VSB-TUO starts development of nanomaterials using a pioneering method thanks to a European project

Under the leadership of internationally renowned scientist Mark H. Rümmeli, researchers will use electron beam technology in scanning electron microscopes to synthesize and engineer nanomaterials with precision for a wide range of applications. The project has received grant of €2.5 million from the prestigious ERA Chairs, Horizon Europe programme.

"We will use scanning electron microscopy beyond high-resolution imaging of samples, as a tool for the fabrication of low-dimensional materials with precision. Such nanomaterials will be relevant to various fields, such as micro/nanoelectronics, biomedicine and energy storage. The technique will enable materials to be fabricated and engineered with remarkable precision," said materials research expert Mark H. Rümmeli.

Scientists want to go beyond traditional research boundaries

A newly formed international team intends to focus on developing nanomaterials "tailored" for specific applications. Examples could be in drug delivery systems, highly efficient energy storage devices or new catalysts for manufacturing processes in a range of industries.

"Professor Rümmeli's extensive international experience, including his work in Germany, Poland, South Korea and China, gives the project a global dimension and a wealth of expertise. The project is also unique for its focus on a technique that only few research teams around the world are addressing. Its ambition is to explore the enormous potential of materials developed by this process, pushing traditional research boundaries and opening up new possibilities for practical applications," said Lucie Obalová, Director of the Institute of Environmental Technologies (IET), which is part of the Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies at VSB-TUO and where the new team is being established within the EBEAM project.

Promoting international cooperation and regional growth

The project also aims to promote internationalisation and multidisciplinary cooperation at VSB-TUO and raise the profile of its research both inland and abroad.  "Moreover, this project and research is in full accordance with the Smaragd strategy aimed at the development of the entire Moravian-Silesian region, which we have prepared with the Moravian-Silesian Innovation Centre. We see the connection of top scientists, students and subsequently the commercial sector as crucial for the creation of an innovative environment that will contribute to the development of entrepreneurship and the retention of young talents in the region," said Igor Ivan, Vice-Rector for Strategy and Cooperation at VSB-TUO.