Güven Kurtuldu (Metal Physics and Technology, D-MATL) During the past 20 years, the availability of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based sensor technology leads to the development of Fast Differential Scanning Calorimetry (FDSC) with a focus on fast measurement capabilities for…
Rowena Crockett (EMPA Dübendorf) The sculptures of the Swiss artist Jean Tinguely are rusty, steel constructions that generate a high-pitched squeal during motion. While the sculptures are visually remarkable, an essential component of the work is the noise. Unfortunately, the…
Petr Novák (D-CHAB/PSI) Li-ion batteries are to dominate the high-end rechargeable energy storage market for a foreseeable future. Research and development of commercially relevant electrode/electrolyte systems focus today strongly on extending the lifetime of the cells. Progress is however hampered…
Maksym Yarema (D-ITET) Colloidal chalcogenide nanocrystals are convenient building blocks of various solution-processed devices, such as displays, photovoltaics, thermoelectrics, and phase-change memory. Likewise, chalcogenide colloids are handy materials for the fundamental and use-inspired research, featuring size-dependent optical and electronic properties…
Qin Xu (Soft and Living Materials, D-MATL) Wetting of liquid droplets on soft gels deforms gel interface significantly: a wetting ridge grows under the balance between liquid surface tension and solid surface stress near contact line. Using interference microscopy and…
PhD and Postdoc Retreat 2019
David Schilter (Editor of Nature Reviews Chemistry) This century has seen increasing pressure on academics to not only conduct novel and relevant research, but also to publish it in journals of international repute. Thus, even with exciting results in hand,…
Christoforos Moutafis (University of Manchester) Magnetic skyrmions are quasi-particle nanoscale magnetic spin configurations with a whirling vortex-like spin structure (Fig. 1a) with distinct topological properties [1,2] and intriguing dynamics [3,4]. The recent demonstrations from various groups of room temperature chiral…
Johann Michler (EMPA Thun) We developed recently techniques to probe mechanical properties at small length scales under extreme conditions of temperature, at high strain rates and under control of humidity. I combination with in-situ observation techniques such as electron backscatter…
Kunal Masania (Complex Materials, D-MATL) Nature utilises hierarchy at multiple length scales to structure relatively weak building blocks into complex shapes with outstanding mechanical performance. Despite successful research aimed at implementing biological design principles in synthetic materials, man-made manufacturing technologies…