The series about Medicine & Health is a joint initiative between the Nanomedicine Lab at the University of Manchester and the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2).

More info at: https://icn2.cat/en/events/eventdetai...

Main Talk Abstract: Two-dimensional materials display outstanding physical and chemical properties which can be further enhanced and enriched through the controlled functionalization with molecules and assemblies thereof yielding hybrid systems with programmed characteristics for applications in (opto)electronics, sensing and energy. Molecules can be designed and synthesized to controllably physisorb or chemisorb onto 2D materials.

In my lecture I will review our recent findings on the functionalization of 2D materials to engineer hybrid systems via:

- physisorption of molecular switches onto the two surfaces of scotch tape and CVD 2D semiconductors, by mastering a Janus approach, to impart additional properties to WSe2, rendering the 2D material-based transistors capable to respond to four different independent stimuli.

- chemisorption of dithiolated molecules onto solution-processed semiconducting TMDs to simultaneously heal sulfur vacancies in metal disulfides and covalently bridge adjacent flakes, thereby promoting percolation pathways for charge transport, leading to a 10-fold increase in field-effect mobility, ION/IOFF ratio, and switching times of liquid-gated transistors.

- the controlled formation of multilayer structures of reduced graphene oxide and flexible molecular spacers made it possible to fabricate highly sensitive pressure and strain sensors for health monitoring.

Our modular strategies relying on the combination of 2D material with molecules offer a simple route to generate multifunctional coat-ings, foams and nanocomposites with pre-programmed properties to address key global challenges in electronics, sensing and energy applications.