Meet our authors: Marcella Salvatore, Francesco Reda, Fabio Borbone and Stefano Luigi Oscurato

RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Marcella Salvatore, Francesco Reda, Fabio Borbone and Stefano Luigi Oscurato at University of Naples Federico II, as they discuss their recently published communication article entitled ‘Multilevel azopolymer patterning from digital holographic lithography‘.

 

Discover the full article here

 

Multilevel azopolymer patterning from digital holographic lithography

Marcella Salvatore, Francesco Reda, Fabio Borbone and Stefano Luigi Oscurato

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2025,2, 56-60. DOI: 10.1039/D4LF00358F

 

 

 

 

 

From smooth to step-like structures: digital holography enables multilevel azopolymer surfaces

The ability to sculpt surface topography at the micro- and nanoscale has become essential across diverse fields, from biotechnology to optics, from materials science to information security. Structured surfaces are used to control mechanical interactions, modulate light, store data, or encode information. Whether the goal is to guide cells, trap particles, or manipulate light, precisely engineered surface features are often key to functionality. Yet, fabricating such surfaces remains a challenge. While photolithography remains the workhorse of microfabrication, it carries intrinsic limitations. Traditional processes rely on physical masks and multi-step procedures, typically yielding binary geometries and requiring chemical development and etching. These constraints limit design flexibility and pose challenges in terms of sustainability, fabrication speed, and cost, especially when complex or multilevel surface profiles are needed.

In contrast, azopolymer-based photopatterning offers an appealing, all-optical alternative. Unlike traditional photoresists that undergo chemical crosslinking or degradation, azopolymers respond mechanically to light. When irradiated with polarized light, their azobenzene side groups undergo rapid trans–cis isomerization cycles, generating localized stress and driving mass migration within the polymer matrix. This results in macroscopic, stable surface deformations. What sets azopolymers apart is that this response is fully light-driven and reversible. By simply adjusting the illumination pattern, one can write, erase, and rewrite microstructures, enabling the fabrication of reconfigurable functional surfaces. This allows for single-step, direct-write patterning, without the need for etching or development. However, until now, this method has been largely limited to smooth, continuous reliefs, offering limited control over stepwise or grayscale surface geometries.

 

Breaking through the smoothness barrier

To overcome these limitations, the Holo-Lith group led by Professor Stefano Luigi Oscurato from the University of Naples has advanced a strategy that couples azopolymer-based photopatterning with computer-generated holography. This maskless, all-optical technique exploits the light-responsive behavior of azobenzene-containing polymers and the precision of digital holography. At the heart of this approach is a phase-only spatial light modulator and a Fourier projection system, designed to reconstruct arbitrary-complex and grayscale optical patterns with micrometer-scale resolution. By analyzing the system’s resolution limits and nonlinearities, the group developed an intensity correction procedure based on a Look-Up Table, enabling accurate and linear translation from optical intensity to surface height. This innovation allows for the direct inscription of multilevel, step-like surface reliefs onto azopolymer films.

 

Writing a 3D QR Code, all with light

To demonstrate the technique, the Holo-Lith group designed a grayscale QR code with controlled variations in pixel intensity. When this holographic light pattern was projected onto the azopolymer film, the surface responded with corresponding multilevel topographies, faithfully encoding the original image as a physical 3D relief. Atomic Force Microscopy measurements confirmed clearly resolved height steps across the pattern, with a linear correlation between input grayscale value and resulting surface height, a critical advance for applications in optical encoding and data storage. This result represents one of the first demonstrations of direct, all-optical fabrication of stepwise, multilevel surface reliefs in azopolymers. The implications span a range of emerging technologies, including hyperspectral data encoding, optical security, tunable diffractive optics, and adaptive surface design. Future directions may involve refining the photomechanical response models and expanding the approach to vectorial light fields, unlocking even more complex surface architectures. In short, this work lays the foundation for a new class of smart, structured surfaces, patterned by light, encoded with light, and reconfigurable through light.

 

Meet the authors

Marcella Salvatore is an assistant professor at the University of Naples Federico II. She is a materials engineer whose research focuses on azomaterials surface patterning and tuning of the surface functionality. Specifically, she is interested in developing innovative surface designs for applications such as wettability control and optical devices.

