About us:  The research team’s primary objective is to revolutionize the way we view traditional roads by developing smart roads with additional abilities. With the large surface area of paved roads, incorporating multifunctional capabilities can provide immense benefits to users. Not only do they possess excellent mechanical structures and surface properties that result from applying innovative capabilities, but they also have environmental advantages.

This research group is composed of a multidisciplinary team that combines expertise in materials physics and civil engineering. The responsible researcher (IR), Joaquim Carneiro (CF-UM-UP), and co-responsible researcher (co-IR), Elisabete Freitas (ISISE), lead this team.

Their flagship project, the NanoAir project, aims to develop innovative road pavements with multifunctional capacity, capable of de-polluting the surrounding air (especially in areas characterized by a high density urban network), such as NOx and SOx gases. Additionally, it promotes the photodegradation of organic compounds like oils and greases adsorbed on its surface, thus mitigating the reduction of friction caused by these compounds that may result in serious road accidents.