Online Lecture by Professor Hugo Águas of NOVA University Lisbon

The Department of Public and International Relations of Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU) is organizing an online lecture by Professor Hugo Águas of NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal, entitled:

“Explosive Oxidation-Driven Sintering of Silicon Nanoparticles”

The lecture will take place on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 11:00 (Greece time) via Zoom.

Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
Time: 11:00 Greece time (10:00 CET)
Format: Online via Zoom
Free registration: https://forms.gle/bYKQCv2G9BQQpUA79

Lecture Topic

Materials processing through exothermic reactions is a well-established approach, primarily through combustion synthesis. Although the explosive oxidation of silicon (Si) is a highly exothermic and well-studied reaction, its use as a standalone method for materials fabrication has not been explored to date.

The lecture presents, for the first time, the sintering of silicon nanoparticles into functional porous polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si), achieved exclusively through the material’s intrinsic energetic reaction, without external heating or a dedicated oxidizing atmosphere. Silicon nanoparticles with an initial diameter of 3 nm are synthesized using non-thermal plasma, deposited onto metallic grids and substrates, and a single laser pulse triggers a self-propagating wave of explosive oxidation. The localized heat sinters neighboring nanoparticles into larger, interconnected crystalline grains.

Two controllable morphologies are obtained: a branch-like structure and a sponge-like macroporous structure, with grain size increasing by factors of 9 and 15, respectively, while local crystallinity increases from approximately 70% to approximately 95%. The method is a one-step, self-sustaining, nearly instantaneous, reproducible process that is scalable to areas on the order of cm², with promising applications in lithium-ion battery anodes.

Target Audience

The lecture is addressed to faculty members, researchers, PhD candidates, postgraduate and undergraduate students, as well as anyone interested in the fields of materials science, nanotechnology, physics, chemistry and energy storage.

The lecture will be delivered in English. The Zoom access link will be sent to registered participants.

Information:
Kostas Petridis
cpetridis@hmu.gr