Confined Nanoreactors for Environmental, Medical and Catalytic Applications

The aim of the “Confined Nanoreactors for Environmental, Medical and Catalytic Applications (NANOEMCA)” project is to develop sustainable collaborative exchange between the Consortium Organisations, based in Europe and beyond, from the academic and non-academic sectors. One multidisciplinary and complementary team with competences in nanomaterials, chemical engineering, materials characterization, analytical chemistry, environmental engineering, catalysis, sensing, medicine, microbiology, biotechnology, physics, economy, life cycle assessment, electronic engineering, intelligent manufacturing will perform research, training and supervising of the researchers at any career stage. Free and transition metal-loaded mesoporous organosilica confined nanoreactors with different morphologies, high surface area and relevant applications will be designed and synthetized by four approaches: i) template using surfactants as structure-directing agents and silsesquioxane type (EtO)3Si–R–Si-(OEt)3, ii) post-grafting functionalization of mesopores surface, iii) photo-induced synthesis based photo-crosslinking sol-gel acrylic matrix and silsesquioxane type (EtO)3Si–R–Si-(OEt)3; iv) green synthesis of metal nanoparticles using PMOs nanoreactors. The new nanoreactors will be assessed for advanced applications in environment remediation, pollution control, catalysis, food packaging, biomedicine and biotechnology. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) study of the synthesis will be developed to evaluate their environmental and economic impact. Researchers at any career stage, from PhD students to postdoctoral researchers, as well as experienced researchers will be involved in research, innovation and training activities. The exchanged staff will benefit from new knowledge, skills and career development perspectives. The participating institutions will increase their research and innovation capacities in the field of nanomaterials with advanced applications.