Nanoscopically Structured Functional Materials

Chaired by René Janssen and Rint Sijbesma
The prospect that nanoscopically structured organic molecules can be employed in advanced applications related to energy conversion & storage and in life and medical sciences, drives our research in the third program. Because the size of actual devices may go well beyond the nanometer dimension, ultimately, understanding and control on every length scale and at every interface is required to fully exploit the intrinsic functional properties of molecules and nanostructured materials in these applications. The key to future devices is to develop methods that scale self-assembly to nanometer resolution, while maintaining order at the macroscopic level. Undoubtedly, fascinating opportunities and challenges arise at the crossroads of molecular and bulk dimensions where organic chemistry, materials science, life sciences, and solid-state physics combine to create functional nanostructures and nanoassemblies.
The subprograms consist of:
3a. Solar cells and artificial photosynthesis
3b. Dynamic reciprocity in supramolecular biomaterials
3c. Interfacing the artificial and natural world
3d. Mechanofunctional materials