Complex Materials I

Summary:

Introduction to materials synthesis concepts based on the assembly of differently shaped objects of varying chemical nature and length scales.

Goals:

The aim is a) to learn how to design and create objects as building blocks with a particular shape and a defined recognition pattern, b) to understand the chemistry that allows for the creation of such hard and soft objects within a certain size range, and c) to master the concepts to assemble these objects into hierarchically structured materials.

Content:

The course is divided into two parts: I) synthesis of 0-, 1-, 2-, and 3-​dimensional building blocks with a length scale from nm to µm, and II) assembly of these building blocks into 1-, 2- and 3-​dimensional structures over several length scales up to cm.

In part I, various methodologies for the synthesis of the building blocks will be discussed, including Turkevich and Brust-​Schiffrin-method for gold nanoparticles, hot-​injection for semiconducting quantum dots, aqueous and nonaqueous sol-​gel chemistry for metal oxides, or gas-​and liquid-​phase routes to carbon nanostructures.

Part II is focused on self-​ and directed assembly methods that can be used to create higher order architectures from those building blocks connecting the microscopic with the macroscopic world. Examples include photonic crystals, nanocrystal solids, colloidal molecules, mesocrystals or particle-​based foams and aerogels.

Literature:

Lecture notes, references to original articles and reviews for further reading will be provided via Moodle. Registration of the course unit on myStudies is required for access.

Lecturers:

Prof. Dr. M. Niederberger, Dr. A. Lauria

Hours / Credit Points:

4 h / 5 CP

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