Smiley Project

SMILEY FP7 financed project (2012-2015) intended to apply a bio-inspired assembling/mineralization process (MIAO) to a wide number of macromolecular matrices with the purpose to generate new smart devices with application in several high-impact fields. During the whole duration of the project, Pollution, together with other national and international research centres and universities, has been focused on the selection and modification of natural polymers and fibres to create macromolecular matrices with designed properties.

The association of polymers with different hydrophilic ability enabled the synthesis of 3D constructs with ability to recover and manage the moisture, for application in healthcare as Heat Moisture Exchanger devices (HME). These materials, together with an innovative filter holder designed by Pollution, has allowed the group to obtain HME devices with unique features in terms of moisture and heat exchange, biodegradability, antibacterial effects and dead volume. These impressive results lead Pollution to apply for two patents within the project.

Further information regarding the project and the most relevant obtained results is available in the link below: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/106205_it.html