Self-renenerating Polymer Surfaces

Projektverantwortliche: Maria Zober

Functional material surfaces fail over time, often due to damage or contamination. Researchers have addressed this problem so far by making materials with incrementally enhanced lifetimes. However, eventually all materials fail. In this project, therefore we follow a different approach. We accept failure as unavoidable and create systems that can sequentially shed a defective functional layer – like a reptile shedding its skin – and present a new one. We have demonstrated the difficulties and feasibility of this concept with numerous systems. The current project focusses on the regeneration of a sensor electrode (as illustrated in the Figure). The project was funded from 2015-2021 by a Starting Grant of the European Research Council (ERC, link cordis.europa.eu/project/id/637920)