This ERC CoG will serve to build a strong multidisciplinary group concentrating on the synthesis of novel functional dielectric polymers that are printed into devices capable of converting one form of energy into another. Research spans all the way from materials’ synthesis and optimization, via device engineering to exploration of the manifold applications. TRANS will develop novel high dielectric permittivity elastomers and piezoelectric elastomers with an unprecedented collection of properties and use them as active components in devices for emerging technologies. The devices are not only of high technological and scientific importance, but also exhibit substantial economic and societal impact. They will reversibly change their shape in response to an electric field, generate electricity when mechanically stretched, cool while using little energy, convert thermal energy directly into electricity and, finally, store electricity in the form of batteries. The polymers developed in TRANS will combine either unprecedentedly high dielectric permittivity with a high dielectric breakdown field or piezoelectric properties with high elasticity. They have the potential to revolutionize different fields of applications such as actuators, sensors, energy harvesting, artificial muscles, soft robotics, energy storage, stretchable electronics, and solid-state refrigeration. A particularly important aspect concerns the synthesis of scalable and environmentally friendly, easy-to-apply and process printable inks, which are the active ingredients of various devices. After project termination, the applicant’s group will expand the fundamental understanding of structure-dielectric properties relationship and will be able to provide inks that are printed in prototype devices responsive to electricity, heat or mechanical stress.

After successfully applying for a first postdoctoral fellowship programme in 2010, Empa has decided to create a second fellowship programme: It will allow 50 experienced researchers from all over the world to create a research project and get the opportunity to work on their own research idea at one of the 30 research laboratories of Empa, in cooperation with a senior scientist of Empa of his/her choice. The training and mentoring scheme will ensure that the fellows not only enhance their scientific experience but also acquire key long-life skills making them “contributing players” of the research community and society in general. As an interdisciplinary research institution within the Swiss ETH Domain, Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, conducts cutting-edge materials and technology research. Empa’s activities focus on meeting the requirements of industry and the needs of society, and thus link applications-oriented research to the practical implementation of new ideas in the areas of nanostructured, “smart” materials and surfaces, environmental, energy and sustainable building technologies as well as biotechnology and medical technology. Empa’s five research focal areas and three locations offer a large degree of freedom of research topic and destination for the applicants. The close cooperation of Empa with its industry partners ensures that the fellows will gain sufficient cross-sectorial experiences while being at Empa. Empa’s world-leading expertise in the various research fields and the close ties with industry offers a good balance of academic/research and industrial experience. The applicants will be evaluated by an internal and external selection committee of peer-reviewers according to strict selection criteria focusing on the applicants’ professional, personal, social and leadership skills and his or her research potential. The fellows will be offered an Empa contract of two years.

Old, poorly insulated buildings represent a tremendous potential for saving energy in Europe. Aerogel building materials are characterized by very low thermal conductivities and ideal physical properties in building applications both in retrofits and new constructions. While several products have been developed and become commercially available in the last decade, knowledge with building professionals - such as architects, building designers, engineers and owners on their successful practical application in different contexts is still sparse. This hinders the implementation of available solutions as well as the development of new ones based on aerogels, which have the potential to play a significant role in the reduction of energy consumption in buildings and thus in meeting EU climate and energy goals. It is hence proposed, in a first work package (WP1), to document and analyse the usage of aerogel building materials in Switzerland and the EU by studying and measurement of realised retrofits and applications in new buildings. This data and its analysis will be made available within an online data base. In the second and third part will be bring unique new combinations of aerogel composite materials for architecture and construction (WP2) and new aerogel insulation for cavity walls of existing buildings (WP3). Subsequently (WP4) by studying building applications and their performance in terms of energy and costs, guidelines for the use of aerogel building materials will be developed, verified by simulation and published. For the first time building professionals will have free access to a comprehensive and unbiased body of knowledge detailing where and how aerogel building materials can be used. Crucial to the proposed work is its multidisciplinary approach which joins the architectural expertise of the researcher with the knowledge and experience of the hosting laboratory in material development, which constitutes an ideal framework for truly innovative research.

The aim of FracTAlS is to increase the understanding of the deformation mechanisms leading to and mediating cracking in high cycle fatigue loading of lightweight, structural aluminide intermetallics, in order to better direct microstructural and alloy development. Such materials are highly desirable for many rotating and airborne engineering applications but often suffer from prohibitive brittleness, particularly in fatigue. The project applies a combination of nanoscale strain mapping techniques recently developed by the host institution, and by Dr. Edwards, on novel in-situ meso- and micro-mechanical fatigue testing setups, to study deformation behaviour upon fatigue loading. Currently, the European hub plays a central role in the research and development of advanced gamma titanium aluminide alloys, such as for improved processability, and the large-scale production of γ-TiAl components. However, no significant improvements have been made to the fatigue properties of the lightweight γ-TiAl alloys in the past few decades, effectively limiting their widespread application in higher volume industries where they could result in considerable increases in fuel efficiency. Similarly, Mg aluminides, such as the γ-Mg17Al12 phase, possess outstanding strength to weight properties; given sufficient improvements to their toughness and fatigue performance, they would be excellent candidates for structural components in future, more ecologically friendly, aero-propulsion technologies where the operational temperatures are lower than gas turbine engines (e.g. electric and hybrid-electric). This project is closely aligned with EU policy on climate action and sustainable development as it targets reduced emissions through reduced hydrocarbon fuel consumption; its success will serve to increase the European confidence and knowledge-base in these material systems and, through further interaction with European industry, the extent of their use.

Textiles evolved around two initial purposes (protection and aesthetic), while the contemporary research focuses on integrating functionality and comfort into the textile products. Using textiles in healthcare applications provides a convenient means for a continuous monitoring of patients with non-obtrusive devices that have an access to all areas of the body. This allows a mapping of physiological parameters over the entire body, leading to innovative products required by two Europe 2020 Strategy Flagship Initiatives. Optical fiber sensors (OFS) offer many advantages over sensors that require electrical conductivity; however, there is an urge to introduce and test new materials that compensate for their shortcomings. This project builds upon (and goes beyond) the current state-of-the-art and introduces effective, yet simple, methods to synergistically tackle three challenges of OFS, namely: sensitivity, distributed sensory, and production technology. A "sensitive cladding" will be developed to allow localized as well as remote responses for external stimulants. This will be achieved by incorporating thermochromes and other functional molecules into the polymeric system. The OFS will be produced using a novel microfluidic device that allows a precise control for fiber's morphology. The developed sensors will be integrated into textiles to monitor skin temperature and alarm against (sub)cutaneous tumors/cancers. The multi-disciplinary nature of this project will diversify my (technical and soft) skills through hands-on as well as through-research trainings. Particularly with the optical performance of fibrous systems, which will ensure establishing myself as an independent researcher in the field of smart wearable devices. Disseminating and exploiting the results of this research will bring long-term benefits and innovative products for many applications beyond the textile field, and it will introduce me to the industrial sector with its new career opportunities.