Project leader: Dr. Nicoleta Preda
Post-doctoral researcher: Dr. Andreea Costas
Post-doctoral researcher: Dr. Alexandru Evanghelidis
Post-doctoral researcher: Dr. Marcela Socol
Post-doctoral researcher: Dr. Irina Zgura
Experienced researcher: Dr. Monica Enculescu
Doctoral student: Drd. Daciana Botta

The project is focused on designing bio-inspired semiconducting fibers using natural polymers as bio-templates, further these semiconducting webs being integrated as fiber networks or as single fibers in field effect transistors (FETs) devices which can be applied in chemical sensing area. Thus, using eggshell membranes (ESM) and electrospun egg albumen (EA) as bio-templates, semiconducting fibers based on metal oxides or/and metal sulfides (as monocomponents or as composites) will be prepared by immersion, electrospinning and calcination techniques. The obtained bio-inspired semiconducting fibers will be characterized by morphological, structural and optical point of view. Further, FETs based on semiconducting fiber networks and FETs based on single semiconducting fibers will be fabricated by combining physical deposition techniques (radio frequency magnetron sputtering, thermal vacuum evaporation) and lithography techniques (photolithography, electron beam lithography). Finally, the electrical performance of the FETs will be investigated after their exposure to various chemical vapours for evaluating the potential applications of these devices in the chemical sensing field. The strategy used in the preparation of the bio-inspired semiconducting fibers can be regarded as a bio-inspired solution for fabricating electronic devices from renewable sources.

Scientific papers:

1. Hierarchical flax fibers by ZnO electroless deposition: tailoring the natural fibers/synthetic matrix interphase in composites
N. Preda*, A. Costas*, F. Sbardella, M. C. Seghini, F. Touchard, L. Chocinski-Arnault, J. Tirillo, F. Sarasini
Nanomaterials, 12, 2765-15, 2022

2. Macrocyclic compounds:metal oxide particles nanocomposite thin films deposited by MAPLE
M. Socol*, N. Preda*, C. Breazu, A. Costas*, O. Rasoga, G. Petre, G. Popescu-Pelin, S. Iftimie, A. Stochioiu, G. Socol, A. Stanculescu
Materials, 16, 2480-17, 2023

3. Burdock-derived composites based on biogenic gold, silver chloride and zinc oxide particles as green multifunctional platforms for biomedical applications and environmental protection
I. Zgura*, N. Badea, M. Enculescu*, V.-A. Maraloiu, C. Ungureanu, M.-E. Barbinta-Patrascu
Materials, 16, 1153-24, 2023

4. Silver nanoparticles decorated ZnO–CuO core–shell nanowire arrays with low water adhesion and high antibacterial activity
A. Costas*, N. Preda*, I. Zgura*, A. Kuncser, N. Apostol, C. Curutiu, I. Enculescu
Scientific Reports, 13, 10698-15, 2023

Book Chapter:

1. Bio-inspired fibrous architectures based on ZnO templated by eggshell membranes
N. Preda*, M. Socol*, A. Costas*, I. Zgura*
Book: Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles - Fundamentals and Applications, Eds.: A. Rovisco and A. Pimentel; InTech - Rijeka, 2024
DOI 10.5772/intechopen.1005214, Book ISBN: 978-0-85466-601-0
Part of the Book Series "Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials", Series Editor: J. Huang

Scientific communications at international conferences:

1. Bio-templated synthesis of interwoven fibers based on ZnO and ZnS by replicating eggshell membranes
A. Costas*, N. Preda*, M. Socol*, I. Zgura*, I. Enculescu
RICCCE 22 – 22nd Romanian International Conference on Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 7-9 September 2022, Sinaia, Romania
Poster (abstract no. 36)

2. Bio-inspired fiber webs based on metal oxides by replicating eggshell membranes
A. Costas*, N. Preda*, A. Evanghelidis*, M. Enculescu*, I. Enculescu
12th International Advances in Applied Physics & Materials Science Congress & Exhibition (APMAS), 13-19 October 2022, Oludeniz, Turcia
Poster (abstract no. 2144)

