Where: Salón de Actos , Edificio de Investigación II
Presented by: Dr. Beatriz Julian
The integration of sol-gel synthesis, self-assembly, and orthogonal functionalization provides a versatile platform for designing mesoporous thin films (MTFs) with tunable structural and surface properties. These films can incorporate molecular, bioactive, or nanostructured functionalities, making them highly adaptable for diverse applications.
Our research focuses on MTFs with applications in electrochemical sensing and energy conversion. Regarding sensing, MTF-based electrode platforms exploit nanoconfinement and chemical functionalization to achieve molecular sieving, selective exclusion, and preconcentration, thus enhancing signal modulation. In the domain of energy, electroactive MTFs enable electro- and photo-assisted conversion processes for solar fuels (e.g., OER) or organic molecule conversion, leveraging controlled transport, interfacial phenomena, and adjustable optoelectronic properties. The use of ultrafast spectroscopy permits us to understand the roles of the inorganic matrix and co-catalysts in the ultimate performance of the photoelectrodes, revealing complex behaviors.
We will present examples of rational MTF design, showing how the crystal structure of the inorganic walls, the pore topology, and the surface chemistry govern selectivity, charge transfer, and transport dynamics, both in sensing and in (photo)catalytic applications.
We will demonstrate that by combining synthesis, advanced characterization, and modeling, we can indeed “program” properties from the molecular to the mesoscopic scale. This approach opens pathways to selective sensors, efficient photoelectrocatalysts, biofunctional matrices, and intelligent materials capable of performing vectorial processes.
