Nanoscale mass transport across two-dimensional materials Two-dimensional (2D) nanoconstrictions enable ballistic permeation of molecules, yielding orders of magnitude higher permeances compared to conventional membranes. Recent advances in synthesis and handling of 2D materials have enabled the study of such constrictions…
Preparation and applications of dendronized polymer-enzyme conjugates Enzymes are catalytically active globular proteins, which promote chemical reactions in all living systems and which are used in many industrial processes (e.g. for softening fabrics) in household products (e.g. as additives in…
Opportunities and challenges in TEM dynamic studies of metals Since its invention in 1931, the transmission electron microscope has allowed a direct view into matter with an unprecedented spatial resolution, progressing over the decades towards the atomic scale, and nowadays,…
For pictures from the retreat, visit: Dear PhD and Post-Doc students of the D-MATL,We would like to invite you to the first D-MATL PhD-Post-Doc retreat! This event aims at improving the team spirit in our department and will take…
Nanoscale control of polarization in ultrathin ferroelectric heterostructures The success of oxide electronics depends on the ability to design functional properties such as ferroelectricity with atomic accuracy. Using laser optics, we enabled for the first time the access to the…
Making model soft composites It is rather difficult to make materials with a very precisely defined microstructure. However, some animals have developed incredibly precise techniques for doing exactly that. The resulting materials can have highly desirable properties, such as toughness…
Colloidal microswimmers Active colloids are self-propelled micro- and nanoparticles that convert uniform sources of fuel into directed motion. They hold tremendous promise as model systems of living microorganism or as drug delivery vehicles. I will show some complex phenomena in…
Batteries for safe and large-scale energy storage Energy storage technologies are essential to integrate and optimize the use of intermittent renewable energy sources. Not to mention that large scale energy storage can even transform the way we generate, distribute, and…
Cool stuff with ferroics – towards future solid state refrigeration If a magnetic field is applied adiabatically to a system of magnetic dipoles (or an electric field to a system of electric dipoles) it heats up. If the field is…
Current challenges in the fabrication of bio-inspired composites Biological composites achieve remarkable mechanical properties by organizing organic and inorganic building blocks into complex reinforcing architectures that find no counterparts in man-made materials. Combining the design principles underlying such intricate microstructures…