Symposium coordination at ECerS 2027
Funceramics is deeply involved in organizing the S8 Symposium: Functional Ceramics, which will be held as part of the 20th Conference and Exhibition of the European Ceramic Society, ECerS 2027, in Valencia, Spain, from June 27 to July 1, 2027. The symposium will provide a forum for presenting and discussing the latest advances in functional ceramic materials, from fundamental understanding and innovative processing to characterization, modelling, device integration and emerging applications. Abstract submission is already open (deadline scheduled for 15 December 2026!). Click here for full conference details.
Exploring the Art of Ceramics
Members of Funceramics attended a ceramics wheel workshop at the Moncloa School of Ceramics in Madrid, where they had the opportunity to learn basic pottery techniques and experience the creative process of ceramic making. The activity also provided a space to connect with colleagues, share experiences, and enjoy a unique hands-on learning experience.
ESR FORUM
Our colleague Ana Castellanos-Aliaga participated in the 2026 RSC Protein and Peptide Science Group (PPSG) Early Stage Researcher Meeting held in Bath, UK. Ana presented new results on decoding peptide-driven selectivity at metal oxide interfaces, arising from a fruitful collaboration with Professor Sofia Pascu's group in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Bath. The work also benefited from Ana's research stay at the University of Bath, which provided an excellent opportunity to advance the project and strengthen scientific ties between both groups.
Scientific MISSION
As part of the HOPES project (PID2024-1576690B-I00), our colleague Laura San Miguel successfully completed a five-week research stay at the laboratories of TU Graz and TU Wien in Austria. During her visit, she focused on the processing and characterization of high-porosity lead-free piezoelectric ceramics.
OPEN DOORS Day
Students from CEIP Vicente Aleixandre visited the facilities of Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio (ICV), where members of Funceramics joined an engaging science outreach day, showcasing some of the most innovative applications of ceramic and glass materials to young learners.
SYMPOSIUM organization
Teammate Carlos Gumiel co-organizes a symposium on Functional Ceramics for Advanced Electronics at the LX SECV Conference, to be held in Córdoba from September 15 to 18, 2026. Click here for full conference details.
PROJECT granted
Team mates Ana Castellanos-Aliaga and David G. Calatayud awarded by with one of the Sustainable Laboratories Grants of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The project aims to create an open-access database, GreenSynDB, which will score synthetic methods by sustainability metrics and feature searchable tools, visual labels, and benchmarking dashboards to help researchers make informed decisions.
SCIENCE FOR EQUALITY AND INCLUSION
Members of Funceramics take part in the Science in the Neighborhood outreach program, an initiative aimed at showing that science is accessible to everyone while highlighting diverse and inspiring scientific role models. During the event held at CEPA Vista Alegre, participants enjoyed hands-on workshops on ferrofluids, electric vehicles, 3D printing, and fiberglass materials.
STEM outreach activities
Students and teachers from IES Virgen de la Paloma, enrolled in the Advanced Vocational Training Program in Quality Analysis and Control, visited the ICV laboratories to learn about electron microscopy, mechanical characterization, X-ray diffraction and fluorescence, thermal analysis, and other advanced techniques. The visit also included a talk on career opportunities after completing the program, delivered by our colleague Isabel Salmean.
END OF DEGREE TRAINING
Chemical Engineering students Bruno Prieto (left) and Hugo de la Fuente (right) have joined the team to undertake their final-year projects, working on the development of functional inorganic platforms and the production of ceramic composites with photocatalytic applications, respectively.
Celebrating SCIENTIFIC TALENT
Our colleague Teresa Jardiel served as a member of the technical panel at the 2nd Congress on Excellence in High School Education, organized by the Community of Madrid. It was an inspiring event that showcased the talent, creativity, and enormous potential of the young people entering the world of science.
OUTREACH: Educational visit to ICV labs
Ninth-grade students from IES Calderón de la Barca (Pinto, Madrid) participated in a training session on the applications of ceramics and glass. The visit included an informative lecture and several hands-on workshops—on the fracture quality of plates, electron microscopy, applications of glass and ceramics, and glass casting—led by researchers and technical staff of ICV and Funceramics.
