Nanoarchitectures

Success in the development of nanotechnology depends critically on the ability to generate methods for producing nanostructured materials in a highly controlled, reproducible and sustainable way. The development of a wide variety of nanomaterials processed as particles, thin films or nanocomposites has attracted increasing attention in fields such as nanomedicine, energy and the environment. At INS we design and build up nanomaterials, which are then applied in our own research, or in collaboration with different partner institutions. "Soft chemistry" synthesis strategies are combined with the self-assembly of nanoparticles, organic molecules, surfactants or biomolecules. Some examples of our research include: a) the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles or inorganic oxides with highly controlled size, shape and surface for basic or industrial applications. (b) Colloids and thin films with highly controlled mesoporosity made up through the use of supramolecular templates.
These materials can be combined at will to generate complex programmable Nanosystems. For example, mesoporous materials (i.e., 2-50 nm pore size) can be modified with molecular functions, biomolecules or responsive polymers to form tailored organic-inorganic hybrid materials. They can be also combined with metallic nanoparticles to form porous metal-oxide nanocomposites. These highly controlled nanosystems present different applications such as catalysis, controlled release of drugs, or selective sensors. The basic knowledge produced through its research line has generated patents, and is starting to be applied into practical projects with different companies.