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ENTANGLE - PRIN 2022 PNRR

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ENTANGLE: thErmoplasmonic quaNtum maTerials-enhanced seawAter miniNG for circular bLue Economy

PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR)

Missione 4 “Istruzione e Ricerca” - Componente C2

Investimento 1.1, “Fondo per il Programma Nazionale di Ricerca e Progetti di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale (PRIN)”

Codice progetto: P20223LXTA

CUP: E53D23018280001

Contributo MUR per Ricerca: € 227.998
Contributo UnivAQ: € 91.538

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Partners

  1. Università degli Studi dell’AQUILA, Unit leader: Antonio Politano
  2. University of Calabria (Coordinator), Unit leader: Efrem Curcio
  3. University of Catania, Unit Leader: Francesco Maria Dimitri Pellegrino

Brief description and main objectives

ENTANGLE is a PRIN 2022 PNRR project devoted to the development of thermoplasmonic quantum-material platforms for seawater desalination and sustainable mineral recovery from hypersaline brines. The project is based on the idea that plasmons in quantum materials, including topological and strongly anisotropic systems, can convert sunlight into localized heat with high efficiency. This effect is exploited to design a new generation of solar-assisted membrane processes aimed at freshwater production, brine concentration, and selective recovery of strategic mineral resources within the framework of a circular blue economy.

The project integrates condensed-matter physics, materials science, plasmonics, surface science, membrane engineering, and theoretical modelling. Its scientific objective is to identify quantum materials with strong light-to-heat conversion in the visible and infrared range, understand the nature and damping of their plasmonic excitations, and translate these properties into functional nanocomposite membranes and related desalination and crystallization technologies.

The main objectives of ENTANGLE are to perform high-throughput computational screening of quantum materials for solar energy conversion; to achieve scalable growth of bulk crystals and nanoscale derivatives of selected quantum materials; to produce stable and concentrated functional inks in environmentally benign solvents; to characterize the physicochemical, structural, electronic, and interfacial properties of the developed materials, also under operando and near-ambient-pressure conditions; and to validate photothermal membrane distillation and membrane crystallization routes for freshwater production and for the recovery of valuable compounds from desalination brines.

A specific strength of the project is the integration between theory, advanced spectroscopy, crystal growth, exfoliation, and membrane process engineering. Within this framework, the University of L’Aquila contributes mainly to crystal growth, materials characterization, functional inks, and operando interfacial studies; the University of Calabria leads the plasmonic and membrane-process activities as coordinating institution; and the University of Catania contributes to theoretical modelling of light-to-heat conversion and plasmonic excitations.

Main results and publications

ENTANGLE has already generated significant results across the full research chain, from theory to process validation. The project has advanced computational screening strategies for identifying quantum materials with efficient solar light-to-heat conversion and has clarified the role of size, shape, doping, and dielectric response in thermoplasmonic behaviour. In parallel, large-scale growth protocols have been established for a broad family of quantum materials, including topological semimetals, layered chalcogenides, and related compounds, by chemical vapour transport and Bridgman-Stockbarger techniques.

At the University of L’Aquila, the project has enabled the synthesis and characterization of high-quality crystals, together with systematic structural, electronic, and surface-sensitive investigations. These activities have supported the preparation of functional inks based on liquid-phase exfoliation in green solvents and the fabrication of nanoscale dispersions suitable for photothermal and optoelectronic applications.

On the application side, ENTANGLE has demonstrated the potential of quantum-material-based photothermal membranes for desalination and crystallization. Membranes containing CoSe, NiSe, and GaTe nanomaterials were tested in artificial saline feeds and in real seawater for periods longer than five days, showing stable behaviour, no detectable release of nanoparticles into the distillate, and persistent hydrophobicity. Membrane crystallization experiments on reverse-osmosis brines yielded NaCl crystals with purity above 90%, confirming the feasibility of mineral recovery routes based on solar-assisted photothermal platforms.

A further major result concerns the implementation of operando ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with EnviroESCA to investigate model nanofillers such as NiSe and CoSe under contact with NaCl solutions and real seawater. These measurements have identified salinity-induced surface transformations, including oxidation, hydroxylation, chloride-related species, and partial dissolution processes, thereby providing a direct picture of the chemical mechanisms that govern material stability at the solid–liquid interface under realistic desalination conditions.

The project has also produced a substantial scientific output. In this website version, 24 scientific papers published between 2024 and 2026 are listed, spanning thermoplasmonics, topological and layered quantum materials, desalination and brine valorisation, sensing, photodetection, neuromorphic devices, catalysis, and machine-learning-assisted materials modelling. Other publications are still under review or in preparation.

