TEAM Project : ‘Self-assembly of functionalized inorganic-organic liquid crystalline hybrids for multifunctional nanomaterials’- supported by the Polish Foundation of Science

Project duration

Nov 1, 2010 – Dec 31, 2013

Discipline

chemistry and physics of hybrid materials

Head of the TEAM

prof. dr hab. Ewa Górecka

Location

Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw

Current Members of the TEAM Project *clic here*:

Concept and objectives

Main topic: Synthesis and characterization of new hybrid materials made from inorganic nanoparticles grafted with polyfunctional organic compounds, able to self-assemble into liquid crystalline structures.
Objective: Prepare self-organized multi-functional hybrid materials with programmed optical, dielectric, magnetic or multiferroic properties. 3D-metamaterials constitute our ultimate goal and will receive as such a special interest.
Impact: Development of scalable process for the preparation of new hybrid materials with potential applications in optics, electronics and magnetism.
The aim of this project is to develop novel approaches for the fabrication of self-organized materials for future photonic technologies. In particular, we are aiming to synthesize of inorganic/organic building blocks able to self-assemble into liquid crystalline (LC) structures and to investigate their photonic and electromagnetic properties for possible manipulation of optical fields. Nanosystems will be synthesized by grafting various inorganic nanoparticles, made of metals and metal oxides, with mesogenic molecules. These nano-objects will possess built-in multi-functionality, owing to the organic layer and inorganic core: for example, grafting luminescent or dipole ordered organic layer on metal particles should yield photo active, polar or conducting particle systems, with long range auto-organization. Moreover, the upper-level organization and/or the concomitant use of another complementary building block will favor the emergence of new properties or the enhancement of the existing ones because of collective or synergetic effects. This strategy – bottom-up self-organization of nanoparticles – will benefit from the self-assembling nature inherent to mesogens. It should therefore prove much easier and less expensive than currently, broadly exploited top-down lithographic methods. A careful and interdisciplinary design of nano-components will therefore cause spontaneous, yet anticipated build-up of structurally organized and functionally unique supramolecular system.
Our end-of-project goals are three, much desired material properties for future technology: multiferroics, metamaterials, magnetically tunable photonic crystals. Multiferroics are single phase materials, which simultaneously possess ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties. Coupling between these two order parameters allows for controling one by another, which is particullarly promissing for spinotronic devices. The term metamaterials is used for ‘artificial’ materials with negative refractive index. The unprecedented interest in that type of systems comes from their unlimitted optical applications. Such materials permit fabricating 'superlenses' with spacial resolution below the diffraction limit or even generating the objects 'invisibility'. Photonic crystals are periodic structures, for which optical electromagnetic waves can exhibit forbidden energy bands. Such materials, particularly if the photonic crystal periodicity is controlled by external fields, could be used in number of optical applications, e.g. low-loss-waveguiding and mirrorless cavities. It should be stressed that the advantage of the ‘liquid crystals approach’ which we propose in this project is unique as it allows for obtaining these very different ultimate properties for similar NPs structures by fine tuning of NPs chemical composition.

Resources and Collaboration

The project will be focused on two different aspects: preparation and characterization of new materials and systematic investigations of their potential in view of possible new applications. Fabrication of new materials will be conducted in close collaboration with professors J. Mieczkowski and A. Krowczynski, (Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw), well recognized for their contribution to organic synthesis of different types of liquid crystals. Our group has world recognized expertise in soft matter science. Variety of x-ray methods (small and wide angle diffraction, scattering and reflectivity) are available for the Project together with other techniques: Differential Scanning Calorimetry, UV/VIS-IR, FTIR (with microscope) spectroscopy, dielectric spectroscopy, polarizing microcopy, fluorymetery. The Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) method is also available for studies of magnetically ordered materials. The second-order optical properties of new materials will be studied by picosecond laser spectroscopy. To achieve goals of the Project we will collaborate with few widely recognized groups having unique and complementary to ours experience and facilities. Owing to long collaboration with group of Prof. Daniel Guillon from CNRS (Strasburg) we will have access to TEM visualization (including 3D TEM tomography), we will also benefit from their expertise in synthesis of dendrimeric mesogens. Several short term visits (1-2 weeks) are planed at CNRS-Strasburg are planed to conduct electronic microscopic measurements and 2 longer (few months) stays for conducting organic synthesis of dendrimers. Theoretical modeling for hybrid-structures properties necessary for understanding structure – property relationship and for structure optimization will be conducted by group of Dr. Natasa Vaupotic from University of Maribor. Regular short visits (every half year) at Maribor University are planed to discuss the theoretical work with Prof. N. Vapoutic. We will also continue collaboration with group of Prof. Milada Glogarova from Institute of Physics, Academy of Science of Czech Republic, to gain from their experience in synthesis and physicochemical studies of ferroelectric liquid crystalline materials.
Group composition: To achieve anticipated goals of the Project we are searching for young, talented and highly motivated scientist. Successful candidate will have access to modern research equipment and will benefit from collaboration with experienced scientists, but is expected to be independent and creative in solving the scientific problems. We expect that the salaries we offer, much higher than average in Poland, will be reflected in the quality of work.
The group will be diversified, composed of organic chemists, physicochemists and physicists.