Research focus: Materials and Mesoscopic Systems
Research on Materials and Mesoscopic Systems focuses on the development of both hard and soft materials with a particular emphasis on surface and border phenomena. Mesoscopic systems, at the border between macroscopically and microscopically structured systems, promise an avenue to novel materials of emergent functionality. They include supramolecular systems, colloidal systems, large molecular clusters, nanostructures, and the surfaces of condensed phases. These themes are centered around solid-state inorganic chemistry and materials research, the area of macromolecular chemistry, and also physical chemistry. The practical importance of these topics range from the morphology of polymers, the development of novel composites for implants, to the development of new coatings for protection of buildings.