Scientific publications

2024

[1] D. Nguyen, V. Forster, A. Potey, A. Alviset, S. Picaud and A. Politano, Biocompatibility of Bi2Se3 regarding primary mixed retinal cells, Mater. Res. Express 11 (2024) 126302. DOI: 10.1088/2053-1591/ad95de

[2] P. Settembri, F. Mazzola, I. Vobornik, J. Fujii, M. Kögler, C.-N. Kuo, C. S. Lue, A. Politano and G. Profeta, Unveiling strain-responsive topological landscapes in the NiTe2 Dirac semimetal, Phys. Rev. B 110 (2024) L201401. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.110.L201401

[3] D. W. Boukhvalov, G. G. Politano, G. D'Olimpio and A. Politano, 2D Semiconductor Nanostructures for Solar-Driven Photocatalysis: Unveiling Challenges and Prospects in Air Purification, Sustainable Energy Harvesting, and Water Treatment, Adv. Sustain. Syst. 8 (2024) 2400018. DOI: 10.1002/adsu.202400018

[4] Z. Yu, G. D'Olimpio, H. Huang, C.-N. Kuo, C. S. Lue, G. Nicotra, F. Lin, D. W. Boukhvalov, A. Politano and L. Liu, Self-Powered Hydrogen Production From Seawater Enabled by Trifunctional Exfoliated PtTe Nanosheet Catalysts, Adv. Funct. Mater. 34 (2024) 2403099. DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202403099

[5] M. Aquino, S. Santoro, A. Politano, G. D'Andrea, A. Siciliano, S. Straface, M. F. La Russa and E. Curcio, Environmentally Friendly Photothermal Membranes for Halite Recovery from Reverse Osmosis Brine via Solar-Driven Membrane Crystallization, Membranes 14 (2024) 87. DOI: 10.3390/membranes14040087

[6] A. Politano, R. A. Al-Juboori, S. Alnajdi, A. Alsaati, A. Athanassiou, M. Bar-Sadan, A. N. Beni, D. Campi, A. Cupolillo and G. D'Olimpio, 2024 roadmap on membrane desalination technology at the water-energy nexus, J. Phys.: Energy 6 (2024) 021502. DOI: 10.1088/2515-7655/ad2cf2

[7] U. Uzun, P. Kotak, M. A. Shakib, R. O. Mamman, S. Daws, C.-N. Kuo, C. S. Lue, A. Politano and C. Lamuta, Nanomechanical properties and wear resistance of Palladium diselenide (PdSe2) for flexible electronics, Mater. Sci. Eng. B 304 (2024) 117357. DOI: 10.1016/j.mseb.2024.117357

[8] G. D'Olimpio, D. W. Boukhvalov, V. Galstyan, J. Occhiuzzi, M. Vorochta, M. Amati, Z. Milosz, L. Gregoratti, M. C. Istrate, C.-N. Kuo, C. S. Lue, C. Ghica, E. Comini and A. Politano, Unlocking superior NO2 sensitivity and selectivity: the role of sulfur abstraction in indium sulfide (InS) nanosheet-based sensors, J. Mater. Chem. A 12 (2024) 10329–10340. DOI: 10.1039/D4TA01287A

2025

[9] D. W. Boukhvalov, M. Ștefan, A. C. Joita, C.-N. Kuo, C. S. Lue and A. Politano, Charge Transfer-Driven Conversion of Molecular Oxygen to Doublet State on Vanadium Diselenide (VSe2) Surface at Room Temperature, Adv. Mater. Interf. 12 (2025) 2400656. DOI: 10.1002/admi.202400656

[10] D. W. Boukhvalov, G. D'Olimpio, T. Dadiani, S. Santoro, A. Cupolillo, C.-N. Kuo, C. S. Lue, M. Bar-Sadan, T. Hrbek, M. G. Rodríguez, M. Vorochta, E. Curcio and A. Politano, Investigation of solid-liquid interface interactions in transition-metal chalcogenides in saline environments by ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for applications in desalination and mineral recovery, Desalination 602 (2025) 118628. DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2025.118628

[11] R. A. Tufa, S. Santoro, C. Flores-Fernández, R. B. Zegeye, D. Fuentealba, M. Aquino, B. Barraza, B. M. Inzillo, S. Nasirov, G. D'Andrea, E. Troncoso, S. Straface, H. Estay and E. Curcio, Advances in Integrated Membrane Processes for Sustainable Lithium Extraction, Desalination 610 (2025) 118899. DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2025.118899

[12] M. Aquino, S. Santoro, A. H. Avci, R. A. Tufa, K. Bouzek, S. Straface, M. F. La Russa, M. Davoli, A. Politano, G. G. Politano, D. M. Aceti, G. Palermo and E. Curcio, Asymmetric Sulfonated Polysulfone Cation Exchange Membranes Prepared by Non-Solvent Induced Phase Separation for Reverse Electrodialysis Using Desalination Brines, Electrochim. Acta 541 (2025) 147292. DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2025.147292

[13] I. Vacante, F. M. D. Pellegrino, G. G. N. Angilella, G. A. Falci and E. Paladino, Local analysis of a single impurity on a graphene Josephson junction, Phys. Rev. Res. 7 (2025) 013189. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.013189

