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SUMMARY:IMX Seminar Series - Functional materials: Exploiting dynamic self
 -assembly at interfaces
DTSTART:20190930T131500
DTEND:20190930T141500
DTSTAMP:20260406T050616Z
UID:614aeb548d8f75e521837ed4984f8cb6f587104a4a0aac7fd8995ea0
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Oren Sherman\, Cambridge University UK\nWe are intereste
 d in dynamic supramolecular systems at interfaces. Research within the Sch
 erman group focuses on the design and development of well-defined molecula
 r and supramolecular building blocks as well as controlled polymer archite
 ctures for integration into complex dynamic networks and assembly at hybri
 d inorganic-organic interfaces. The materials we develop are of great inte
 rest for applications in a wide range of areas including catalysis\, sensi
 ng\, smart diagnostics\, biomaterials\, drug-delivery systems as well as e
 nergy harvesting and conversion.\n \nThe dynamic supramolecular linkages 
 that govern our material assembly processes are based on the host-guest ch
 emistry of cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) macrocycles.[1] These robust ~1 nm3 ho
 st molecules form dynamic\, yet stable\, complexes with guest moieties in 
 aqueous media exhibiting extremely high binding affinities. Through fundam
 ental studies we gain understanding how to exploit these macrocycles to br
 ing together a variety of chemical entities through host-guest complexatio
 n\, including small molecules in solution and at material interfaces such 
 as polymer-polymer\, polymer-colloid or colloid-colloid. Moreover\, our ex
 pertise also extends to the use of CB[n]s as a “molecular glue” to dir
 ect and control the self-assembly of metallic and semiconducting nanoparti
 cles (NPs).\n \nUnlike other laborious and time-consuming approaches such
  as surface modification with classical organic ligands\, CB[n]s are able 
 to rapidly (< 3 s) and uniformly assemble of NPs in solution\, acting as r
 obust molecular spacers for the controlled assembly. We have extensively e
 xplored this assembly strategy to construct uniform NP assemblies\, which 
 afford plasmonic “hot-spots” of highly controlled geometry\, ideal for
  Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) applications.[2] Initially foc
 used on sensing\, we have shown utility in quantitative multiplexing for t
 he detection of neurotransmitters in biological fluids such as urine.[3] I
 n addition\, we have explored the role of CB[n] within Nanoparticle on a M
 irror (NPoM) geometry for controlled alignment of dye molecules within pla
 smonic nanocavities to facilitate the first room temperature observation o
 f strongly coupled plasmons from single molecules.[4]\n \nExpanding the u
 tility of CB[n]-mediated NP assemblies\, we sought to explore this motif f
 or ultrafine molecular engineering of photo-active semiconducting NPs thro
 ugh dynamic supramolecular interactions.[5\,6] We have demonstrated that t
 hese CB[n] spacers can adhere to the surface of semiconducting NPs. This e
 nables efficient joining of two types of chemically-different nanoparticul
 ate building blocks (i.e. metallic and semiconductor) with gaps < 1 nm (
 below electronic coupling lengths)\, giving rise to novel inorganic-organi
 c hybrids with controlled optical and plasmonic properties. This CB[n]-med
 iated hybridisation paves the way for widespread use of the resultant hybr
 ids for long-term\, real-time tracking of interfacial charge-transfer proc
 esses\, i.e. light-driven generation of radicals and catalysis with operan
 do spectroscopies.\n\nBio: Oren Scherman graduated from Cornell University
  in Ithaca\, New York\, with a BA in Chemistry in 1999. He then moved to P
 asadena\, California\, where he completed a PhD in 2004 in olefin metathes
 is and controlled polymerisation\, under the supervision of Professor Robe
 rt H. Grubbs at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). After fi
 nishing his PhD\, Oren moved to the Netherlands to work on supramolecular 
 polymers with Professors E.W. Meijer and Rint P. Sijbesma at the Eindhoven
  University of Technology. In 2006\, he moved to the University of Cambrid
 ge to take up an academic appointment as a University Lecturer and Next Ge
 neration Fellow in the Melville Laboratory for Polymer Synthesis in the De
 partment of Chemistry. In 2012\, he was promoted to Reader in Supramolecul
 ar and Polymer Chemistry and in March 2013\, he was appointed as the Direc
 tor of the Melville Laboratory\; Oren was promoted to Full Professor in 20
 15. During the 2013-2014 academic year\, Oren was on sabbatical at Tsinghu
 a University as the Xuetang Visiting Professor in Chemistry. His research 
 focuses on dynamic supramolecular self-assembly at interfaces though the a
 pplication of macrocyclic host-guest chemistry using cucurbit[n]urils in t
 he development of novel supramolecular systems. The Scherman group exploit
 s control over these molecular level interactions to design and fabricate 
 soft materials with integrated function. Current research topics include m
 icrocapsules\, drug-delivery systems\, conservation and restoration of imp
 ortant historical artefacts and sensing and catalysis using self-assembled
  nanophotonic systems. Of specific interest is the design of functional so
 ft materials including biocompatible hydrogels for drug delivery applicati
 ons\, tough supramolecular polymer networks and bioinspired supramolecular
  fibres.\n 
LOCATION:MXF 1 https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==MXF%201
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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