General Objectives

•The development through original, effective approaches of silicone materials or derivatives (small molecular compounds, polymers and materials) with response to different stimuli;
•The theoretical and practical substantiation of the proposed research in order to obtain new functional and sustainable materials, and the development of an in-depth knowledge of the key parameters underlying these processes;
•The orientation towards direct applications of the obtained compounds and materials to confer better value the research results;
•Strengthening the skills in the field of the project and consolidating the team through the participation of young, well-trained researchers, bringing their training in the field of the project but with an openness to approach new topics, adapted to current requirements;
•Capitalizing the research results by developing high-level scientific papers, which can be presented in specialized scientific communities and can be published in high-impact journals, contributing to increasing the visibility of the team and the institute.
•Patenting results of immediate application interest.

Specific Objectives

•The strategy and experimental program development for the chemical modification of monomers, oligomers and siloxane polymers to obtain functionalized ligands and polymers;
•The creation of the basis of silicone substrates that allow subsequent modifications;
•The chemical modification of silicone substrates by attaching groups capable of inducing specific functionalities and creating libraries of such compounds;
•The advanced characterization of products and the evaluation of their properties;
•The evaluation of their capabilities in terms of response to different stimuli;
•The fabrication of laboratory level devices to demonstrate, where appropriate, functionality (sensors, actuators, generators, etc.).