Preface
Back in 2002 the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) has launched a Center of Research (Sonderforschungsbereich
625, SFB) with the title “From Single Molecules to Nanostructured Materials” at
Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, together with the Max-Planck-Institute for
Polymer Research, Mainz. Since 2002, more than 17 research groups were funded
in order to theoretically and experimentally verify an ambitious concept comprising
the design of nanostructured materials starting from a molecular basis, i.e. single
molecules and single polymeric building blocks. The three overall objectives were
as follows:
l
To study the initial phases of self-organization
l
To elucidate the formation of discrete aggregates from a defined number of
molecules
l
To establish complex structural hierarchies on the nanoscale and control the
functions derived therefrom.
It is clear that this concept defines critical needs regarding materials and
methods. Mostly synthetic polymers were at the core, however, biological polymers
and small organic molecules were also considered. The disadvantage of polymers
often lies in their pronounced conformational flexibility demanding a high entropy
prize upon supramolecular structure formation. Shape-persistent macromolecules
have helped to overcome this drawback and have therefore defined one focus of
the SFB.
A second working principle relied on the defined functionalization of macromolecules and macromolecular assemblies. The basic idea was to chemically
encode the building blocks, permitting better control of structure formation. The
placement of ionic or hydrogen-bonding groups into well-defined positions, the
definition of amphiphilic “patches” and the creation of directed as well as
non-directed interactions have led to novel aggregate topologies in solution as
well as on surfaces. Given the broad basis on both the macromolecule and the
v
Back in 2002 the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) has launched a Center of Research (Sonderforschungsbereich
625, SFB) with the title “From Single Molecules to Nanostructured Materials” at
Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, together with the Max-Planck-Institute for
Polymer Research, Mainz. Since 2002, more than 17 research groups were funded
in order to theoretically and experimentally verify an ambitious concept comprising
the design of nanostructured materials starting from a molecular basis, i.e. single
molecules and single polymeric building blocks. The three overall objectives were
as follows:
l
To study the initial phases of self-organization
l
To elucidate the formation of discrete aggregates from a defined number of
molecules
l
To establish complex structural hierarchies on the nanoscale and control the
functions derived therefrom.
It is clear that this concept defines critical needs regarding materials and
methods. Mostly synthetic polymers were at the core, however, biological polymers
and small organic molecules were also considered. The disadvantage of polymers
often lies in their pronounced conformational flexibility demanding a high entropy
prize upon supramolecular structure formation. Shape-persistent macromolecules
have helped to overcome this drawback and have therefore defined one focus of
the SFB.
A second working principle relied on the defined functionalization of macromolecules and macromolecular assemblies. The basic idea was to chemically
encode the building blocks, permitting better control of structure formation. The
placement of ionic or hydrogen-bonding groups into well-defined positions, the
definition of amphiphilic “patches” and the creation of directed as well as
non-directed interactions have led to novel aggregate topologies in solution as
well as on surfaces. Given the broad basis on both the macromolecule and the
v