My name is Kevin Synnatschke. I am a group leader in Prof. Xinliang Feng’s group at Dresden University of Technology, TUD, and I act as deputy for our activities within the 2D-PRINTABLE consortium. My work bridges exfoliation, ink formulation and thin-film processing for functional 2D nanomaterials.
What was your original motivation to become a researcher?
I was drawn to research by the combination of curiosity-driven problem-solving and tangible impact. I enjoy developing new methods that reveal fundamental material properties and looking for unifying principles across material systems that lead to new insights. My goal is to translate those insights into technologies that address real-world problems. Working at the interface of chemistry, materials science (and, recently also engineering) allows me to pursue both fundamental science and practical applications. What motivates me to stay in science is the constant opportunity to face new challenges, which fosters continuous growth and keeps the work exciting and rewarding.
What is your (main) research area today?
My research focuses on intercalation chemistry as a tool to tune the properties of layered nanomaterials. Recently, we have placed particular emphasis on controlling their optical and magnetic behaviour. At the same time, insights from the intercalation behaviour allow us to modulate van der Waals interactions, enabling more efficient exfoliation. Building on this, my team works on tailoring the lateral size, thickness, and aspect ratio of nanosheets during exfoliation. We also investigate deposition techniques in greater detail to control film morphology, with the goal of optimising device-relevant performance.
What is the main objective of your team in 2D-PRINTABLE?
Our focus is on ink formulation and thin film processing with morphology control. This includes producing stable, application-ready 2D inks and reproducible thin films whose nanoscale morphology (flake size, packing, interflake junctions) is optimised for electrical and optoelectronic device performance.
What expertise and facilities does your team have to meet those objectives?
We have extensive expertise in liquid-phase and electrochemical exfoliation, intercalation chemistry, and several film processing strategies (dropcasting, spray/aerosol approaches, interfacial transfer). Our facility suite includes AFM for morphological analysis, optical spectroscopy, electrical characterisation tools, gloveboxes for air-sensitive processing and electron microscopy for analysis during ink development and thin film processing.
Which aspects of your research at 2D-PRINTABLE do you believe are the most innovative and what unique opportunities offer 2D-PRINTABLE to yourself and/or your organisation?
The most innovative aspect of 2D-PRINTABLE is the truly systematic and collaborative approach across disciplines. Rather than relying on isolated proof-of-concept studies, the consortium integrates theory, synthesis, processing, and device fabrication in a structured workflow. For example, theorists screen a vast number of candidate materials to identify the most promising systems. These predictions are then tested experimentally for exfoliability, colloidal stability, and environmental robustness. Based on these insights, we probe film properties in detail and move towards device integration. This well-coordinated, top-down approach, where material discovery, processing, and device testing are tightly coupled, has not been demonstrated in this form before.
For me personally, the unique opportunity lies in working closely with international experts across theory, exfoliation, characterisation, and device engineering. This environment allows rapid iteration between modelling, synthesis, and applications, creating a feedback loop that accelerates progress well beyond what would be possible in a single lab.
How do you see the future use of the 2D-PRINTABLE results and the impact of 2D-PRINTABLE project in our daily lives?
The results from 2D-PRINTABLE have the potential to open the door to a new generation of low-cost, flexible, and highly sensitive printed technologies. We envision applications ranging from wearable patches for continuous health monitoring, to flexible environmental sensors capable of detecting air quality, toxic gases, or humidity, and even to smart packaging that reveals spoilage or temperature abuse. Beyond sensing, the project could also enable affordable printed photonic and optoelectronic components for lighting and communication, as well as on-demand printed electronics for rapid prototyping, personalised medical devices, or educational tools.
What makes these opportunities realistic is the systematic approach that underpins 2D-PRINTABLE: material screening, scalable ink production, precise control of film morphology, and the ability to program material properties through targeted functionalisation. Together, these elements provide a path to move from isolated laboratory demonstrations to widely deployable systems, making it possible to bring lab-grade performance into technologies that directly affect our everyday life.