3. Synthesis of 3D metal oxide fiber networks using polymer-egg protein electrospun fibers as templates
A. Evanghelidis*, N. Preda*, A. Costas*, M. Socol*, I. Zgura*
40th E-MRS Spring Meeting, 29 May-2 June 2023, Strasbourg, Franta
Oral (abstract no. 1707)

4. Three-dimensional fibrous structures based on polymers as templates for copper oxide fiber webs
I. Zgura*, N. Preda*, A. Evanghelidis*, A. Costas*, M. Socol*, D. Botta*
3rd International Conference on Bioengineering and Polymer Science (BPC), 7-10 June 2023, Bucuresti, Romania
Poster (abstract no. 23)

5. Natural templates-assisted synthesis of ZnO fibrous architectures
I. Zgura*, N. Preda*, A. Costas*, M. Socol*, D. Botta*
21st International Balkan Workshop on Applied Physics and Materials Science (IBWAP), 11-14 July 2023, Constanta, Romania
Poster (abstract no. S1-P3)

6. Hierarchical semiconducting fiber networks by a straightforward bio-templating approach
A. Evanghelidis*, N. Preda*, A. Costas*, I. Zgura*, M. Socol*
20th International Conference on Advanced Nanomaterials (ANM), 26-28 July 2023, Aveiro, Portugalia
Oral (abstract no. 11)

7. Designing electrospun polymer fiber mat as templates for developing hierarchical inorganic architectures
A. Evanghelidis*, N. Preda*, A. Costas*, M. Socol*, I. Zgura*
15th International Conference on Physics of Advanced Materials (ICPAM), 19-26 November 2023, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egipt
Oral (abstract no. T9-O1)

8. Bio-mediated synthesis approach for designing inorganic 3D structures based on zinc oxide and gold nanoparticles
I. Zgura*, N. Preda*, M. Socol*, A. Costas*, M.E. Barbinta-Patrascu, A. Evanghelidis*, M. Enculescu*
15th International Conference on Physics of Advanced Materials (ICPAM), 19-26 November 2023, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egipt
Oral (abstract no. T5-SO1)

9. Hybrids of organic conjugated systems and inorganic semiconducting nanostructures for electronic devices
M. Socol*, N. Preda*, A. Costas*, G. Petre, A. Stanculescu, S. Iftimie, G. Popescu-Pelin, A. M. Solonaru, G. Socol
2th International Conference on Laser, Plasma and Radiation – Science and Technology (ICLPR-ST), 16-21 june, 2024, Delta Dunarii, Romania
Poster (abstract no. P3-10)

10. Protein-based templates mediated eco-friendly synthesis of zinc oxide fiber mats
A. Evanghelidis*, N. Preda*, M. Socol*, A. Costas*, I. Zgura*
15th International Conference on Surfaces, Coatings, and Nanostructured Materials (NANOSMAT), 7-11 july 2024, Barcelona, Spania
Oral (abstract no. NSM129)

11. “Green” electrospinning of spider-web-like polymer-protein nets for developing metal oxide fiber networks
A. Evanghelidis*, N. Preda*, M. Socol*, A. Costas*, I. Zgura*
8th International Conference on Functional Nanomaterials and Nanodevices (NANOMAT), 25-28 august, 2024, Viena, Austria
Oral (abstract no. 019)

OSIM patent requests:

1. Procedeu de obtinere a unor retele fibroase tridimensionale formate din nanoparticule pe baza de aur si oxid de zinc utilizand bio-sabloane de tip membrana naturala extrasa din coji de ou
N. Preda*, A. Costas*, M. Socol*, I. Zgura*, A. Evanghelidis*
no. A/00471, 2023

2. Procedeu de obtinere a unor fibre de oxizi metalici utilizand sabloane fibrilare electrofilate continand proteine de tip albumina de ou
N. Preda*, A. Evanghelidis*, A. Costas*
nr. A/00190/2024

^*project team members