Professor Martens’ core expertise is in synthesis and application of functionalized nanoporous materials in catalysis, adsorption, molecular separation and controlled release. He contributed substantially to the understanding of molecular mechanisms of formation of structured nanoparticles, zeolites, ordered mesoporous materials and porous materials in general. He performed experiments under microgravity in the International Space Station, and combined advanced physico-chemical techniques to reveal the supramolecular assembly mechanisms of inorganic structures on organic sacrificial templates.