Achievement

Nature often solves difficult materials problems by creating a hybrid nanomaterial that combines two simpler materials on the nanoscale. For example, teeth are made from strong but brittle crystals embedded in an organic matrix. Although seemingly simple, "marrying" two materials at the nanoscale is often highly challenging. Prof. Uli Wiesner presented a two-week module on the formation of organic-inorganic hybrid nanomaterials through bottom-up, self-assembling processes. after a thorough discussion of the mechanism of structure formation and control, perspectives were given in the context of nanomaterials for applications ranging from microelectronics to energy conversion and storage to water filtration.