Welcome to FuniMat website
We are a research group in the interface between inorganic and materials chemistry.We are part of the Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol) at the Universidad de Valencia. Our research encompasses different targets ranging from the synthesis, characterization and nanostructuration of inorganic, porous materials. Built upon a thorough understanding of these basic principles we aim to enable environmentally relevant application based on these materials like catalysis, chiral separation, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis or energy storage.
We collaborate nationally and internationally with renowned research groups, including scientists at ICIQ (Tarragona), Polymat (San Sebastián), Universidad Pablo Olavide (Sevilla), ETH (Zurich), ICN2 (Barcelona), ITQ-CSIC (Valencia), University of Liverpool, KU Leuven, University of Warwick, University of Cambridge and Universidad Autónoma, IMDEA Nanoscience and IMDEA Energía (Madrid).
Our labs are located at the state-of-the-art facilities of ICMol.
Maria´s work has been published in Chemical Communications. The work is focused on the use of amphiphilic modulators to control the formation of titanium MOF nanoparticles with minimum impact to the framework to enable the fabrication of highly porous thin films. Click for more info.
This manuscript by Isabel has been published in Chemical Science. The manuscript shows the value of integrating experimental work, computational modelling and thorough characterization in rationalizing the impact of defects over the porosity and structure of the titanium framework MUV-10. Click for more info.
Javi´s work during his stay in KAUST in J. Gascón´s group has been published in Chem Catalysis. The work illustrates the exciting possibilities offered by MUV-101(Fe) for the production of catalytic materials not accessible through traditional synthetic routes and opens the door to translating the atomic control of metal composition and distribution of the parent MOF onto complex mixed-oxide structures with industrial applications. Check the web for more info.
Carlos Martí-Gastaldo, group leader of the FuniMAT group at the ICMol of the University of Valencia, has been awarded a prestigious Consolidator Grant of 2 million euros from the European Research Council (ERC) for the development of his project LIVINGPORE. The project aims to develop innovative strategies to "program" the chemistry and the structural response of porous MOF-type materials.
Carlos Martí Gastaldo was invited as a speaker in which he presented his work “Practising Reticular Chemistry with Titanium-Organic Frameworks”. Also Clara and Eloy, our first year PhD students have participated with their posters.
Our group is constantly expanding and a lot of new members have recently joined our lab. Larisha, Violeta, Eva and Garin will join as Postdoctoral Researchers while Eloy is starting with us the PhD journey. Also, a big group of students started joining us this year to develop their final Master thesis or as part of an internship program. Take a look on the team descriptions for further information.
On a recent interview, Carlos discusses the importance of porous materials as a new revolution against climate change. MOFs can represent the paradigm shift equally to the emergence of graphene or nanotubes. These MOFs are capable of capturing carbon dioxide, as well as obtaining water from the air in desert areas. They are like crystalline sponges on a molecular scale. They are highly porous materials formed by ordered networks of molecules in which the size of the pores, as well as some of their chemical and physical properties, can be designed to adapt them to specific needs.
To read the full interview:
here
FuniMAT is formed by mainly women. On the 8th March 2022 they reunited to stand up together for equality and celebrate International Women’s Day. We are very proud of the sense of sorority that exist in our group.
Our students have created a new Instagram account. With the goal to share their everyday lab life, you will find lot of different content: from new MOF structures to lunch breaks and fun times together. Follow us on @funimat_lab