 

 

 

 

 

Francesco Reda received his PhD in quantum technologies in 2024 from the University of Naples Federico II, with a dissertation on reprogrammable flat optics using maskless photo morphing of azopolymers. Since then, he has been working as a postdoctoral researcher at the same institution, developing holographic techniques for the fabrication of functionalized surfaces.

 

 

 

 

 

Fabio Borbone is an associate professor at the University of Naples Federico II. He is a materials chemist whose research interests include the development of advanced materials for photonics, electro-optics, optoelectronics and sensors, with a focus on the design of photoresponsive materials (azomaterials and photopolymers) for photopatterning and surface structuring.

 

 

 

 

Stefano L. Oscurato is an associate professor at the University of Naples Federico II, where he leads the Holographic Lithography research group. His research focuses on the vectorial light induced structuring of photosensitive materials using computer-generated holograms. He collaborates closely with several world-leading groups in nanophotonics, photosensitive materials, and advanced lithography. In 2024, he was awarded an ERC Starting Grant.

Hear from our authors: Amaury Baret

RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Amaury Baret at University of Liège, Belgium, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘Low-emissivity fine-tuning of efficient VO2-based thermochromic stacks with silver nanowire networks’.

 

Discover the full article here

Low-emissivity fine-tuning of efficient VO2-based thermochromic stacks with silver nanowire networks

Amaury Baret, Ambreen Khan, Aline Rougier, Daniel Bellet and Ngoc Duy Nguyen

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2025, 2, 94-103. DOI: 10.1039/D4LF00234B

 

Meet the author

I am a PhD researcher in physics at the University of Liège (ULiège), working under the supervision of Prof. Nguyen, head of the SPIN (Solid State Physics, Interfaces and Nanostructrures) research group. Our research focuses on the physics of materials for energy applications. This highlighted work has been performed within the framework of the INSTEAD project. This collaborative effort is funded by the European M.ERA-NET program and brings together with ULiège a consortium of four partners contributing with their expertise to the development of new materials for smart windows : LMGP Grenoble INP, Université de Grenoble Alpes (Prof. D. Bellet); ICMCB, Université de Bordeaux, (Dr. A. Rougier); Middle East Technical University in Turkey, (Prof. H. Emrah Ünalan).

 

About the INSTEAD Project

The INSTEAD project aims to develop innovative coatings with advanced functionalities, particularly through the use of heterostructures that combine different materials, including chromogenic compounds. These materials have the potential to dynamically regulate their properties in response to environmental changes, making them highly promising for energy-efficient applications such as smart windows. Additionally, this project explores the incorporation of silver nanowire networks into these complex material stacks, utilizing them as transparent electrodes for electrochromic materials. In the discussed paper, we also investigate their potential as low-emissivity coatings for thermochromic stacks, highlighting their multifunctional role in enhancing the performance of thermochromic stacks for window panes. Our work within this project is part of a broader, coordinated effort to understand and optimize these materials through theoretical and experimental approaches.

 

What Excites Me About This Research

Working in the field of energy materials is incredibly rewarding, as it allows me to contribute—however modestly—to addressing pressing global challenges. I find great satisfaction in working on abstract physical concepts that have tangible real-world applications. From a scientific perspective, one of the most exciting aspects of this work is the ability to explore complex physical interactions within heterostructure coatings, shaped by both material composition and morphological features. One of the central challenges in our field lies in reconciling two typically opposing properties: electrical conductivity and optical transparency. This trade-off is clearly illustrated by the contrasting behavior of metals, which are excellent conductors but optically opaque, and dielectrics, which are often transparent but insulating. Our research leverages computational modeling to gain deeper insights into these interactions, providing a cost-effective means of understanding their behavior at a fundamental level and paving the way for material-efficient application designs. The coupling of multiple physical phenomena within these materials also opens up fascinating discussions and challenges, making the research both stimulating and impactful.

