MolecularEngineering
Mollecular engineering is the field where engineering solutions are devised ad hoc using materials from their atoms and molecules rather than from their macroscopic properties. The final properties of a macroscopic unit are thus determined by direct modification of the molecular structure, effectively “bottom-up” designing the material characteristics. In our group, we combine chemistry with physics using biology as inspiration to design hierarchical materials via self-assembly processes. We synthesise copolymers via controlled polymerisation methods tuning each segment mechanical, optical, solubility, degradation properties.
We thus study the copolymer self-assembly in solution (mostly water). We are particularly interested on how cooperative processes emerging from the interaction between the blocks and the solvent drive the formation of different architectures.
