Description
Plasma and vacuum deposition technologies are transforming the possibilities in nanoengineering, particularly for porous thin films and low-dimensional materials, while also emphasizing sustainability and energy efficiency. In this presentation, we will share our latest advances in applying these techniques to design complex, supported nanoarchitectures with control over composition, morphology, and functionality. A key component of our strategy is the integration of the one reactor concept for vacuum and plasma assisted deposition methods with a soft template approach.[1,2] This technique involves growing single crystal small molecule nanowires under mild conditions compatible with the substrate. These crystalline templates facilitate the fabrication of nanowires and nanotubes with precisely tailored core@multishell configurations, where each shell introduces novel physical responses or synergistic multifunctionality. We will discuss how plasma assisted and vacuum based methods allow for the integration of these nanoarchitectures as supported platforms and device ready architectures while preserving structural integrity and enabling scalable processing. The versatility of these techniques enables the deposition of a remarkable range of materials, including organic molecules, polymer layers, hybrid perovskites, metals, and metal oxides, which can function as conductors, semiconductors, dielectrics, photoabsorbers, piezoelectrics, triboelectric components, or plasmonic elements. The presentation will focus on two application domains where these nanoengineered systems have recently achieved breakthrough results. First, we will demonstrate how these nanoarchitectures facilitate multisource energy harvesting, combining piezoelectric, solar, pyroelectric, and triboelectric mechanisms within a unified platform.[3–5] Our latest achievements involve solar and indoor light photovoltaic cells,[6–8] pyroelectric,[9] piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators,[3–5] and hybrid devices[10] that leverage the complementary nature of these transduction pathways. Second, we will present innovative concepts for smart surfaces, including semi transparent nanoelectrodes,[1] tunable wetting layers,[11] and advanced de icing/anti icing coatings activated by acoustic waves.[12] This emerging area showcases where plasma engineered materials offer unique advantages in terms of robustness, transparency, and energy efficiency.
References
[1] J. Castillo-Seoane, J. Gil-Rostra, V. López-Flores, G. Lozano, F. Javier Ferrer, J. P. Espinós, K. (Ken) Ostrikov, F. Yubero, A. R. González-Elipe, Á. Barranco, J. R. Sánchez-Valencia, A. Borrás, Nanoscale 2021, 13, 13882.
[2] M. Macias-Montero, A. N. Filippin, Z. Saghi, F. J. Aparicio, A. Barranco, J. P. Espinos, F. Frutos, A. R. Gonzalez-Elipe, A. Borras, Advanced Functional Materials 2013, 23, 5981.
[3] A. N. Filippin, J. R. Sanchez-Valencia, X. Garcia-Casas, V. Lopez-Flores, M. Macias-Montero, F. Frutos, A. Barranco, A. Borras, Nano Energy 2019, 58, 476.
[4] X. García-Casas, F. J. Aparicio, J. Budagosky, A. Ghaffarinejad, N. Orozco-Corrales, K. (Ken) Ostrikov, J. R. Sánchez-Valencia, Á. Barranco, A. Borrás, Nano Energy 2023, 114, 108686.
[5] X. García-Casas, A. Ghaffarinejad, F. J. Aparicio, J. Castillo-Seoane, C. López-Santos, J. P. Espinós, J. Cotrino, J. R. Sánchez-Valencia, Á. Barranco, A. Borrás, Nano Energy 2022, 91, 106673.
[6] J. Castillo-Seoane, L. Contreras-Bernal, A. J. Riquelme, S. Fauvel, Y. Kervella, J. Gil-Rostra, G. Lozano, A. Barranco, R. Demadrille, J. R. Sánchez-Valencia, A. Borrás, Materials Today Energy 2025, 49, 101851.
[7] J. Castillo-Seoane, L. Contreras-Bernal, J. M. Obrero-Perez, X. García-Casas, F. Lorenzo-Lázaro, F. J. Aparicio, C. Lopez-Santos, T. C. Rojas, J. A. Anta, A. Borrás, Á. Barranco, J. R. Sanchez-Valencia, Advanced Materials 2022, 34, 2107739.
[8] M. Nabil, L. Contreras-Bernal, G. P. Moreno-Martinez, J. Obrero-Perez, J. Castillo-Seoane, J. A. Anta, G. Oskam, P. Pistor, A. Borrás, J. R. Sanchez-Valencia, A. Barranco, Materials Today Energy 2025, 54, 102117.
[9] “Unlocking the hybrid piezo and pyroelectric nanogenerators performance by SiO2 nanowires confinement in poly(vinylidene fluoride), APL Electronic Devices, 2025, 3361768
[10] F. Núñez-Gálvez, X. García-Casas, L. Contreras-Bernal, A. Descalzo, J. M. Obrero-Pérez, J. Castillo-Seoane, A. Ginés, G. Leger, J. C. Sánchez-Lopez, J. P. Espinós, Á. Barranco, A. Borrás, J. R. Sánchez-Valencia, C. López-Santos, Nano Energy 2026, 148, 111678.
[11] L. Montes, J. M. Román, X. García-Casas, J. Castillo-Seoane, J. R. Sánchez-Valencia, Á. Barranco, C. López-Santos, A. Borrás, Advanced Materials Interfaces 2021, 8, 2170122.
[12] J. del Moral, L. Montes, V. J. Rico-Gavira, C. López-Santos, S. Jacob, M. Oliva-Ramirez, J. Gil-Rostra, A. Fakhfouri, S. Pandey, M. Gonzalez del Val, J. Mora, P. García-Gallego, P. F. Ibáñez-Ibáñez, M. A. Rodríguez-Valverde, A. Winkler, A. Borrás, A. R. González-Elipe, Advanced Functional Materials 2023, 33, 2209421.