GRK 2516:  Control of structure formation in soft matter at and through interfaces

• Subject Area: Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics ; Polymer Research
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 405552959

Interfaces are inherent to, and play a critical role in, natural and synthetic soft materials, which exhibit large surface-to-volume ratios. Interfaces are also routinely employed to guide and enhance processes in many chemical and physical applications of soft matter, such as for the controlled growth of colloidal crystals and thin polymer films. Tailoring the function and reactivity of interfaces provides exquisite control of preparation processes, and thus of the material’s desired chemical composition and structural morphology. The dynamics governing the structure formation process, however, is often poorly understood. It is typically discussed in a simplified equilibrium picture even though most actual fabrication routines include complex dissipative processes involving competing interactions. These interactions lead to multiple possible pathways. Exploring these pathways offers fascinating possibilities in the preparation of functional materials. The overarching goal of this research training group (RTG) is to harvest the potential of interfaces as agents to control both the assembly process and the final properties of the material. The particularly large susceptibility of soft materials to external stimuli implies a wide range of potential functionality. Within the RTG we will tackle the challenge of controlling competing pathways in self-assembly, with the opportunity to uncover universal principles and concepts. This challenge will become more important with the gradual shift of paradigm, moving dynamic, non-equilibrium processes into the focus rather than thermodynamic equilibrium. This shift makes it necessary to train a new generation of scientists at the boundary of chemistry and physics that is well acquainted with both the theoretical foundations as well as the experimental techniques and their advantages and pitfalls. The strict integration of theory and experiment, therefore, is the core of our qualification concept, which we implement through a tandem supervision of PhD students.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
• Participating Institution: Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung; Technische Universität Darmstadt
• Spokespersons: Professor Dr. Pol Besenius; Professor Dr. Thomas Speck, until 8/2022
• Participating Researchers: Professorin Dr. Katrin Amann-Winkel, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Hans-Jürgen Butt; Privatdozent Dr. Kostas Ch. Daoulas; Professorin Dr. Regine von Klitzing; Professor Dr. Kurt Kremer; Professor Dr. Arash Nikoubashman; Professorin Dr. Friederike Schmid; Professor Sebastian Seiffert, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Lukas Stelzl; Dr. Peter Virnau; Professor Dr. Andreas Walther