Self-Regulating porous nano-oscillators: from nanoscale homeostasis to time-programmable devices
Living systems exhibit unique autonomous behaviors such as homeostasis, self-regulation or spontaneous oscillations, not existing in conventional materials. Designing artificial systems with life-like functionalities is a long-standing challenge in chemistry and material science. This groundbreaking research field has been developed exclusively at the molecular and supramolecular level, through chemical self-regulation based on interconnected networks of reactions in solution.

In this project, I will explore a conceptually new and different approach based on interconnected nanomaterials in open atmosphere; I will design a new family of autonomous systems, called porous Nano-Oscillators, exhibiting a “physical” self-regulation mechanism at the nanoscale. To do so, I will engineer nanoparticles, nanoporous materials and light in a very specific way in order to activate artificial feedback loops; self-oscillatory behavior will be time-programmed by exploiting the sorption dynamics of the nanoporous materials.

I will exploit a multidisciplinary approach based on nanochemistry, nanofabrication and optics to fabricate isolated and groups of nano-oscillators and to investigate their dynamic behaviors. By analogy with cells, communication, synchronization and collective response will be investigated by a new methodology able to describe the spatiotemporal evolutions of self-oscillating nano-objects in controlled environments. Themo-optical simulations will support the experimental work by providing thermodynamic and kinetic guidelines. 

Inspired by examples from nature, I will provide proof-of-concept of time-programmable, autonomous devices, working in open atmosphere with unprecedented functionalities.