1. UCL Home
  2. Research institutes
  3. Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences
  4. Bio- and Soft Matter
  5. BSMA members

BSMA members

BSMA Louvain-La-Neuve

The personal pages of academic staff members can be reached by clicking their names.

E-mails are in most instances firstname.lastname@uclouvain.be (without accent nor middle initial).

Academic staff

I started my scientific career in 2010 in the field of spintronics and nano-magnetism by fabricating, charaterizing, and modeling spin-toque vortex oscillators (STVOs). In 2015, I started a new aventure combining spintronics and artificial intelligence by functionalizing an STVO into the first spintronics based nano-neuron in a neural network scheme well adapted for exploring new computing hardware. This gave rise to the creating of a new pluri-disciplinary research field now called « Neuromorphic Spintronics ». The main goal of my research is to design new ways of computing with nano-devices with both benefits, tremendously reducing the energy consumption of computing devices while enhancing its capabilities by taking inspiration from the human brain.

Arnaud Delcorte’s core research activities encompass the theoretical and experimental study of energetic cluster-solid interactions, the modelling of gas cluster nucleation and growth, and the development of 2D and 3D molecular characterization of surfaces and thin films, as witnessed by his invitation track record and his participation in the boards of the related international conferences (SIMS, ECASIA, ISI, etc.) The current applied projects tackled in the group, often collaborative, concern plasma treatments and plasma polymers, protein adsorption and orientation, organic electronics devices, mixed oxide nanoparticle-based sensors and optically active layers, nanocomposite protective coatings and cultural heritage masterpiece restoration.

Multifunctional Nanomaterials. The group aims at developing synthesis processes, based on the nano-templating method coupled with electrochemical deposition and/or LbL assembly, for producing a large range of monodispersed macromolecular (polymer, proteins), metallic and hybrid functional nanostructures presenting well-defined geometry and dimensions. Another part of the research activities is dedicated to the development of (bio-) functionalization strategies of flat and nanostructured surfaces, as well as, nanotubes and nanowires. In collaboration with different partners, potential applications of these multifunctional nanostructures, mainly in the biomedical field (nano-biosensors, drug delivery, tissue engineering), are evaluated.

 

Surface modification by physisorption or chemisorption of (bio)macromolecules, plasma treatment, colloidal lithography, layer-by-layer assembly, polymer demixing etc.
Surface characterization and monitoring of protein adsorption processes by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D) measurements, wetting measurements etc.
Evaluation of cell behavior on the created biointerfaces, in collaboration with colleagues from biology and medicine.
Applications in biomaterials science and tissue engineering, biosensing, and biocatalysis.

Our research involves the synthesis of stimuli-responsive polymeric materials containing supramolecular bonds or mechanical bonds such as catenanes and rotaxanes. We investigate the properties of these materials at different levels, from single molecule to bulk and solutions, with a special focus on mechanical and rheological properties. Examples of current topics are slide-ring gels and multi-dynamic polymer networks. 

The research developed by Karine Glinel focuses on the fabrication of (bio)functional macromolecular coatings to control the behavior of mammalian cells or bacteria or to avoid the (bio)fouling of material surfaces. For this, she combines a variety of surface functionalization techniques such as LbL assembly and chemical grafting with (nano)lithography or hard templating approaches. Examples of current projects performed in the group are the development of self-cleaning superhydrophobic coatings, antifouling layers for implantable devices, stimuli-responsive layers for drug delivery and fabrication of bioactive microcarriers for tissue engineering applications. 

 

Our group is specialized in the use of controlled polymerization techniques in order to obtain well-defined polymeric materials for energy-related applications. Recent examples of our research include the development of solid polymer electrolytes and gel polymer electrolytes based on block copolymer architectures, the development of redox (co)polymers as cathode-active materials, the development of hybrid polymer/inorganic materials for Li-ion batteries with outstanding properties. 

 

Alain Jonas works at the intersection of polymer science, self-assembly and nanotechnology, which involves
• studying the crystallization, structure and properties of long chain molecules for structural and functional applications;
• investigating the physical chemistry of (patterned) surfaces, interfaces and organic thin films;
• using controlled assembly at the sub-micrometer scale;
• and developing materials for biological applications.
Current applications of his research are ferroelectric and multiferroic memories and layers, stimuli-responsive systems, self-cleaning superhydrophobic surfaces, and nanostructures with a biological function such as bacteria control, drug delivery or sensing.
More information is available at http://perso.uclouvain.be/alain.jonas

Research activities of Bernard Nysten's group mainly focus on nanosciences and nanotechnologies including the development and the application of scanning probe microscopies (STM, AFM and related techniques) for the study of material surfaces, especially polymers, and of nanomaterials, for nanomechanics, nanochemistry, organic electronics, nano-biosensors, self-assembly, mutiferroics, etc.

 

Our research interests concern the controlled synthesis of nanostructured materials such as nanowires, nanotubes and multilayers with defined complex nanoscale architectures (e.g. 3D-nanowire networks) and the investigation of their physical properties. Current research activites are in the field of spintronics, nanomagnetism, multiferroic nanocomposites, thermoelectricity, micro-battery electrodes and development of microwave devices and various sensors.

 

The overall objective of my research is to understand the dynamics and flow properties of complex macromolecules and supramolecular polymer networks. To this end, we perform rheological measurements under shear or elongation and develop mesoscopic models to describe their viscoelastic properties. We also develop statistical tools to relate synthesis to chain architectures.

 

Administrative staff

Technical staff (research engineers and technicians)

 PhD students and researchers 

Post-doctoral researchers

Associate Personnel

Emeritus professors

Personal web pages of members of UCLouvain - if any - can be reached at http://www.uclouvain.be/firstname.lastname (no capital letter).