PUBLICATION: ApJS
Assessing the effects of composition and surface roughness on the photopolarimetric response of planetary regoliths
F.J. García-Izquierdo, E. Frattin, J. Martikainen, O. Muñoz, A. Alvarez-Candal, F. Moreno, M. Passas-Varo, J.C. Gómez Martín, T. Jardiel, M. Peiteado, A.C. Caballero, G. Videen, J. Markkanen, A. Penttilä, K. Muinonen
The AStrophysical Journal Supplement Seires 282:49 (2026)
DOI: 10.3847/1538-4365/ae2d08
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
F.J. García-Izquierdo, E. Frattin, J. Martikainen, O. Muñoz, A. Alvarez-Candal, F. Moreno, M. Passas-Varo, J.C. Gómez Martín, T. Jardiel, M. Peiteado, A.C. Caballero, G. Videen, J. Markkanen, A. Penttilä, K. Muinonen
The AStrophysical Journal Supplement Seires 282:49 (2026)
DOI: 10.3847/1538-4365/ae2d08
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
ILINK Project: Kick-off meeting
The ILINK25029 project has officially launched with its kick-off meeting in Madrid. The Consortium unites research groups from Slovenia (IJS), Austria (TU Graz), and the Czech Republic (FZU), all specializing in the development of lead-free piezoelectric ceramics for energy harvesting applications.
RECRUITMENT: New student in town
As part of a collaboration between Universidad Nebrija and the Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio, the student Marta Cama has joined Funceramics to pursue her doctoral thesis within a project focused on the development of lead-free perovskites with enhanced piezoelectric response.
OUTREACH: Visit to school
Funceramics joins the scientific outreach activities of the NIGHTMadrid project and visits IES San Fernando (Madrid) to introduce 2nd year secondary school students to current research in ceramics and glass. NIGHTMadrid is a project coordinated by the Madri+d Foundation and funded under the EU Horizon Europe programme, MSCA Grant Agreement No. 101.162.110.
SCIENCE and ART through Ceramics
Members of the team visit the Moncloa School of Ceramics in Madrid to get to know its facilities and experience first-hand the creative work being done in artistic ceramics. The visit also serve to share ideas, explore common interests, and lay teh groundwork for future collaborations.
RESEARCH PROJECT AWARDED
The team has been awarded a research project in the CSIC ILINK call for international collaboration actions. Led by Dr Teresa Jardiel, project MAPS (ILINK25029) aims at increasing the piezoelectric performance of lead-free perovskites and involves the participation of the FZU Institute of Physics in Prague (Czech Republic), the Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana (Slovenia) and the Graz University of Technology (Austria).
SCI COMM: XMas Science
Our colleague Teresa Jardiel participated in the CSIC X+ Christmas programme entitled La buena energía X+ (Good Energy X+), a travelling show that combines science and art through emotions and launches a website (csicxmas.com) with experiments, tips and scientific games to learn while having fun 365 days a year..
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
Team mate Ana Castellanos Aliaga completed a 3-month stay with Professor Sofia Pascu's group in the Chemistry Department at the University of Bath, UK. Coming up soon: promising new results on the role of peptide-mediated heterostructures in photocatalytic processes.
OUTREACH: Autumn at the House of Culture
Our colleague Marco Peiteado introduced the world of ceramics to the residents of Hoyo de Manzanares, a village in the northern mountains of Madrid. His talk was part of the 2025 autumn lecture series organized by the Hoyo Cultural Center and was held in connection with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Peña El Botijo.
YOUNG RESEARCHERS' MEETING: Universidad Nebrija
Funceramics took part in the second edition of the Jornadas de Jóvenes Investigadores de la Universidad Nebrija, organised by teammate Carlos Gumiel. The presentation “Quantifying the Carbon Footprint of a Thin Film Manufacturing Method for the Electronic Industry” delivered by former student Jacobo Castracane, was awarded first prize in the category of bachelor’s/master’s project disertations.
CONFERENCE MEETING: PHOTOCATALYSIS
As members of the OASIS Connection, of the CSIC Photocatalysis Hub, the team presents latest findings on the subject at the VIII National Meeting on Photocatalysis and II National InterPHOT Meeting, held at the Eduardo Torroja Institute of Construction Sciences in Madrid..
