Erick Espíndola – ESR 3

Contact

erick.espindola@csic.es

About

Background

Erick Espíndola-Pérez obtained his B.Sc. in nanotechnology engineering, from the Western Institute of Technology and Higher Education in Mexico; where he worked on alumina thin-films and nanopores for DNA-sequencing. Later, he completed his M.Sc. in nanotechnology in the bio-oriented track, from the University of Twente, The Netherlands. During his master studies he developed biomimetic materials at TUDelft; and his thesis at Twente, delved on the creation of micro-droplet swimmers through autocatalysis, involving the fabrication of microfluidic devices and kinetics characterization.

In September 2021, he joined the STORM-BOTS Network as the ESR3. His work will be focused on 4D printing of multimaterial components and devices, at the University of Zaragoza, Spain; where he will pursue a PhD in physics.

Research Interests
Additive Manufacturing, Soft-Robotics, Liquid Crystals, Applied Physics

Research project: ESR 3 – Multimaterial 4D printed components and devices

4D printing successfully combines 3D printing and stimuli-responsive polymers offering unparalleled opportunities for the preparation of soft actuators that can transform the way soft robots are envisaged. In particular 4D printing of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) enables the preparation of structures with a precise control of the polymer morphology and therefore a precise programming of the mechanical response when the structure is exposed to the right stimulus. The additive character of 4D printing enables the preparation of multi-material components facilitating, for example the implementation of smart responsive multifunctional robots.

The ESR project targets the preparation of new printable materials responsive to different triggers, to create intelligent structures and devices. The potential of these smart responsive elements for applications in different sectors such as for example medicine will also be explored. The selected ESR will be hired by CSIC and will develop her/his activity at the Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory at INMA in Zaragoza (Spain) performing secondments in Technical University of Eindhoven. Preceyes and Holst Institute (TNO) in Eindhoven (The Netherlands) and in the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom).

PhD programme – University: Doctoral Programme in Physics – University of Zaragoza

Supervisors