Laser-patterned hierarchical porous electrodes for the foreseen Iontronics technology

LASERION’s main objective is to develop robust and efficient hierarchical porous laser-patterned film (LPF) carbonized electrodes (CE) for unprecedented ion sensing by electrochemistry.

LASERION’s ambition, aligned with the EU Green deal 2050 carbon neutrality roadmap and United Nations goal 9, is to contribute simultaneously to climate neutrality while proposing a new technological path to reinvent the modern electronical industry.

For that purpose, the research fellow (RF) will conjointly with the host scientist, prepare sustainable electrodes through valorization of bio-based polymers via three material engineered strategies centered at the CO2-laser carbonization, namely porogen agents (before, WP1a), controlled atmosphere (during, WP1b), and conductive polymers (after, WP1c).

The resulted carbonized based electrodes, using lignosulfonates as the carbon source, will be characterized with an extended portfolio of routine (WP3a) and advanced (WP3b) techniques listed in section 3.1. The same LPF-CE will be tested via electrochemistry in a newly engineered designed cell (WP2).

Such electrochemical tests are divided in two configurations: standard (WP4a) three-electrodes cell (working, counter, and reference) and a more sophisticated cell (WP4b) with an additional potentiostat to provoke an electromagnetic stimulus. Combinedly, WP5 deals with training, communication, dissemination, and strategic network building.

Finally, WP6 is dedicated to project management, specifically in the technical, administrative, financial, and IPR aspects.

By accomplishing these ambitious work packages, tasks, and objectives towards unprecedented LPF-CE evaluating their ion sensitivity capacity in liquid using a new custom bipotentiostat electro-cell, LASERION attempts to provide a qualified training to the RF while delivering a potential technological readiness level 3 with an untapped modern CO2-laser pyrolysis conversion of lignin-based pulping residues for a needed circular economy.