MESA+ Institute | University of Twente

REALIsING GRAND SOLUTIONS WITH THE EXTREMELY SMALL

At MESA+, we believe in realising grand solutions with the extremely small. We contribute to solving current and future societal challenges. We do this by using our fascination with the extremely small. We bring societal challenges inside and use our fascination to work on innovative and sustainable solutions. We focus on societal challenges in four application areas: Health, AgriFood & Water, Security, and Energy & Sustainability.

With our research, we contribute to a fair, sustainable and digital society.

Ground-breaking research

Embracing a cross-disciplinary approach and benefiting from the MESA+ NanoLab, over 500 researchers deliver high quality, frequently ground-breaking research. MESA+ actively seeks collaboration with external partners providing an excellent setting for consortium formation. Next to our excellent scientists and facilities, we offer a strong regional ecosystem that creates the breeding ground to let ideas blossom and grow to relevant, successful solutions and businesses.

News

Twente aims to become the chip design center of Europe

Europe wants to stand on its own two feet when it comes to chip design. The Dutch province of Twente can play a key role in this

Vidi funding for Jimmy Faria Albanese and Roelof Rietbroek

Two UT scientists have been awarded Vidi funding by the Dutch Research Council for Scientific Research (NWO). Dr Jimmy Faria Albanese, associate professor in the Catalytic Processes and Materials (CPM) department of the TNW faculty, is researching new catalytic materials and processes that can 'upcycle' plastics into value-added chemicals. Dr-Ing Roelof Rietbroek, assistant professor in the Water Resources (WRS) department of the ITC faculty, uses satellite observations to see how atmospheric transport of moisture and river discharge are changing the water cycle and sea level. With this contribution of 800,000 euros, they can develop their own innovative line of research and set up a research group in the coming five years.

'Dewatering' of biomaterials consuming far less energy

The biobased materials that will be used in industry more and more, have a major disadvantage: they mainly consist of water. Evaporating seems the most simple remedy, but this is very energy-inefficient: typically something you would like to avoid when making processes more sustainable. There are, however, other options that are driven by electricity and don’t have the need of warming the full volume of the material. Examples are hydrogels and membranes. In the project ELECTRIFIED, the University of Twente together with four other universities and eight companies, will explore these ‘electric dewatering’ technology. They expect to reach a decrease in energy consumption of 50 to 90 per cent.

Hybrid nanomaterials as powerhouses for miniature energy storage

The development of new electronics requires a search for materials with unprecedented properties. For example, for local electrical energy storage on a chip and very fast charge-discharge thereof, so-called miniaturized pulsed-power devices, special ferroelectric materials are being studied. Scientists of the Inorganic Materials Science group (MESA+ Institute, University of Twente) alternate thin layers of two materials, lead zirconate (PbZrO3 – PZ) and lanthanum-doped lead zirconate titanate (Pb0.9La0.1Zr0.52Ti0.48O3 – PL) and show that the favorable properties of both materials reinforce each other in a multilayer. In addition, the layering also ensures that the maximum voltage that can be applied is significantly higher. These factors result in a strongly enhanced recoverable energy-storage density (increased by a factor of 4 to 128.4 J/cm3) with high release efficiency (81.2%). Moreover, the multilayer films are very robust, even after many charging cycles. The results were recently published in the leading journal Advanced Energy Materials.

MESA+ Meeting 2022: lectures, awards and networking

Last week, on June 13th, this year’s MESA+ Meeting was held at the Kinepolis cinema in Enschede. After two years of restrictions due to the Covid pandemic, we were finally able to meet in person again. It was a joyous meeting, with much time for networking, sharing knowledge, showcasing research and programmes and improving cooperation between different research groups. The programme included lectures given by scientists of MESA+, internationally renowned scientists, networking- and parallel sessions, and of course, the MESA+ poster competition.

More news

Life as a PhD-student at MESA+

What is it like to be a PhD student at the MESA+ institute? Rosa Luca Bouwmeester's research focused on Topological insulators, a relatively new class of materials. ‘In close collaboration with other groups, we were able to think, and work, out of the box in order to take the research a decisive step further.’

Signing Ceremony MESA+ en IIS

MESA+ and the Institute of Industrial Science of the University of Tokyo expressed a convergence of will. On Monday 5 October 2020, both parties signed a 5-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). “This agreement further strengthens the collaboration of both institutions”, says Prof Dr Albert van den Berg, scientific director of MESA+.

Our NanoLab in 360°

MESA+ has a 1250 m2 state-of-the-art NanoLab which consists of a Cleanroom and Analysis facilities. Research on the nanometre scale needs a laboratory with extreme specifications. Any influencing effects from the environment, such as vibration and electromagnetic disturbances, are virtually non-existent. The environmental conditions inside the building are extremely stable. Discover our NanoLab in 360°!

Photo contest

The winner of the MESA+ photo contest of the first quarter of 2021 is Mohammed Hassan of the Multi Scale Mechanics (MSM) group, with this picture, titled, Uni-Axial Comppressed Particles.

MESA+ Meeting 2019 aftermovie

The MESA+ Meeting 2019 took place on september 30 in Kinepolis, Enschede. It was a day full of posters, lectures and meetings to form new ideas and connections. Watch the aftermovie to relive the MESA+ Meeting.