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Papers by the community
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Enzymes are naturally occurring molecules that act as biological catalysts, enabling chemical reactions essential for life without being consumed in the process. In the realm of technology, they can be used to produce sensors and catalysts. One way to facilitate this application is through the production of enzymatic nanoflowers—flower-shaped particles that combine enzymes with inorganic elements. In this nanomaterial, the flower’s “petals” provide a large surface area for catalytic activity to occur. However, integrating these nanoflowers into electronic devices still presents challenges. Recent research conducted entirely at UNIFESP has taken a significant step forward in this area. Using low-cost techniques, the researchers successfully incorporated nanoflowers composed of the enzyme urease and copper ions into a thin polymer film. The material demonstrated good stability and catalytic activity. This work opens up possibilities for developing miniaturized, reusable devices capable, for instance, of monitoring urea levels in biological samples, soil, and wastewater. Go to the paper.
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An international scientific team led by researchers from UNESP has achieved another breakthrough in optimizing perovskite solar cells. These devices consist of layers of different materials that can be arranged in various configurations. Among them, the inverted planar architecture offers several advantages: greater stability, compatibility with flexible substrates, and ease of integration into tandem cells—which achieve the highest possible efficiencies by stacking multiple solar cells on top of one another. In this new study, the authors developed a material capable of enhancing the performance of inverted planar perovskite solar cells. The material combines a film of the polymer polyethyleneimine—an insulator—with nanoparticles of a two-dimensional material from the MXenes class, known for their high conductivity. The new material was tested at the interface between the electron transport layer and the metal cathode. Tests demonstrated that the use of MXenes improved interface properties, significantly increasing solar cell efficiency compared to the pure polymer. In addition to scientists from UNESP-Bauru, the study involved researchers from UTFPR, ITA, and the Brazilian applied research center Oninn, as well as collaborators from the Swiss institutions Empa and EPFL. Go to the paper.
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Research conducted by scientists from UFSCar and USP presents a new approach to developing more efficient gas sensors. Initially, the authors produced a sensor based on a zinc oxide film containing a tiny amount of cobalt. The material was tested for the detection of ozone, a gas classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a major pollutant when it accumulates in the lower atmosphere. Using photoluminescence spectroscopy, the scientists observed that, upon excitation, the sensor produced an intense blue light emission; this emission was linked to a specific type of defect in the material, which in turn was associated with improved ozone adsorption. In other words, the authors correlated the blue luminescence measurement with the sensor’s efficiency. Based on this method, the team employed defect engineering to increase the sensor’s response to ozone by a factor of 37. The study opens up possibilities for using luminescence measurements to optimize gas sensors. Go to the paper.
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Community news
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The Nanomedicine and Nanotoxicology Group at the São Carlos Institute of Physics (GNano/IFSC-USP), coordinated by the B-MRS member Valtencir Zucolotto, won first place in the “17th Octavio Frias de Oliveira Award” in the “Technological Innovation in Oncology” category. The award, which seeks to encourage the generation of knowledge regarding cancer prevention and treatment in Brazil, has been presented since 2010 by the Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo (ICESP) in partnership with the Folha de São Paulo newspaper. The winning work by GNano opens up new possibilities for treating glioblastoma—one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain tumors. Currently, treatment involves the oral administration of the chemotherapy drug temozolomide, a method that causes severe adverse effects. In this new study, published in December 2024 in the scientific journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, GNano researchers and their collaborators developed biodegradable, biomimetic nanoparticles capable of carrying the chemotherapy drug and releasing it directly into the brain following nasal administration. This new route allows for lower drug doses and concentrates the drug’s action on cancer cells, thereby reducing side effects. The paper’s lead author, researcher Natália Noronha Ferreira, received the award on August 12 at the ICESP auditorium in São Paulo.
