RSA CE&C 2015-2021 Group descriptions

Molecular Systems and Materials Chemistry (MSMC) 79 Research quality and scientific relevance Our most significant results in the period 2015-2021 are summarized below, covering the three main application research areas. 1. Sustainable energy SFD has pioneered the way for ‘smart’ windows with a switchable reflection of infrared (IR) light triggered by temperature and/or humidity. 1 We have demonstrated switchable windows with adjustable bandwidths able to cover the vast majority of the near IR region 2 and that it is possible to reduce the temperature of interior spaces by around 5°C. 3 affecting heating and cooling and artificial lighting requirements. Moreover, they play an important role in sustaining human health and well-being. In this review, we discuss the next generation of smart windows based on organic materials which can change their properties by reflecting or transmitting excess solar energy (infrared radiation Alternative configurations of the windows have allowed the creation of tri-state windows that switch between transparent, dark and scattering ‘privacy’ states triggered by changes in lighting conditions 4 or electrically, able to generate electricity and/or use the colored surface- emitted light to enhance plant growth in a horticultural greenhouse setting or for striking visual effects 5 , as well as to generate fine chemicals. 6,7 We demonstrated the world’s largest luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs), installing four 5 x 1 m 2 panels beside a major road in ‘s-Hertogenbosch for over a year, demonstrating the feasibility of using these alternative solar energy generators in the urban setting 8–11 , and employed inkjet printing to create power-generating images with a striking appearance 12 , which has led to the spin-off company Lusoco. We have demonstrated responsive surfaces capable of rejecting the accumulation of biomaterials for use on the hulls of ships; by removing the accumulation of biomaterials, the drag on ships can be significantly reduced, resulting in considerable fuel savings. 13,14 Furthermore, we have developed unprecedented electrical-driven polymer coatings with dynamic surface undulations. These coatings provide self-cleaning properties that actively repel particles under dry and wet conditions efficiently through dynamic oscillating surface topographies. 15,16 These transparent coatings can be readily implemented in areas where water is pricy or not available for cleaning, such as on solar panels in the desert. 2. Health SFD has achieved many breakthroughs in the purification of water and optical sensing for clinical diagnostics and food spoilage. For example, nanoporous smectic liquid crystal films have been fabricated as pH-responsive, highly-efficient and selective adsorbents. The adsorption capacity of these films is nearly 1 gram absorbate per 1 gram adsorbent and the adsorbate can be released by acid treatment. 17 This makes these polymer films attractive for water treatment applications. We have also succeeded in fabricating programmed stimuli-responsive photonic polymer films, which is a breakthrough in the field of smart optical materials. 18 This research had led to patents, two spin-off companies (Freshstrips and ClimAd) and high-ranking publications. As an example, battery-free optical sensors have been developed to detect calcium in serum. 19 The optical responses of normal serum and samples mimicking hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia can be clearly distinguished, providing a cheap, battery-free, and easy-to-use alternative for calcium determination in clinical diagnostics. Direct ink-written materials demonstrate unique optical photonic properties 20 and multi-modal actuation modes. 21 Artificial skins have been developed that can deliver liquids on demand, such as antibiotics for wound treatment, or can deliver release-enabling liquids to reduce the adhesion of plasters during their removal from the wound area. 22