Abstract
The assembly of monomeric units that feature dynamic non-covalent interactions furnishes supramolecular materials. Stimuli that weaken the interactions can trigger a temporary disassembly of the monomers, which imparts the materials with useful responsive functions and is of interest for a cyclic materials use. In this presentation, supramolecular polymers are reported that combine desirable responsive functionalities with mechanical properties comparable to commodity plastics. Thus, blending two building blocks with complementary mechanical properties yields strong, stiff, and tough materials. The ability to combine the building blocks in any ratio allows to prepare objects with a spatially modulated mechanical behavior, effectively mimicking the anisotropic properties of more complex natural materials. Moreover, this presentation will also discuss supramolecular approaches toward nanoparticle composites and highlight recently developed materials that display defined optical signals upon mechanically deformation.
Brief Bio
Dr. Stephen Schrettl is a Group Leader at the Adolphe Merkle Institute (AMI) of the University of Fribourg and affiliate member of the National Competence Center in Research Bio-inspired Materials. He studied Chemistry at Freie Universität Berlin and received his PhD in Materials Science from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). This was followed by postdoctoral research first at EPFL and then with Prof. Christoph Weder at the AMI. His current work focuses on addressing both fundamental and application-oriented challenges in materials science.