Name: Centre of Materials and Nanotechnologies
Institution: University Pardubice
Coordinator: prof. Ing. Miroslav Vlček, CSc.; miroslav.vlcek@upce.cz
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CEMNAT is a research infrastructure for basic and applied research with particular significance in the field of chemistry and new materials’ technologies. Within the Czech Republic, it contributes to fulfilling national priorities in terms of the sustainability of energetic and materials resources. CEMNAT research and development is focused on one-dimensional nanomaterials (e.g. nanotubes and nanofibers) and thin films, in particular, on thin functional layers, and it significantly moves forward the latest trends in their synthesis and practical application. CEMNAT owns a whole range of modern scientific instruments that are operated in the open access regime. Many of these are unique in the Czech Republic and are intensively being utilized by various user groups. Among these instruments, in particular, the tool for atomic layer deposition is very remarkable, as it enables users to deposit a whole range of functional material onto various substrates and hence it is a very attractive technique for various surface modifications. CEMNAT further operates a tool for fibre synthesis that enables its users to prepare high quality polymeric and inorganic fibres with diameters ranging from hundreds of nanometres up to units of micrometres. Also unique is the dual electron microscope, which can modify surfaces of various materials by focusing a beam of gallium ions and it can create targeted geometrical patterns, apart from classical visualization functions and elemental analyses. All prepared or modified materials have various uses. Using the CEMNAT equipment,
its users are able to achieve excellent scientific results that overcome challenges in various fields (energy conversion and storage, optoelectronics, surface engineering). CEMNAT is a partner of numerous Czech nanotechnological companies that deal with research and development of various types of nanomaterials for various uses. CEMNAT is part of the NANOPROGRESS cluster, which connects various companies and research organisations that are active in the research and development and commercialization of nanomaterials. CEMNAT also cooperates with numerous research infrastructures in the Czech Republic and abroad that are very significant in materials research. This applies in particular for synchrotron units, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste and ESRF (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility), and also for research infrastructures utilizing high energy lasers, ELI Beamlines (Extreme Light Infrastructure) and HiLASE (High Average Power Pulsed Lasers).
