Electroactive Smart Materials Group

Name: Electroactive Smart Materials Group
Address: Braga, 4710-057, PT
Telephone: +351 253 604 320
Price range: $

Página Inicial
Portugal
Braga
Electroactive Smart Materials Group

Official Website: http://esm.fisica.uminho.pt/ Senentxu Lanceros-MÃ©ndez.

The Electroactive Smart Materials is a group within the Group of Cooperative Phenomena in Dielectrics, from the Physics Department of the University of Minho, composed by persons with different positions and background areas, and coordinated by Prof. Since the 10 years of existence, many people have contribute with their best to give rise of our current research.

22/05/2026

Closing the week in the best possible way, with a shared snack to celebrate the successful PhD defenses of João, Eduardo, Joana, and André. 🤗

Huge congratulations to our newly awarded PhDs:

🎓 Dr. João Serra
PhD thesis: Natural polymer-based multifunctional materials for sensing, actuators, and battery applications
Supervised by: Carlos Costa, Pedro Costa and Senentxu Lanceros Mendez

🎓 Dr. Eduardo Pimentel
PhD thesis: Printable piezoresistive materials based on natural polymers for medical device applications
Supervised by: Carlos Costa, Daniel Miranda and Senentxu Lanceros Mendez

🎓 Dr. Joana Queirós
PhD thesis: Wide range polymeric membranes towards water remediation of contaminants of emerging concern
Supervised by: Pedro Martins and Senentxu Lanceros Mendez

🎓 Dr. André Macedo
PhD thesis: Multi-responsive structures based on electroactive polymers and hydrogels as a novel approach for tissue engineering
Supervised by: Clarisse Ribeiro, Vanessa Cardoso and Senentxu Lanceros Mendez

Four PhD journeys, four important scientific contributions, and a shared celebration of advanced functional materials for applications ranging from healthcare and tissue engineering to sensing, energy and environmental remediation.

Congratulations João, Eduardo, Joana and André. Wishing you all great success in this new chapter. 👏🎉

30/04/2026

PhD ALERT! 🚨

A huge congratulations to Joana Queirós on the successful defense of her PhD thesis! 👏

Her work on “Wide Range Polymeric Membranes Towards Water Remediation of Contaminants of Emerging Concern” represents a meaningful contribution to the development of advanced polymeric materials for environmental applications, opening new possibilities for the removal of emerging contaminants from water. A relevant and timely step forward in the field of sustainable water remediation. 💧🔬

This important achievement was accomplished under the expert supervision of Pedro Martins and Senentxu Lanceros-Méndez. Congratulations to both for their guidance, support, and contribution throughout this journey. 🥳

Joana’s dedication, perseverance, and scientific commitment have been evident throughout this path, and this milestone is a well-deserved recognition of all her hard work. We are very happy to celebrate this achievement and look forward to seeing where her work will lead next. 🚀✨

Well done, Dr. Joana! 🎓

19/04/2026

PhD ALERT!!! 🚨

Huge congratulations on the successful defense of André's PhD thesis, “Multi-responsive structures based on electroactive polymers and hydrogels as a novel approach for tissue engineering”! 👏

This remarkable work represents an important contribution to the field of tissue engineering, highlighting the potential of electroactive polymers and hydrogels as advanced and multifunctional platforms for biomedical applications. A promising and innovative step forward in the development of smart biomaterials for regenerative medicine. 🔬⚡

This important achievement was made possible under the guidance of Clarisse Ribeiro, Vanessa Cardoso, and Senentxu Lanceros-Méndez. Congratulations to all on this excellent collaborative journey!

A special note to everyone who attended the defense and helped make this moment even more memorable with such a strong presence. 🫂

A well-deserved milestone that reflects dedication and hard work throughout the PhD path. We look forward to seeing the next steps and future impact of this research. 🚀✨

Well done, Dr. André! 🎓

27/02/2026

February ends with Professor Senentxu’s birthday. 🎉

During a lunch this week, we celebrated the guidance, energy, and example you bring to our group every day. Thank you for mentoring us and for always reminding us what real passion for science looks like.