[14] F. M. D. Pellegrino, F. Buccheri and G. G. N. Angilella, Localized surface plasmons in a Weyl semimetal nanosphere, Phys. Rev. B 112 (2025) 075431. DOI: 10.1103/7b1l-gkjy

[15] L. Han, S. Zhang, S. Tian, L. Zhang, Y. Wei, K. Zhang, M. Jiang, Y. He, C. Liu, W. Tang, J. He, H. Shu, A. Politano, X. Chen and L. Wang, Multispectral Integrated Black Arsenene Phototransistors for High-Resolution Imaging and Enhanced Secure Communication, ACS Nano 19 (2025) 3740–3751. DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c14512

[16] S. De Stefano, O. Durante, A. Sessa, A. Politano, G. D'Olimpio, T. Dadiani, E. Faella, A. Dinescu, C. Parvulescu and C. Hetherington, Neuromorphic Photoresponse in Ultrathin SnS2-Based Field Effect Transistor, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 17 (2025) 50901–50915. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5c11651

[17] H. Feng, Z. Ge, Y. Deng, P. Pu, S. Zhao, X. Song, H. Yuan, Y. Wu, J. Yang, Y. Si, A. Politano, X. Zhang and Y. W. Zhang, Unveiling high-performance single-atom alloy catalysts for alkane dehydrogenation through DFT and machine learning synergy, J. Catal. 448 (2025) 116213. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2025.116213

[18] A. Sessa, T. Dadiani, S. De Stefano, O. Durante, A. Pelella, C. Parvulescu, A. Dinescu, M. Aldrigo, C. N. Kuo, C. S. Lue, G. D'Olimpio, E. Faella, A. Politano, M. Passacantando and A. Di Bartolomeo, Ultrathin SnS2 Field-Effect Transistors Exhibiting Temperature-Enhanced Memory Performance, Adv. Electron. Mater. 11 (2025) e00327. DOI: 10.1002/aelm.202500327

[19] A. A. A. Elameen, D. Dutta, S. Duman, M. Rosmus, G. D'Olimpio, B. Gürbulak, D. W. Boukhvalov, A. Agarwal and A. Politano, Electronic Band Structure of Gallium Sulfide (GaS) with Thickness Reduction Unveiling Parabolic and Pudding Mold Band Dispersion, J. Phys. Chem. C 129 (2025) 3967–3974. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.4c08588

[20] Y.-W. Zhang, V. Sorkin, Z. H. Aitken, A. Politano, J. Behler, A. P. Thompson, T. W. Ko, S. P. Ong, O. Chalykh and D. Korogod, Roadmap for the development of machine learning-based interatomic potentials, Model. Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng. 33 (2025) 023301. DOI: 10.1088/1361-651X/ad9d63

[21] D. W. Boukhvalov, G. D'Olimpio, T. Dadiani, J. Sharma, A. A. A. Elameen, S. Zenone, M. Rosmus, B. Gürbulak, E. Çepni, E. Llobet, E. Magnano, F. Bondino, S. Duman and A. Politano, Self-Assembled Gallium Sulfide (GaS) Heterostructures Enabling Efficient Water Splitting and Selective Ammonia Sensing, Adv. Funct. Mater. 35 (2025) 2507388. DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202507388

2026

[22] D. Dutta, M. Rosmus, G. G. Politano, C. N. Kuo, C. Rizza, G. D'Olimpio, C. S. Lue, A. Agarwal and A. Politano, Electronic band structure and anisotropic dielectric response of PtS2 from angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and density functional theory: An indirect-gap hyperbolic van der Waals semiconductor, Phys. Rev. B 113 (2026) 085407. DOI: 10.1103/glcr-8mqy

[23] T. Dadiani, G. D'Olimpio, L. Tamasauskaite-Tamasiunaite, S. Zenone, C.-N. Kuo, M. Amati, Z. Milosz, L. Gregoratti, T. Hrbek, M. G. Rodríguez, M. C. Istrate, C. S. Lue, Y. Lobko, C. Ghica, E. Norkus, Y.-W. Zhang, A. Cupolillo, D. W. Boukhvalov and A. Politano, Scalable Defect Engineering of Pt3Te4 Nanosheets Activates an Electro-Switchable and Termination-Dependent PtO2 Skin for Low-Overpotential Hydrogen Evolution, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 18 (2026) 8026–8038. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5c18460

[24] A. Sessa, S. De Stefano, O. Durante, A. Pelella, M. Aldrigo, C. Parvulescu, A. Dinescu, C. N. Kuo, C. S. Lue, T. Dadiani, G. D'Olimpio, E. Faella, A. Politano, M. Passacantando and A. Di Bartolomeo, Synaptic Behavior in SnSe2 Field-Effect Transistors Induced by Surface Oxide and Trap Dynamics, Adv. Electron. Mater. 12 (2026) e00734. DOI: 10.1002/aelm.202500734

Main project web site

LINK TO MAIN WEB SITE
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