 

The Challenges We Face

One of the most challenging aspects of this work lies in interpreting and comparing simulation results with experimental data and existing literature. Ensuring that our models accurately capture the intricate behaviors of these materials requires a careful balance of theoretical insight and empirical validation. Overcoming these challenges is an integral part of the scientist’s work, pushing us to refine our approaches and deepen our understanding of the physical mechanisms at play. Of course, these challenges are not just obstacles but the very essence of scientific research—they fuel our curiosity, drive our passion, and push us to expand, even marginally, the boundaries of human knowledge.

 

What’s Next?

As part of my ongoing PhD research, I will continue exploring additional physical mechanisms within these materials, with a particular focus on their thermal emissivity properties, a subset of phenomena related to the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiations. This aligns with the perspectives outlined in our recent publication, where we discuss strategies for optimizing the balance between optical transparency and electrical conductivity. After completing my PhD, I intend to continue conducting research and will therefore be looking for postdoctoral opportunities to further develop my expertise in this area.

Editor’s Choice collection: Ryan Richards

Professor Ryan Richards (Colorado School of Mines & NREL, USA) Associate Editor for RSC Applied Interfaces is delighted to share with you some of his top research highlights published in the journal so far.

 

Read the collection

 

Loosely based on a catalysis theme, here are a selection of the papers he has chosen:

 

Exploring the influence of mesoporosity in hard carbon-templated hierarchical SAPO-5 for ethanol dehydration

Matthew E. Potter, Evangeline B. McShane, Nienke L. Visser, Johannes D. Meeldijk, Lisa J. Allen, Stephen M. King, Marina Carravetta, Petra E. de Jongh, Bart D. Vandegehuchte and Robert Raja

 

 

Evaluating the electronic structure and stability of epitaxially grown Sr-doped LaFeO3 perovskite alkaline O2 evolution model electrocatalysts

Chuanmu Tian, Clément Maheu, Xiaochun Huang, Freddy E. Oropeza, Márton Major, Joachim Brötz, Marcus Einert, Wolfgang Donner, Kelvin Hongliang Zhang and Jan P. Hofmann

 

Reaction intermediates recognized by in situ FTIR spectroscopy in CO2 hydrogenation over the Cu/ZnO/SPP-zeolite catalyst

Xiaolong Liu, Guangying Fu, Qiaolin Lang, Ruiqin Ding, Qiangsheng Guo, Ke Liang, Shuman Gao, Xiaobo Yang and Bing Yu

 

 

 

 

Ryan also shared a video earlier this year discussing a paper by Liyong Ding and Juncheng Hu et al on the construction of a hierarchical heterojunction for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution:

 

Find out more about Ryan Richards

Ryan M. Richards is a Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science at the Colorado School of Mines (Mines) and holds a joint appointment at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) both in Golden, Colorado USA. Additionally, Prof. Richards is the Mines lead for the Mines/NREL Nexus which coordinates, facilitates and promotes all joint activities and appointments. Prof. Richards received his BS from Michigan State University, MS from Central Michigan University and PhD from Kansas State University. During his PhD studies, he was a visiting scientist at the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis in Novosibirsk, Russia. From 2000-2002 he was a Max Planck Fellow at the Max Planck Institute für Kohlenforschung in Mülheim, Germany. In 2002 Ryan joined the International University of Bremen (now Constructor University) then joined Mines in 2007. Prof. Richards has received numerous awards throughout his career including being selected as a Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS), Mines Faculty Senate Distinguished Lecturer, ACS Nanoscience Chair and ACS International Affairs Committee (ACS liaison to Nigeria and South Africa). Prof. Richards was accepted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in November 2023.

Research in the Richards group is focused on new synthetic methods to control the size, shape and composition of nanoscale materials and apply them in systems integral to alternative energy technologies, pharmaceuticals, biomass upgrading, batteries, and environmental remediation.

 

Discover some of Ryan’s research published in RSC journals:

Light-driven interfaces for PFAS detection and destruction

Frank R. A. Schrama, Scott E. Massimi, Michael R. Dooley, Brian G. Trewyn, Shubham Vyas and Ryan M. Richards

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024, 1, 833-845. DOI: 10.1039/D4LF00171K

 

A microwave assisted ionic liquid route to prepare bivalent Mn5O8 nanoplates for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural oxidation

Lifang Chen, Ting Zhang, Hongye Cheng, Ryan M. Richards and Zhiwen Qi

Nanoscale, 2020, 12, 17902-17914. DOI: 10.1039/D0NR04738D

 


RSC Applied Interfaces

Offers you a dedicated, interdisciplinary home for articles that highlight the impact of applied interfacial and surface research.