EXHIBITION: Exploring Mars
For two months, the traveling exhibition on the European project ROADMAP will be on display at the Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio (CSIC), inviting visitors to explore the secrets of Martian dust. The project involved the participation of Funceramics team and provided advance interdisciplinary knowledge of the Martian atmosphere.
PUBLICATION: Ceramics International
Substrate-film interfacial interaction in the fabrication of ZnO photocatalytic thin films via sol-gel and aqueous solution-gel CSD processing
L. San-Miguel, A. Castellanos-Aliaga, R. Codrón, D.G. Calatayud, A. Caballero, C. Gumiel, A.C. Caballero, T. Jardiel, M. Peiteado
Ceramics International 51 [25], 46865-46878 (2025)
DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.07.391
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
L. San-Miguel, A. Castellanos-Aliaga, R. Codrón, D.G. Calatayud, A. Caballero, C. Gumiel, A.C. Caballero, T. Jardiel, M. Peiteado
Ceramics International 51 [25], 46865-46878 (2025)
DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.07.391
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
PROJECT GRANTED
The Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities funds the 3-year project PID2024-157669OB-1OO entitled 'Holistic design of nanoscale heterogeneities in lead-free ceramic perovskites: Optimising piezoelectric performance by local structuring (HOPES)', to be led by our team mate Marco Peiteado.
STAFF RECRUITMENT: JAE Intro Student
In the framework of the CSIC Photocatalysis HUB, we have been awarded with an introductory research grant JAE Intro ICU 2024: Javier Dueñas joins the team to work on 'NaYF4:Yb,Tm@TiO2-x core-shell photocatalysts with increased absorption capacity under sunlight'. Supervision by teammate T. Jardiel and Dr M. Colomer of ICV-CSIC.
Master's degree completed
Young pupil Marta Cama has succesfully defended her Master's Thesis (TFM) with a research project focused on the development of ZnO-TiO2 photocatalytic heterostructures. Teammates Teresa Jardiel and David G. Calatayud supervised the investigation in the frame of her Master's degree in Applied Chemistry. Congrats to all!.
SCI-COMM: ERN 2025
Funceramics members participated in a new edition of the European Researchers' Night, held at the Espacio Fundación Telefónica in Madrid. It was an exciting day dedicated to science, innovation and open dialogue with school students and visitors of all ages, sparking their curiosity and interest in ceramic materials.
PUBLICATION: ChemPlusChem
From green to brown: Characterization of the fast alteration of modern greenish enamels in glass windows
T. Palomar, D.G. Calatayud, O. Mohamed, L. Maestro-Guijarro, M. Aparicio, J. Mosa, B. Koppermann, L. Seliger
ChemPlusChem 90 [9], e202500205 (2025)
DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202500205
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
T. Palomar, D.G. Calatayud, O. Mohamed, L. Maestro-Guijarro, M. Aparicio, J. Mosa, B. Koppermann, L. Seliger
ChemPlusChem 90 [9], e202500205 (2025)
DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202500205
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
CONFERENCE MEETING: ECERS 2025
M. Peiteado took the group's latest results to Dresden, where the 19th edition of the European Ceramic Society Congress, ECERS XIX, was held. He spoke about porous BCZT piezoceramics with photocatalytic performance, within the framework of a recently established line of research with the Graz University of Technology (AU) funded by a CSIC I-LINK+ grant.
PUBLICATION: Applied Sciences
Patterned Growth of Photocatalytic Heterostructures via a Biomimetic Molecular Recognition Approach Using Solid-Binding Peptides
A. Castellanos-Aliaga, L. San-Miguel, M. Cama, D.G. Calatayud, A.C. Caballero, T. Jardiel, M. Peiteado
Applied Sciences 15 [17], 9399 (2025)
DOI: 10.3390/app15179399
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
A. Castellanos-Aliaga, L. San-Miguel, M. Cama, D.G. Calatayud, A.C. Caballero, T. Jardiel, M. Peiteado
Applied Sciences 15 [17], 9399 (2025)
DOI: 10.3390/app15179399
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
ESR FORUM
Our colleague Ana Castellanos-Aliaga participates in the 2025 RSC Protein and Peptide Science Group (PPSG) Early Stage Researcher Meeting held in Birmingham, UK. Sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry, this dynamic event fosters education, collaboration and innovation in the field of protein and peptide research. Ana presented our latest findings on the use of peptides as promising water remediation tools, framed within SERENA TED2021-132779B-I00 project.
