The project is called NAIMO, which
stands for 'Nanoscale integrated processing of self-organising
multifunctional organic materials', and is unique
in that it will 'transform a plastic film substrate
into a multifunctional composite,' explains project
coordinator Professor Yves Henri Geerts from the Université
Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium. This will be achieved
by combining organic nanoelectronics with solution-based
additive manufacturing techniques such as printing.
'NAIMO will contribute to the development
of new products, such as organic electronic chips
and displays, sensors, flexible solar cells and magnetic
structures. These will directly benefit health, welfare,
security and the environment, while improving the
competitiveness of European industry,' added Professor
Geerts.
As nanotechnology requires a multidisciplinary
approach, NAIMO brings together 22 European partners
from a variety of backgrounds. Engineers, chemists
and physicists from universities, research centres
as well as leading EU chemicals and electronics companies,
and specialist small and medium sized enterprises
(SMEs) will all work together on this project.
Thanks to this combined expertise,
the NAIMO project hopes to bring about innovations
leading to breakthroughs in the field of nanofabrication,
thus paving the way for the efficient exploitation
of the potentials of nanotechnology.
One of the other main purposes of
this project is to learn about 'the interplay of structure
and electrical and chemical properties at the molecular
level, and to develop modelling capabilities,' revealed
the consortium in a statement.
Stuart Evans, chief executive officer
of Plastic Logic, a plastic electronics innovator,
and another of the partners in the project, concluded
that: 'EU support for projects like NAIMO will help
ensure we will be the winners at the end of the [nanotechnology]
race, not just early front-runners.'
For more information about the project,
please contact:
Professor Yves Henri Geerts
Tel: +32 2 650 53 90
E-mail: ygeerts@ulb.ac.be
