The ERC Proof of Concept grant, worth €150,000, is awarded to projects that have previously received funding from the European Commission and aims to explore their commercial and technological viability. In this case, the new proof of concept derives directly from the ERC Advanced Grant project Mol-2D, also led by Coronado, which focuses on controlling and exploiting the properties of two-dimensional materials with advanced electronic characteristics using a molecular approach.

The new project, entitled Molecular 2D/Polymer-Based Memristors (Mol-2DMem), focuses on the development of memristors – electronic devices capable of combining memory and information processing within a single component. Unlike conventional chips, which separate these two functions, memristors allow information to be processed more efficiently and with significantly lower energy consumption.

“One of the major challenges of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things is the enormous amount of energy consumed by data processing. Memristors make it possible to process information where it is generated, without the need to continuously transfer it between memory and processor”, explains Eugenio Coronado.

The Valencian team’s approach is based on embedding two-dimensional materials, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), into molecular polymers containing mobile ionic species. This strategy gives rise to electrochemical memristors in which the controlled movement of ions allows the electrical response of the device to be reversibly regulated. The combination results in hybrid devices with adaptable electronic behaviour, capable of mimicking short-term synaptic responses similar to those of the human brain.

Thanks to this approach, the new memristors can act as key elements in neuromorphic computing systems, one of the most promising avenues for developing faster, more compact and more sustainable artificial intelligence. Potential applications include image recognition, biomedical signal processing and low-power smart sensors.

The ERC Proof of Concept project will enable progress from laboratory prototypes to devices that can be integrated into real electronic circuits, in collaboration with industrial partners. The aim is to validate their performance in environments close to real-world applications and to explore their potential transfer to the market.

Eugenio Coronado is professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Valencia and director of ICMol, a leading centre in molecular nanoscience and advanced materials. His research focuses on the chemical design and development of functional molecules and materials with innovative electronic and magnetic properties, with applications in quantum technologies, spintronics and information storage.

In 2025, professor Coronado was included in the list of the 100 most cited researchers in Spain and among the top 2% of the most cited scientists worldwide, according to the ranking compiled by Stanford University and published in PLOS Biology.