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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/C518748/1
Title: PLATFORM: Self-Assembled Inorganic-Based Materials and Nanostructures
Principal Investigator: Mann, Professor S
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Chemistry
Organisation: University of Bristol
Scheme: Platform Grants (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 December 2005 Ends: 30 November 2009 Value (£): 424,533
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Chemical Biology Materials Characterisation
Materials Synthesis & Growth
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Manufacturing Electronics
Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Bones, shells and teeth are examples of the types of complex structures made by Nature. One of the key ideas relating to how these materials are formed is the notion of self-assembly , in which building blocks such as large molecules and small inorganic particles spontaneously come together to produce structures that are organized from the bottom-up . The research proposed in this application sets out to develop laboratory based approaches to new materials that are produced by self-assembly. We aim to develop three areas that have been recently studied in the lab, and initiate two new highly exploratory programmmes. The former involve a wide range of materials that will be prepared by combining various reactions in inorganic chemistry with different types of self-assembling organic molecules or systems. For example, we will make new types of catalysts by controlling their assembly using surfactants or related biological molecules called lipids, and prepare pigments such as calcium carbonate with highly complex form by confining the reactions to small water droplets dispersed in oil. In terms of exploratory research, we aim to discovery new self-assembly approaches to preparing advanced materials with unusual properties such as superconductivity at relatively high temperature, and smart magnetic properties.
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Organisation Website: http://www.bris.ac.uk