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Professor Luciana Reyes Pires Kassab, a member of the Advisory Board of B-MRS, has now joined the editorial board of Plasmonics (Springer Nature) as an Associate Editor. The journal is dedicated to advances in the field of plasmons and their applications. On the “From the Editors” blog, Springer Nature interviewed the researcher, who shared her expectations regarding her work with the journal and highlighted the opportunity for the Brazilian community to publish in open access format, thanks to the agreement signed between CAPES and Springer Nature. Luciana Kassab holds a bachelor’s degree in Physics from PUC-SP and a master’s and a doctorate in Physics from USP. She has been a faculty member at the São Paulo Faculty of Technology (Fatec São Paulo) since 1992 and a member of the institution’s Scientific and Technological Research Coordination Office since 2004. She served as Director of Fatec São Paulo from 2006 to 2017. Since 2018, she has been a member of the Institutional Committee for Scientific and Technological Initiation at the Paula Souza State Center for Technological Education (CEETEPS), a São Paulo state government agency that manages technical schools and colleges of technology. For decades, she has conducted research on advanced photonic materials and plasmonic effects.
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XXIV B-MRS Meeting
Curitiba (state of Paraná), September 27 to October 1st, 2026
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Registration. The registration fee for the XXIV B-MRS Meeting can be paid at the “regular registration” rate until September 8. Please check the rates by category and the special rates for active B-MRS members, here.
Kids playroom. The event will provide a supervised area at the convention center, at no extra cost, for participants’ children aged 3 to 10. To use this service, it is necessary to fill out this form.
Program. Program at a glance is available here.
Short courses. This edition of the event features 10 exclusive short courses for participants at no additional cost. The short courses will be held on September 27 (Sunday) at the convention center. Each registered participant may sign up for one (1) short course—subject to availability—by accessing the event system and clicking on the “Add/Edit Activities” tab. See the list of short courses.
Accommodation. We have provided a list with some hotel options in Curitiba, here.
Venue. The event will be held at the Cruzeiro do Sul Conecta Convention Center (formerly UP Experience), located on the Universidade Positivo campus in Curitiba. Address: Rua Prof. Pedro Viriato Parigot de Souza, 5300.
Plenary lectures. See the names of the renowned scientists from Australia, Brazil, Spain, Sweden, and the United States who will deliver plenary lectures at the event, here.
Chairs. The chairs of this edition are Prof. Gregório Couto Faria (IFSC-USP) and Prof. Paula Cristina Rodrigues (UTFPR).
FAQ. If you have questions about the event, please consult the frequently asked questions ou write to 24encontro@sbpmat.org.br.
ATTENTION: The XXIV B-MRS Meeting does NOT have an authorized travel agency. Protect yourself against scams and fraud. |
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Opportunities
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– Call for research and innovation proposals in raw materials for the green transition for consortia that include researchers from São Paulo and the European Union. Submission of pre-proposals is open until September 22nd. Learn more.
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If you wish to publicize opportunities in the materials area, write to comunicacao@sbpmat.org.br.
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Upcoming events
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– UK Symposium on Materials for Sustainability 2026 (UK-SMS 2026). Keele (UK). September 14 – 15, 2026. Site.
– XXIV B-MRS Meeting. Curitiba (Brazil). September 27 – October 1st, 2026. Site.
– 12th International Workshop on High Resolution Depth Profiling. Bento Gonçalves (Brazil). October 5 – 9, 2026. Site.
– XIII Latin American Workshop on Magnetism, Magnetic Materials and their Applications (XIII LAW3M). Natal (Brazil). October 19 – 23, 2026. Site.
– 26º Congresso Brasileiro de Engenharia e Ciência dos Materiais (CBECIMAT 26). Florianópolis (Brazil). November 22 – 26, 2026. Site.
– 13th International Conference of the African Materials Research Society (AMRS 2026). Nairobi (Kenya). December 5 – 10, 2026. Site.
– II Reunião de Usuários de Nêutrons (II RUN). São Paulo (Brazil). January 26 – 28, 2027. Site.
– Materials for Sustainable Development Conference – Latin América (MATSUS-LATAM27). Cartagena de Indias (Colombia). February 1º – 3, 2027. Site.
– XXV B-MRS Meeting. Fortaleza (Brazil). September 12 – 16, 2027.
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If you wish to publicize materials science events, write to comunicacao@sbpmat.org.br.
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