CRC 1459 - B03: Molecular control of adaptive interfaces and hierarchical soft matter

Basic data for this project

Description

Through simulations and experiments, this project focuses on the molecular scale of adaptivity, where fluid interfaces are applied as unique platforms to achieve adaptive behaviour that has direct consequences on the properties of interface-controlled materials such as foam. We plan to develop combinations of photoswitchable surfactants and thermo-responsive polymers as responsive building blocks for remote control of interfacial properties. Mixtures of these building blocks will be tailored so that they show conditioned responses, where previous stimuli cause a redistribution of molecules that enables direct feedback to a new stimulus as the system response depends on the sequence of previous triggers.