Paving the way for the development of new intelligent materials

The excellent scientific results obtained in the context of two materials dedicated projects were showcased by a researcher from the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) in Nice (FR) in October 2018.

Maryline Moreno was the keynote speaker at the 4th International Conference on Bioinspired and Biosourced Chemistry and Materials (Nature Inspires Creativity Engineers, N.I.C.E 2018) held on 14-17 October. She was also chairwoman of a session dedicated to the exploitation of plasma technology.

Atmospheric pulsed plasma polymerization

In her presentation, entitled "Atmospheric pulsed plasma polymerization: an elegant route for bio-inspired and smart thin films", Maryline Moreno highlighted the results of two projects funded by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR): the NANOPOLYPULSE and BIOREAFILM projects.

The researcher showed the value of using atmospheric pulsed plasma polymerization for the synthesis of thin films with unique properties. The synthetic route is described here as "elegant" because, unlike classical wet chemical synthesis routes in solution, which require the use of solvents or sometimes toxic catalysts and a multi-step synthesis, here the plasma deposition technique leads to the synthesis of organic films of high purity. "We do not need catalyst or solvent" says Moreno and goes on: “Only the precursor monomers are used and the plasma is there to generate the active species which will ensure the polymerization and ultimately the formation of the organic functional film. It is a technique that respects the environment."

In addition, only one step is necessary to achieve this: the synthesis of the film and its deposit on the surface are done simultaneously. Finally, the "atmospheric Dielectric Barrier discharge" technology used is known to be up-scalable for industrial use, easily integrated into an already existing production line, with the idea of being able to process substrates on a roll and continuously, thanks to the so-called “roll-to-roll” technique.

The LIST added value

As part of the BIOREAFILM project, the research team demonstrated that by adjusting the parameters of the aerosol-assisted pulsed plasma process, it is possible to deposit films in a controlled manner. "That is to say, we can control the morphology of the films, the thickness of the film, its chemistry and in particular the quantity of catechol groups incorporated in the film”, Moreno says.

Another project, another successful result. NANOPOLYPULSE has demonstrated that LIST researchers are capable of depositing temperature-sensitive smart films on metal surfaces as well as polymers in just a few minutes. "In particular, the layer exhibits outstanding switchable anti-fouling properties demonstrated over an operating period of more than 24 hours, using temperature ranges of 20°C to 50°C”, explains the researcher. “When the layer is placed at a temperature above 27°C, it is able to capture proteins (thanks to its hydrophobic nature), while at room temperature, it ensures the release of proteins".

By achieving this, LIST research team paved the way for the development of new intelligent materials for applications such as cell culturing.

> For any further information on this topic, contact Maryline Moreno via email.