PHOTOCATALYSIS HUB
Team mates Ana Castellanos-Aliaga and Laura San-Miguel participate in the I Spanish Meeting of Young Researchers in Photocatalysis, two days of scientific exchange on photocatalysis research, held at the Alcoy Campus of the Polytechnic University of Valencia. The meeting is sponsored by the CSIC Connection OASIS and our two students presented latest results of SERENA TED2021-132779B-I00 project.
CONFERENCE MEETING
Electrocerámica XVII has come to a close after three splendid days in Pamplona, filled with engaging scientific discussions, inspiring presentations, and plenty of laughter and productive networking moments. Organized by SECV and CENER, and sponsored by The Government of Navarra. It’s always a pleasure to reconnect with familiar faces and welcome new ones, all united by a shared passion for functional ceramics. Hope to see you in the 2027 edition!
CONFERENCE MEETING
Team mates present latest findings of SERENA TED2021-132779B-I00 and HARENA TED2021-129876B-I00 projects at Electrocerámica XVII held in Pamplona from 25 to 27 June 2025.
Both projects are financed by MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union by NextGenerationEU/PRTR funds.
Both projects are financed by MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union by NextGenerationEU/PRTR funds.
TRAINING STAY
Ángela María Penna Muñoz, de la Universidad del Cauca, Popayán, Colombia, joins the team for a 3-month stay working on the elaboration of hydroxyapatite and keratin scaffolds for bio applications.
ONLINE PUBLICATION: ACS Omega
Rare earths-doped and ceria-coated strontium aluminate platelets─versatile luminescent platforms for correlated lifetime imaging by multiphoton FLIM and PLIM
D.G. Calatayud, M.V. Martín Arroyo, A.C. Caballero, M. Villegas, H. Ge, S.W. Botchway, S.I. Pascu, M. Peiteado, T. Jardiel
ACS Omega 2025
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.5c01649
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
D.G. Calatayud, M.V. Martín Arroyo, A.C. Caballero, M. Villegas, H. Ge, S.W. Botchway, S.I. Pascu, M. Peiteado, T. Jardiel
ACS Omega 2025
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.5c01649
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
Strengthening COOPERATION ties
In the framework of the ERASMUS + programme for research teaching staff, our team member Carlos Gumiel visited the Department of Engineering ‘Enzo Ferrari’ of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. He met with Cristina Siligardi, president of the Italian Ceramic Society, and also took the opportunity to give a seminar on thin film manufacturing techniques.
GRANT offer
We are looking for young students (Bachelor or Master degree) to apply for an INTROductory Research Grant (JAE INTRO program). Contact us (mpeiteado@icv.csic.es) if you are interested in working with hybrid photocatalysts for the production of green hydrogen.
PUBLICATION: Nanomaterials
Photocatalytic response of flash-lamp-annealed titanium oxide films produced by oblique-angle deposition
R. Gago, S. Prucnal, F.J. Palomares, L. Álvarez-Fraga, A. Castellanos-Aliaga, D.G. Calatayud
Nanomaterials 15 [9], 662 (2025)
DOI: 10.3390/nano15090662
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
R. Gago, S. Prucnal, F.J. Palomares, L. Álvarez-Fraga, A. Castellanos-Aliaga, D.G. Calatayud
Nanomaterials 15 [9], 662 (2025)
DOI: 10.3390/nano15090662
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATION
PLENARY LECTURE
Marco Peiteado participates in the Argentinean Congress of Physicochemistry and Inorganic Chemistry, XXIV CAFQI 2025, giving a virtual Semiplenary Conference on new approaches for sustainable processing of advanced ceramic materials..
OUTREACH: Science Fair
Carlos Gumiel participates in the Madrid Es Ciencia meeting at Feria Aula to speak the future university students about the key role of ceramic nanomaterials in the electronics industry.
