Research projects focus on 2D materials, sensors, and advanced devices
Three collaborating researchers from the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) were recognized at the IX NanoMat – Symposium on Nanoscience and Advanced Materials, held on May 6 and 7 at the Federal University of ABC (UFABC). The event was organized by UFABC’s Graduate Program in Nanoscience and Advanced Materials (PPG-NMA) and brought together students and researchers in the field for presentations and discussions on advances in nanoscience and advanced materials.
Among the award-winning works were those of Juliana Naomi Yamauti Costa, a PhD candidate supervised by Renato Sousa Lima, researcher at the Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), and funded by FAPESP; as well as Leonardo Hideki Hasimoto and Isaque Augusto Aragão Feitosa, PhD candidates supervised by LNNano researcher Murilo Santhiago and also funded by FAPESP.
In the oral presentation category, Juliana Naomi Yamauti Costa won 1st place with the work “Label-Free Electrochemical Biosensor Based on Quantum Capacitance in Ultrahigh-Density Chips for Mpox Detection.” The study uses high-density electrochemical chips, a technology developed by Juliana during her master’s studies at CNPEM, now integrated with electroactive self-assembled monolayers (e-SAMs).
The system detects the binding of viral biomarkers through changes in quantum capacitance, a phenomenon related to how electrons occupy available energy states in the material. This property acts as a signal amplification mechanism, ensuring high sensitivity and precision even at low concentrations of viral biomarkers. Beyond Mpox, the technology has strong potential for adaptation to the diagnosis of other diseases, since the detection principle can be easily directed toward different biomarkers.
Isaque Augusto Aragão Feitosa won 1st place in the Best Poster Presentation category with the work “Electronically Decoupled MoS2 Stacking via Sequential Electrochemical Thinning,” published in the journal Chemical Communications.
The research presents a new strategy for stacking MoS2 monolayers, a promising two-dimensional material for applications in electronics, sensors, energy conversion, and energy storage. The developed method enables the formation of multilayer structures while preserving the electronic properties typical of isolated monolayers, a major challenge in the field of 2D materials. The study was carried out in collaboration with Alisson R. Cadore (LNNano) and Ingrid D. Barcelos (LNLS), with funding from FAPESP, CNPq, and FAPESP-CEPID-CEMol.
PhD candidate Leonardo Hideki Hasimoto received 2nd place in the Best Poster Presentation category, among 57 presented works, with the study “Engineering Stretchable LIG Electrodes for High-Performance Biosensors,” developed under the supervision of Murilo Santhiago in collaboration with Charles Henry from Colorado State University, United States.
The work focuses on the development of a stretchable electrochemical sensor based on laser-induced graphene (LIG), capable of maintaining electrical stability and electrochemical performance even under deformations of up to 20%. The device was produced by transferring LIG onto elastomeric substrates and applied to lactate detection in artificial sweat, showing stable responses within the relevant physiological range. The results demonstrate the potential of LIG for flexible, low-cost wearable sensors.
About LNNano
The Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano) works in research and development at the nano scale using sophisticated infrastructure and highly specialized teams that can search for answers to scientific challenges and leverage technology solutions. Its open facilities comprise a center that is unrivaled in Brazil and include electron and atomic force microscopy, as well as clean rooms and laboratory spaces that allow activities ranging from materials synthesis and characterization to device manufacturing. Scientific research at LNNano covers strategic topics where nanoscience and nanotechnology can help solve problems facing the country, in areas like renewable energy, materials for sustainability, health and quantum devices. LNNano is part of the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) in Campinas, São Paulo, a private, non-profit organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI).
About CNPEM
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is home to a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment and works on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. It is responsible for Sirius, the largest assembly of scientific equipment constructed in the country, and is currently constructing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. CNPEM’s research and development activities are carried out through its four National Laboratories: Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), Biorenewables (LNBR), as well as its Technology Unit (DAT) and the Ilum School of Science — an undergraduate program in Science and Technology supported by the Ministry of Education (MEC).
