TRR 61:  Multilevel Molecular Assemblies: Structure, Dynamics and Functions

• Subject Area: Chemistry ; Biology ; Physics ; Social and Behavioural Sciences
• Term: from 2008 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 49579428

Inspired by natural systems and their fascinating properties, facing the unsolved problems in molecular assemblies and their high potential in future applications, we are going to join our interdisciplinary efforts of physicists, chemists and biologists, working on functional molecular and nano-object assemblies. We will focus on exploring novel properties and functions, which emerge in assemblies with defined structures and multilevel organisation. In the first project phase the understanding of the underlying mechanisms will be a main focus of the activities, particularly concerning multiple interactions, cooperative effects and dynamic behaviour in the molecular and nano-objects self-assembly process.
Long-term goals of the Transregional Collaborative Research Centre aim at the understanding and controlling properties and functions emerging from assembled molecular systems. We wish to develop (nanostructured) molecular materials with tailored electronic, optical and sensing properties, through their organisation and collective behaviour, to accomplish multiple or complex functions, which individual molecules cannot perform. We intend to achieve:
(1) Improved functions in charge carrier mobility, molecular transport (including motion of biosystems) and spectral tuning (emission, absorption, polarisation).
(2) Generation of switchable and responsive materials, which are able to change shape, electrooptical properties, wettability and binding properties upon external stimuli.
(3) Construction of hybrid systems for biocompatible surfaces and sensitive biosensors.
To fulfil the goals we need to join the interdisciplinary efforts of scientists, including chemical and biological synthesis for building blocks, supramolecular chemistry and self-assembly for complex molecular systems, experimental and nanophysics for structural and functional analysis and theoretical groups for exploring and modelling the underlying mechanisms.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• International Connection: China

Completed projects

• A01 - Photo- and electroresponsive molecules and polymers in nanochannels (Project Head De Cola, Luisa )
• A04 - Light-assisted functionalization and assembly of Zeolite-L based hybrid materials (Project Heads Denz, Cornelia ;  Studer, Armido )
• A06 - Multidimensional photoresponsive molecular architectures for high performance solar cells (Project Heads Denz, Cornelia ;  Doltsinis, Nikos L. ;  Li, Yan ;  Wang, Zhaohui ;  Zhu, Xiaozhang )
• A07 - Synthesis and self-assembly of colloidal molecules (Project Heads Li, Guangtao ;  Ravoo, Bart Jan )
• B01 - Patterned organic molecular architecture by vacuum deposition (Project Heads Chi, Lifeng ;  Fuchs, Harald ;  Studer, Armido ;  Zhang, Deqing )
• B02 - Pattern formation in dynamic self-assembly systems (Project Heads Chi, Lifeng ;  Gurevich, Svetlana ;  Wang, Zhaohui ;  Zhang, Deqing )
• B03 - Functional optimization by control of the electronic and structural properties of organic molecules on surfaces studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (Project Heads Amirjalayer, Saeed ;  Du, Shixuan ;  Fuchs, Harald ;  Lin, Xiao )
• B07 - Characterization of functional organic thin films by high resolution atomic force microscopy (Project Heads Fuchs, Harald ;  Mönig, Harry )
• B08 - Tubular molecular surface nanostructures (Project Head Wilde, Gerhard )
• B09 - Femtosecond dynamics in nanostructured organic complexes (Project Head Zacharias, Helmut )
• B11 - Molecular imprinting in polyelectrolyte multilayers and complexes (Project Heads Schönhoff, Monika ;  ZHANG, Xi )
• B12 - Vapour deposition of molecules on pre-structured substrates - from microscopic to mesoscopic models (Project Heads Gurevich, Svetlana ;  Heuer, Andreas ;  Thiele, Uwe )
• B13 - Bonding, charge transfer and aggregation of luminescent Pt-complexes at metallic interfaces (Project Heads Doltsinis, Nikos L. ;  Gao, Hong-Ying ;  Strassert, Cristian Alejandro ;  Wegner, Daniel )
• C01 - Kooperative Wechselwirkungen rotierender molekularer Motorkomplexe (Project Heads Denz, Cornelia ;  Friedrich, Rudolf ;  Maier, Berenike )
• C02 - Assembly of layers in 3D with guiding frames (Project Heads Heuer, Andreas ;  Liu, Dongsheng )
• C06 - Chemical reaction control with plasmonic gap antennas (Project Heads Höppener, Christiane ;  Liu, Dongsheng ;  Pernice, Wolfram Hans Peter ;  Ravoo, Bart Jan )
• C07 - Artificial nucleic acids with metal-based luminescent properties (Project Heads Müller, Jens ;  Strassert, Cristian Alejandro )
• C08 - Preparation and self-assembly of noble metal nanoparticles with freely programmable shapes based on DNA origami molds (Project Head Seidel, Ralf )
• Z01 - Zentrale Aufgaben (Project Heads Fuchs, Harald ;  ZHANG, Xi ;  Zhang, Deqing )
• Z02 - Interkulturelle Forschungskooperation und Innovationsnetzwerke (Project Head Leker, Jens )

• Applicant Institution: Universität Münster
• Co-Applicant Institution: Chinese Academy of Sciences; Soochow University; Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials; Tsinghua University
• Partner Organisation: National Natural Science Foundation of China
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Harald Fuchs