Find out more about RSC Applied Interfaces by visiting our webpage or contacting our Editorial Office by email.

Make sure you never miss an update – sign up for our e-alerts and follow us on X, Bluesky and LinkedIn.

Editor’s Choice collection: Jianbin Huang

Professor Jianbin Huang (Peking University, China) Associate Editor for RSC Applied Interfaces is delighted to share with you some of his top research highlights published in the journal so far.

 

Read the collection

 

Loosely connected to his soft materials expertise, here are a selection of the papers he has chosen:

 

A multifunctional organogel for constructing artificial light harvesting systems with excellent energy transfer efficiency

Xinxian Ma, Jiahong Tang, Tianqi Ren, Jiali Zhang, Yuehua Liang, Jiuzhi Wei and Enke Feng

 

 

 

 

Investigation into the adhesion properties of PFAS on model surfaces

Jack Welchert, McKenna Dunmyer, Lynn Carroll, Irbis Martinez, Trisha J. Lane, Daniel A. Bellido-Aguilar, Suchol Savagatrup and Vasiliki Karanikola

 

 

Enhancement of replacement lithography by combination of photocleavable groups with ultrashort thiolates

Christian Fischer, Florian Born and Andreas Terfort

 

 

 

Jianbin also shared a video earlier this year discussing a paper by Yaxun Fan and Yilin Wang et al. on surfactant mixed systems:

 

Find out more about Jianbin Huang

Jianbin Huang is a Professor and Chief of surfactant and colloid research and development at Peking University. He is interested in the physical chemistry of surfactants, especially in mixed surfactant systems. His group mainly focuses on molecular organized assemblies in aqueous solutions, such as vesicles or micelles, and the formation, molecular structures and phase behaviours of amphiphilic systems. Professor Huang has published over 180 articles in international and Chinese academic journals.

 

Discover some of Jianbin’s research published in RSC journals:

Cyclodextrin-catalyzed self-assembly of a coordinating fluorescent molecule into microflowers

Ting Gu, Jianbin Huang and Yun Yan

Soft Matter, 2022, 18, 4372-4377. DOI: 10.1039/ D2SM00462C

 

White emission thin films based on rationally designed supramolecular coordination polymers

Jinghui Yang, Yun Yan, Yonghai Hui and Jianbin Huang

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2017, 5, 5083-5089. DOI: 10.1039/ C7TC01429E

 


RSC Applied Interfaces

Offers you a dedicated, interdisciplinary home for articles that highlight the impact of applied interfacial and surface research.

Find out more about RSC Applied Interfaces by visiting our webpage or contacting our Editorial Office by email.

Make sure you never miss an update – sign up for our e-alerts and follow us on X, Bluesky and LinkedIn.

 

Celebrating Women in Chemistry Conference and Careers Event at University of Nottingham

On 7 March, in celebration of International Women’s Day, the 2025 ‘Celebrating Women in Chemistry Conference and Careers Event’ was held at the Trent Building in the University Park Campus of University of Nottingham.

Committee and Event History

Group photo of the Women in STEM Group at the University of Nottingham.Originally founded by three PhD students, the Women in STEM Group at the University of Nottingham now consists of eleven members and its annual event has developed into a large celebration of women in STEM, with over 150 attendees attending its latest instalment.

This year’s event featured a diverse range of activities, including talks on inclusion and diversity, career insights, a discussion panel and multiple opportunities to network with fellow researchers and invited companies.

TalksPhoto of speaker Dara O'Brien.

Dara O’Brien, one of the event’s co-founders,  delivered the welcome remarks, and shared further insight into the event’s purpose: bringing together the scientific community to celebrate women in STEM. The Breaking the Barriers report, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, served as one of the key motivations for organizing this event.

Photo of speaker Andy Nortcliffe giving Introduction to Allyship.

Andy Nortcliffe gave an introduction to allyship, outlining practical ways individuals can become effective and active allies across STEM, helping to foster a diverse and inclusive STEM environment.

Photo of career talk by Laura Mason.

