The primary research focus of the Institute of Applied Polymer Physics (IAPP) is the development of functional electronic materials, including polymers, organics, and hybrids. To achieve this objective, new materials are designed and synthesized. Starting from monomeric building blocks, we build up intricate polymeric or hybrid structures. To create new materials, we use the full spectrum of chemical synthetic methods.
We are material makers.
While material synthesis is our primary focus and expertise, our characterization tools extends to device fabrication, for example organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) and electrochromic devices, to obtain direct feedback for material synthesis and development. In collaborations with experts from diverse fields, we also explore advanced applications such as biosensors,
Research efforts focus on four areas:
Information and Energy Storage:
Redox-activity is integral to the storage of energy, while at the same time, the charge transport in conjugated redox-active materials can be modulated and switching between different states is possible, a prerequisite to store information. We target materials for rewritable nonvolatile memory devices and reconfigurable electrodes.
Soft and Sustainable Electronics:
We develop new design concepts to combine electronic functionality with mechanical compliance, and synthesize polymer semiconductors and organic mixed ionic–electronic conductors (OMIECs) that have very low elastic modulus (i.e., are “soft”). Based on this, we target sustainable and recyclable polymer electronics.
Polymer-enabled MALDI MS and MS Imaging:
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) is usually restricted to analytes with high molar mass. We design and synthesize polymeric matrices for MALDI MS / Imaging to use the technique to analyze low molecular weight analytes, e.g., for metabolomics or pharmaceutical research. Understanding the analyte-matrix interface is, next to the synthesis of reactive matrices, a main focus of our work.
Interfaces / Molecular Machines
We are material makers.
The research efforts are focused on four areas:
Information and Energy Storage:
Redox-activity is integral to the storage of energy, while at the same time, the charge transport in conjugated redox-active materials can be modulated and switching between different states is possible, a prerequisite to store information. We target materials for rewritable nonvolatile memory devices and reconfigurable electrodes.
Soft and Sustainable Electronics:
We develop new design concepts to combine electronic functionality with mechanical compliance, and synthesize polymer semiconductors and organic mixed ionic–electronic conductors (OMIECs) that have very low elastic modulus (i.e., are “soft”). Based on this, we target sustainable and recyclable polymer electronics.
Polymer-enabled MALDI MS and MS Imaging:
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) is usually restricted to analytes with high molar mass. We design and synthesize polymeric matrices for MALDI MS / Imaging to use the technique to analyze low molecular weight analytes, e.g., for metabolomics or pharmaceutical research. Understanding the analyte-matrix interface is, next to the synthesis of reactive matrices, a main focus of our work.
Interfaces / Molecular Machines:
Electronically active hybrid materials by mediating the interface of metallic nanoparticles and conjugated surface ligands with N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), and small molecules for single-molecule machinery and electronics.
Also, we are part of two European Innovation Council (EIC) projects, Flexible IntelligenT NEar-field Sensing Skins (FITNESS) and Energy Storage in Molecules (ESiM), and of the Research Training Group 2767 Supracolloidal Structures.