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." 😉

Here’s to many more birthdays and shared moments ahead! 🥳🎂

24/12/2025

To all our friends and colleagues:

🎄Merry Christmas and Happy 2026! ✨

Science in the card represents some of the main areas of the group:

TOP
Synthesis of micro/nanomaterials: Metallic nanostars
Representation of the magnetoionic effect in ionic liquid-based composites
Integration of sensors and actuators based on stimuli-responsive materials into robotic applications

BOTTOM
3D printable membranes for environmental remediation and 4D printing of stimuli-responsive
materials
Energy storage based on Li-ion batteries: from solid-state batteries to printable and micro batteries

LEFT
Tissue regeneration and antibacterial strategies based on electroactive materials
All 3D printed devices: example of a fully printed Linear Variable Differential Transformer

18/12/2025

ESM Christmas Dinner 2025 🎄✨

We had great conversations and laughed a lot over a wonderful holiday dinner.
Nothing beats getting together to look back on the past year's accomplishments 🚀, strengthen our bonds 🤝🔗, and plan for the future 📈💫.

05/11/2025

PhD ALERT! 🚨

Huge congratulations to Joana Moreira on the successful defense of her PhD thesis! 👏🎓
Her work “Physically Active Antimicrobial Surfaces to Prevent the Spread of Pathogenic Microorganisms” opens exciting avenues for surfaces that actively fight pathogen transmission, with a clear impact on public health, medical devices, and critical environments. 🔬🧫✨
This achievement was guided by the excellent supervision of Margarida Fernandes, Daniela Correia, and Senentxu Lanceros-Mendez. Congrats to all on this outstanding collaboration!

Joana is dedication and readiness personified. Remember the name… you’ll be hearing it a lot. Onward to the next breakthroughs, Dr. Joana! 🚀

27/09/2025

🌍✨ European Researchers’ Night 👩‍🔬👨‍🔬

Once again, we joined this initiative through the Escola de Ciências - Universidade do Minho at Fórum Braga.

This event is one of the most important opportunities to bring science closer to society. We shared scientific games, experiments, and knowledge with everyone — from the youngest to the oldest, from the most curious to those who were “dragged along” 😄

In a world that is constantly questioning well-established scientific truths, events like this remind us of the importance of dialogue, openness, and trust between researchers and the community. 🤝🛡️

At the end of the day, what matters most is that we came together with the same purpose as always: to share science, spark curiosity, and inspire discovery. 🧪🧲🔋🌱

🔬 “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”

20/09/2025

Teambuilding 2025 at the Estação de Socorros a Náufragos (Maritime Museum) in Esposende!🌊🛟🏛️

Once a key station supporting lifesaving missions at sea, today the museum stands as a tribute to the courage and dedication of those who risked everything to go to sea! 🚤
Our team spent the day discovering this inspiring history while engaging in activities 🚶🏻‍♂️‍➡️ that reminded us of the value of trust and collaboration. 🤝✨ Just as rescuers, fishermen, and the fishing community rely on teamwork, our own journey “on shore” also depends on unity and coordination to achieve success. 💡

To complete the day, we enjoyed a lunch together 🍽️😋, sharing good moments and strengthening bonds. 💬 A memorable experience that brought us even closer as a team! 🌟👥

02/08/2025

PhD ALERT! 🚨

Closing the academic year with a huge congratulations to Rafaela Meira, who has successfully defended her PhD thesis! 👏

Her work on "Electroactive Polymer-Based Materials as a Novel Approach for Cardiac Tissue Engineering" opens exciting new perspectives in the development of biomaterials that can actively interact with cardiac tissue. A promising and innovative step forward in the field of regenerative medicine and bioelectronics! 🫀⚡🔬

This important achievement was made under the expert supervision of Clarisse Ribeiro, Daniela Correia, and Senentxu Lanceros-Mendez—congrats to all for this excellent collaboration!

Rafaela’s commitment and scientific rigor have truly shone throughout this journey. We look forward to seeing where her work will lead next. 🚀✨

Well done, Dra. Rafaela! 🎓

Endereço

Braga
4710-057

Horário de Funcionamento

Segunda-feira

09:00 - 17:00

Telefone

+351 253 604 320

Website

http://esm.fisica.uminho.pt/

Notificações

Seja o primeiro a receber as novidades e deixe-nos enviar-lhe um email quando Electroactive Smart Materials Group publica notícias e promoções. O seu endereço de email não será utilizado para qualquer outro propósito, e pode cancelar a subscrição a qualquer momento.