Advanced Materials

The atom-thin sheet of carbon known as graphene continues to be a material that excites researchers with its potential. For 3D printing, using graphene-based materials could offer innovations in industry, such as the ability to shield electronic devices from radiation. As part of the Graphene 3D project, researchers from different scientific fields and technological sectors such as materials, nanotechnology and engineering were able to collaborate to develop advanced graphene composites for 3D printing. Over five years, the researchers formulated several of these composites based on five different types of materials loaded with a mixture of graphene and carbon nanotubes – tiny cylindrical structures made of rolled-up graphene. They found the formulations were all suitable for 3D printing, while also demonstrating good electrical conductivity. The idea was to shield devices from interference by forming a screen that absorbed incoming radiation, while at the same time allowing heat to dissipate. The Graphene 3D project also created a joint laboratory on graphene-based materials in order to promote knowledge-sharing within the consortium.

Electroactive polymers (EAPs) are smart materials that can change their size or shape when stimulated by an electric field. They could usher in a new era of technologies in everything from medicine to environmental monitoring. The MICACT Innovative Training Network helped 15 early-stage researchers to get essential expertise in areas like materials science, small-scale machines, and sensing technologies. The objective of the project was to enable the researchers to push EAP technology forward in both academia and industry, developing materials whose stiffness and shape can be controlled. They did this in vastly different but complementary ways. Some researchers were able to develop new designs for tiny EAP-based machines. The technology could be used to develop new types of robots that would be able to carry out precise surgical procedures. Other researchers developed technologies for smart textiles, new building techniques and self-sensing materials that could be used to develop implantable medical devices such as catheters. The project is helping Europe remain a leader in new and energy-efficient technologies that are shaping the future.

How can we make Europe’s construction sector more energy efficient, given that concrete production is one of the biggest sources of industrial CO2 emissions? The ubiquitous building material is a big waste product in both construction and demolition. While used-up concrete can be reformulated into a new material called recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), this concrete has different properties to conventional concrete. It can have additional weak interfaces and higher porosity, which means it can absorb more water and may have lower strength and durability. As a result, it is mostly used in non-structural construction such as pavement. New buildings still mostly rely on using conventional concrete as it needs to carry higher loads. In the RECOMPOSE project, Dr. Qiuni Fu and supervisor Prof. Markus Schäfer looked into ways to change that. They proposed using RAC structurally, as part of steel-concrete composite floors. For the first time, the pair revealed the load-bearing performance of connectors in such floors, laying the path for further research on this topic and helping build a circular economy in Europe’s building sector.