Main project objectives

The low-dimensional nanomaterials (LDNMs) are being widely applied in almost every aspect of modern society and can be considered as the main driving force for a spectacular leap in technological innovations. This is due to a momentum that has been created from newly emerging properties and their synergy, as well as from further enhancement and integration of various functionalities of LDNMs. Besides the new intrinsic properties that appear at the nanoscale, the surfaces and interfaces of LDNMs were set in focus of intensive interdisciplinary research nowadays. It has become clear that precise and atomically-resolved description of LDNMs is becoming critical for the design of the next generation materials and devices. This is especially important in the case of nanocomposites where the intimate contact between components amplifies possible contributions of interfacial interactions. This aspect of interaction-property-performance relationship in LDNMs is still insufficiently explored. ASPIRE aims to contribute to the understanding of interactions between nano-objects and how they contribute to novel properties. Therefore, we will aim toward precise and atomically-resolved description of surfaces/interfaces and for this purpose we will rely both on traditional and advanced methods. ASPIRE will study nanocomposites of LDNMs in which a potential synergic interaction between the components (0D, 1D and 2D nanomaterials) might yield new or significantly improved properties/performance in sensing and electrochemical charge storage.

We will aim to identify the main driving forces for interactions and their role in synergy of action:

• Novel findings that highlight the relationship between structure, properties, performance and technological applications of LDNMs
• Studies of interactions between LDNMs (2D-0D, 2D-1D and 2D-1D-0D) and new properties arising from it
• Studies addressing the evolution of properties as a function of coverage/loading/thickness
• Rational design of size- and shape-specific nanostructures for fine-tuning the functionality of nanocomposites (e.g., thin film heterostructures, layered structures of 0D and 2D materials, etc.)
• New synthetic approaches that allow controllable, site-specific, and on-surface integration/modification of nanomaterials of various dimensionalities

All these aspects will be intertwined in order to push the frontiers of present-day achievements in electrochemical supercapacitors and sensors. The overreaching goal of ASPIRE project is a development of self-sustained devices based on LDNMs and their nanocomposites for 24/7 monitoring of temperature, humidity and concentration of gases in Belgrade as the largest urban area in Serbia.