Let's take a look at one of the winning projects in the 2023 CY Initiative Emergence program, led by Alae El Haitami, lecturer, researcher and professor at CY Cergy Paris University. This project explores a new method for manufacturing ultra-thin two-dimensional molecular networks.
CY Initiative : Could you introduce yourself and tell us more about your career and your main research themes?
Alae El Haitami : I obtained my PhD from the University of Strasbourg in 2010 and then joined Laurent Corte's group at the École des Mines de Paris as a postdoctoral researcher for a year.
In September 2011, I joined the Laboratory of Polymer and Interface Physicochemistry (LPPI) at CY Cergy Paris University. My research focuses mainly on the physicochemical characterization of ultrathin polymer films at interfaces, a field in which I have published some twenty articles.
I specialize in the study of these nanometer-thick films, i.e., films with a thickness comparable to that of a molecule. These films are generally developed at the air-water interface and can be transferred to a solid substrate to enable characterizations that are not possible on the surface of water. They have several potential applications, such as functional coatings or electrodes.
CY Initiative : You won the CY Initiative's 2023 call for proposals. What does this project involve, and what is its objective?
The MonoCOF project represents an exciting opportunity to explore new materials, drawing on my expertise in 2D films. It does not focus on polymers, but rather on covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
The idea is to use my expertise in the manufacture of films at the air-water interface to create these complex 2D molecular architectures. To do this, I am collaborating with a colleague from the LPPI, Mr. Thuan PHAM, who has recognized expertise in the synthesis of these materials in 3D (in volume). The goal of MonoCOF is to combine our complementary skills to fabricate and characterize COFs and MOFs in two dimensions, a form that can give these materials remarkable electronic or catalytic properties.
We have also established a collaboration with Alain Pailleret from Sorbonne University, who is a specialist in AFM (atomic force microscopy), to help us visualize the structure of these networks at the nanometric scale.
CY Initiative : How will this project be implemented in practice?
Alae El Haitami : The project is structured in several stages. We began with preliminary experiments, and we have already had two Master's interns working on the synthesis and characterization of these materials. Using a bank of molecules that we purchased, the students characterized the physicochemistry of these materials and then attempted to form organized networks on the surface of the water.
Although we have not yet published any results, we have promising leads and are continuing to optimize our materials through new experiments and characterizations.
CY Initiative : Why did you apply for this call for projects?
Alae El Haitami : We applied for the Emergence call for proposals to obtain funding that enabled us to bring in two Master student interns to assist us with this project. This was the first time we had submitted this very specific topic for funding. It is a new area of research for our laboratory, and the innovative nature of the approach worked in our favor.
We are considering submitting an application to the ANR (National Research Agency) to continue and expand this promising work, with the aim of developing a robust manufacturing platform for these 2D materials.
