Verónica Cortés de Zea Bermudez

Associate Professor with Agreggation (teaching certificate)

Investigation Subjects:

- Sol-gel chemistry.

-  Amorphous organic/inorganic hybrid materials.

- Self-assembly processes (template-directed assembly and self-direct assembly).

- Organic/inorganic hybrid materials with hierarchically structured ordered architectures and well defined morphologies at the macroscopic scale.

- Molecular recognition.

- Biomineralization, biomimetism and biohybrids.

-  Solid state electrochemistry: polymer electrolytes, ormolytes, ionic salts.

-  Advanced batteries, “smart windows”, fuel cells, biomedical applications.

- Materials characterisation: vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR, FT-Raman); thermal analysis (TGA, DSC), electrochemical properties (complex impedance, cyclic voltammetry), structural and morphological studies (²⁹Si MAS and ¹³C CP/MAS NMR, WAXS, SAXS, AFM, SEM and TEM).

Main Publications (max. 10)

1. L. D. Carlos, R. A. S. Ferreira, V. de Zea Bermudez, S. J. L. Ribeiro, "Lanthanide-Containing Light-Emitting Organic–Inorganic Hybrids: A Bet on the Future", Advanced Materials, 21, 2009, 509-534; DOI: 10.1002/adma.200801635 (Invited Review Paper)

2. M. Fernandes, S. S. Nobre, M. C. Gonçalves, A. Charas, J. Morgado, R. A. S. Ferreira, L. D. Carlos, V. de Zea Bermudez*, "Dual role of a di-urethanesil hybrid doped with europium b-diketonate complexes containing either water ligands or a bulky chelating ligand", Journal of Materials Chemistry, 19, 2009, 733-742; DOI: 10.1039/b813155d

3. S. S. Nobre, C. D. S. Brites, R. A. S. Ferreira, V. de Zea Bermudez, C. Carcel, J. J. E. Moreau, J. Rocha, M. Wong Chi Man, L. D. Carlos, "Photoluminescence of Eu(III)-doped lamellar bridged silsesquioxanes self-templated through a hydrogen bonding array", Journal of Materials Chemistry, 18, 2008,  4172 - 4182, DOI: 10.1039/b807262k

4. S. C. Nunes, V. de Zea Bermudez*, M. M. Silva, M. J. Smith, D. Ostrovskii, R. A. Sá Ferreira, L. D. Carlos, J. Rocha, A. Gonçalves, E. Fortunato, "Sol-gel derived potassium-based di-ureasils for smart windows", Journal of Materials Chemistry, 17, 2007, 4239-4248 DOI:10.1039/B708905H (Hot Paper)

5. M. Fernandes, V. de Zea Bermudez*, R. A. Sá Ferreira, L. D. Carlos, A. Charas, J. Morgado, M. M. Silva, M. J. Smith, "Highly photostable luminescent poly(e-caprolactone)/siloxane biohybrids doped with europium complexes", Chemistry of Materials, 19(16), 2007, 3892-3901; DOI: 10.1021/cm062832n

6. L. D. Carlos*, V. de Zea Bermudez*, V. S. Amaral, S. C. Nunes, N. J. O. Silva, R. A. Sá Ferreira, J. Rocha, C. V. Santilli, D. Ostrovskii, "Nanoscopic photoluminescence memory induced by self assembly: an emergent behaviour as a fingerprint of complexity in hierarchically-structured alkyl/siloxane hybrids", Advanced Materials, 19, 2007, 341-348; DOI: 10.1002/adma.200601435

7. N. J. O. Silva, V. S. Amaral, V. de Zea Bermudez, S. C. Nunes, D. Ostrovskii, J. Rocha, L.D. Carlos, "Matrix assisted formation of ferrihydrite nanoparticles in a siloxane/poly(oxyethylene) nanohybrid", Journal of Materials Chemistry, 15 (4), 2005, 484-490, DOI: 10.1039/b410653a

8. M. C. Goncalves, V. de Zea Bermudez*, R. A. Sá Ferreira, L.D. Carlos, D. Ostrovskii, J. Rocha, "Optically functional di-urethanesil nanohybrids containing Eu³⁺ ions", Chemistry of Materials, 16 (13), 2004, 2530-2543; DOI: 10.1021/cm0348848

9. V. de Zea Bermudez*, C. Poinsignon, M. B. Armand, "Chemistry and Physical Properties of Sulfamide and its Derivatives: Proton Conducting Materials", Journal of Materials Chemistry, 7(9) (1997) 1677-1692; DOI: 10.1039/a701836c (Feature Article)

Different strategies for the synthesis of Ln³⁺-containing hybrids (the yellow spheres that represent the emitting centers will be indicated as follows, in parenthesis). Route A: Conventional sol–gel (free salts or free, pendant, or bridged complexes). Route B: NBBs (B1 – free salts or mixed metal-Ln³⁺ alkoxides, B2 - POMs; B3: nanoparticles and oxide nanolayers). Route C: Template-directed assembly (C1 - embedded or grafted complexes inside the channel pores of ordered mesoporous structures or/and complexes as part of the walls; C2 - complexes intercalated between LDHs). Route D: Self-directed assembly (D1 and D2 - embedded free salts). Reproduced from L. D. Carlos et al., Advanced Materials, 21, 2009, 509-534; DOI: 10.1002/adma.200801635

(A)

(B)

(A): Eu³⁺-based organic/inorganic lamellar bridged silsesquioxanes self-templated through a hydrogen bonding array; (B): AFM image (scanned area = 2 x 2 mm²) (a) and detailed amplification (b). Reproduced from S. S. Nobre et al., Journal of Materials Chemistry, 18, 2008, 4172-4182, DOI: 10.1039/b807262k

Samples of d-Ut(600)-based di-urethanesil hybrids doped with Eu(btfac)₃(H₂O)₂ (left) and Eu(btfac)₃phen (right). The structure of the corresponding complex is shown in each case. Reproduced from M. Fernandes et al., Journal of Materials Chemistry, 19, 2009, 733-742; DOI:10.1039/b813155d

View of the coloured state of an electrochromic device incorporating a di-ureasils electrolyte doped with KCF₃SO₃. Reproduced from S. C. Nunes et al., Journal of Materials Chemistry, 17, 2007, 4239-4248; DOI:10.1039/B708905H

PCL(530)/siloxane/Eu(tta)₃(H₂O)₂ hybrid under UV irradiation (366 nm). Reproduced from M. Fernandes et al., Chemistry of Materials, 19(16), 2007, 3892-3901

SEM image and schematic representations of the structure of mono-amidosil hybrid. a) Lateral portion of a crystallite composed of a stack of bilayers. b-c) Bilayer at room temperature and at 120 ºC, respectively. Reproduced from L. D. Carlos e tal., Advanced Materials, 19, 2007, 341-348