Throughout the event, seven speakers (see full line-up here) shared their career journeys as women in STEM. A diverse range of careers across various industries—including academia, industry, patent law and consumer goods development—were showcased, highlighting the endless possibilities for women in science. Speakers also shared personal experiences, discussing the challenges they faced, particularly as women in STEM, while emphasizing the importance of the allyship and support they’ve received along the way.

Photo of 3-minute thesis talk.

PhD students, regardless of gender, were given the opportunity to present their research at the event in the style of a 3-minute thesis competition. Big congratulations to the prize winners Celia Rocton and Alexandra Brochoire.

Photo of poster stalls.

Alongside this, PhDs and postdocs presented posters of their research in a poster competition, with prizes awarded to Jasmina Silmemaj, Neda Jeddi, Isabel Wood.

Photo of Panel discussion, from left to right: Charlotte Crowhurst, Dara O'Brien, Anabel Lanterna, Mickella Dawkins.

A highlight of the event was a panel discussion featuring four of the speakers (from left to right: Charlotte Crowhurst, Dara O’Brien, Anabel Lanterna, Mickella Dawkins). The audience were invited to submit real-time questions, and panel experts offered their insight and advice on these issues of interest. This led to in-depth discussion about work-life balance, challenges of women in STEM (and career progression), imposter syndrome and more.

Career stalls and networking

Photo of stalls.

Throughout the event, during lunch and break sessions, delegates were able to network with various companies and find out about career opportunities.

Photo of RSC stand.

The Royal Society of Chemistry was proudly represented at this event, offering resources on inclusion and diversity. At our stand, attendees  had the opportunity to learn more about our efforts to promote access to and inclusion in the chemical sciences. We also provided information on academic journals, publishing career opportunities, and the latest research in chemistry, further supporting the growth and advancement of individuals in STEM.

Outlook

This fully inclusive event provided a supportive environment for young researchers, fostering stimulating debate on gender equality and diversity within the scientific community, while celebrating the outstanding science being conducted at the University of Nottingham, by its alumni, and beyond.

We’d like to extend our thanks to the event organizers for inviting us to this wonderful occasion. Events like these play a crucial role in creating a sense of belonging in the chemical sciences. We hope that you have enjoyed reading about this impactful conference.

 

Hear from our authors: Inbar Anconina and Diana Golodnitsky

RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Inbar Anconina and Diana Golodnitsky at Tel Aviv University, Israel, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘Electrophoretically deposited artificial cathode electrolyte interphase for improved performance of NMC622 at high voltage operation’.

Discover the full article here

Electrophoretically deposited artificial cathode electrolyte interphase for improved performance of NMC622 at high voltage operation
Inbar Anconina and Diana Golodnitsky
RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2025, 2, 261-278. DOI: 10.1039/D4LF00319E

 

 

 

 

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Hear from our author: Raz Jelinek

RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Professor Raz Jelinek at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘High-performance functionalized anthracene organic supercapacitors‘.

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Hear from our authors: Ranjana Venugopal

RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Ranjana Venugopal at CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), India, as they discuss their recently published article entitled Electrochromic properties of MnO2/WO3 bilayered electrodes for enhanced charge storage and superior stability’.

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Hear from our authors: Monalisa Mukherjee, Radhika Chaurasia and Omnarayan Agrawal

RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Monalisa Mukherjee, Radhika Chaurasia and Omnarayan Agrawal at Amity University, India, as they discuss their recently published article entitled Propene-bridged cyanurate tetramers decorated on carbon nanosheets with antibacterial activity: insights from molecular modeling and in vitro studies.

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Hear from our authors: Zhilu Liu, Wei Li and Song Li

RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from the research team led by Associate Professor Song Li from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, as they provide insight into their recently published article entitled High-efficiency prediction of water adsorption performance of porous adsorbents by lattice grand canonical Monte Carlo molecular simulation.

Discover the full article here

GA for article D4LF00354C.High-efficiency prediction of water adsorption performance of porous adsorbents by lattice grand canonical Monte Carlo molecular simulation
Zhilu Liu, Wei Li and Song Li

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2025, 2, 230-242, DOI: 10.1039/D4LF00354C

 

 

 

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