Grants for Basic Research for Gdańsk Tech Scientists

The MINIATURA competition enables activities in the field of basic research, regardless of their subject matter. Funding can be allocated, among others, for conducting preliminary research, scientific queries, or research trips.

Support under the program is available to researchers who have not previously been winners of NCN competitions and who obtained their PhD no earlier than 2013. An additional requirement is having at least one published scientific paper. Projects may last up to 12 months, and their budget should range from PLN 5,000 to PLN 50,000.

Projects from Gdańsk Tech that received funding in the latest round:

• PhD Eng. Daniel K. Pelczarski, Faculty of Applied Physics and Mathematics, Photon up-conversion process considering the triplet-triplet annihilation mechanism – research trip to a laboratory in Brisbane. Funding amount: PLN 49,610.

The planned research activity includes conducting specialized experiments at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane (Australia). The project aims to understand the dynamics and efficiency of converting low-energy photons into higher-energy light in systems where up-conversion occurs through the triplet-triplet annihilation mechanism (TTA-UC). This phenomenon may find applications in advanced solar energy conversion technologies such as photovoltaics, photocatalysis, or organic optoelectronics.

Research will be conducted on solid-phase systems with rubrene or tetracene as annihilators. Instead of typical phosphorescent sensitizers, modern materials will be used, including organic donor-acceptor systems, hybrid (perovskite) structures, quantum dots, and two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs). The results will contribute to a better understanding of the properties of materials forming TTA-UC systems and will enable the identification of solutions with the greatest application potential, as well as the development of strategies to increase conversion efficiency in solid-phase systems.

• PhD Eng. Aleksandra Mirowska, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology, Assessment of corrosion resistance of aluminum alloys with complex surface topographies using geometric surface structure parameter analysis. Funding amount: PLN 43,835.

The aim of the research is to identify statistically significant relationships between the surface topography of aluminum alloys and their electrochemical properties, which forms the basis for developing a predictive model for quantitatively forecasting corrosion resistance. Current knowledge does not provide clear indications of which topography parameters (among those defined in ISO 25178 and ISO 21920) correlate best with corrosion initiation and propagation, especially for surfaces with complex morphology resulting from modern manufacturing methods, such as 3D printing. Developing such relationships could become a universal tool supporting the design of materials and surfaces with high operational durability.

The project includes planned consultations and research at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm.

• PhD Eng. Maciej Haras, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Acetone sensor based on ZnO on µ-measurement platforms – comparative study of performance in passive and active modes. Funding amount: PLN 49,940.

In recent decades, µ-electronics have developed at a breathtaking pace: faster, more energy-efficient, and thousands of times smaller. However, further progress cannot rely solely on the miniaturization dictated by Moore's law. New materials are needed that introduce additional functions while remaining compatible with conventional technologies.

One such material is zinc oxide (ZnO). It is non-toxic, easy to produce, and can be fabricated and processed using the same equipment currently used in the semiconductor industry. Importantly, ZnO changes its electrical properties when exposed to various gas atmospheres. This makes it an excellent material for sensing applications.

The project focuses on using ZnO as a material to build a µ-acetone sensor. Two versions will be created: a passive version operating conventionally and an active version in which ZnO serves as the transistor channel. The second version is particularly attractive—I will explore how active operation affects sensitivity, output signal amplitude, sensor dynamics, and the sensor's energy consumption.

Both sensor versions will be fabricated on dedicated µ-platforms compatible with semiconductor industry production. A thin layer of ZnO will be deposited on these µ-platforms, after which the sensors will be tested under controlled conditions. Comparing both designs will show which one is more efficient, accurate, and energy-saving.

The project results will serve as a foundation for creating a much more complex device—an electronic “nose” capable of detecting several gases simultaneously. Such a system could find applications in medicine, as the composition of exhaled air can provide information about diseases such as diabetes, lung cancer, or asthma.

• PhD Eng. Beata Jackowska-Zduniak, Faculty of Applied Physics and Mathematics, Modeling the dynamics of action potential in the cardiac conduction system and cellular changes in the heart related to aging. Funding amount: PLN 49,940.

The aim of the work is to model the dynamics of heart cell populations taking into account their heterogeneous composition, particularly cardiomyocytes and stem cells. The model also includes the functioning of the cardiac conduction system, including the generation and conduction of electrical impulses, and its dependence on the age and cellular composition of the heart. The research aims to describe changes occurring in the myocardium in the context of regeneration and heart diseases.