INSPIRE Track 1: Exploring New Route of Optically Mediated Self-Assembly: Final Material Properties Determine Its Structures

INSPIRE奖的部分资金来自数学和物理科学理事会材料研究部的电子和光子材料计划以及固态和材料化学计划;以及工程理事会民用、机械和制造创新部的纳米制造计划。技术描述：结构-性能关系长期以来一直推动着新材料的发现。光学超材料，一种通过结构设计实现前所未有的材料特性的复合材料，例如，负折射率和隐形，在材料科学中引入了一个新的维度。超材料的研究通常采取“结构决定性质”的方法。使用合理设计的破坏结构的材料特性可以通过自上而下的制造方法（如光刻）实现，从而产生强各向异性但小尺寸的超材料。传统的自组装方法，其可以提供可扩展性和成本效益的优点，通常导致具有高度对称性的简单结构，因为复杂的和破坏的结构通常不是有利的。在这个项目中，将材料化学与光学物理相结合，研究人员的目标是通过探索一种开创性的“性质决定结构”的新方法来克服上述关键挑战，用于可扩展合成一类具有独特性质或性质的新型超材料。通过研究纳米复合材料的对称性效应和等离子体介导的自组装模型，该团队正在开发新的反馈策略来控制自组装过程。等离子体激元是电子在金属表面的集体振荡。使用这种自主反馈机制，最终的材料性质决定了自组装过程中的材料结构演变，从而实现所需的复杂的破坏结构。非技术描述：这个跨学科的项目汇集了来自光学和化学的研究人员，开发了一种革命性的自组装路线，以大规模具有复杂对称性的材料的规模合成，其远远超过通过常规技术制造或合成的材料。 光本身用于将组件引导到所需的结构中。该团队将该研究项目与教育活动相结合。例如，纳米化学，光学物理，制造，光学/化学表征和计算技术在这个项目中开发的提供了一个多学科的设置，培养学生成为下一代的领导者在科学和工程。该合作项目旨在重塑光学物理和材料化学领域的材料研究，对制造业、能源技术和医疗保健领域的广泛应用产生深远影响。

This INSPIRE award is partially funded by the Electronic and Photonic Materials Program and the Solid State and Materials Chemistry Program in the Division of Materials Research in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences; and the Nanomanufacturing Program in the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation in the Directorate for Engineering.Technical Description: Structure-property relationships have long driven the discovery of novel materials. Optical metamaterials, a composite through structural design to achieve unprecedented materials properties, e.g., negative index of refraction and cloaking, introduce a new dimension in materials science. Metamaterials research has conventionally taken a "structures-determine-properties" approach. Material properties using rationally designed symmetry-breaking structures that can be realized by top-down fabrication methods such as lithography result in strongly anisotropic but small-scale metamaterials. Conventional self-assembly approaches, which may offer advantages of scalability and cost effectiveness, often result in simple structures with high degree of symmetry because complex and symmetry-broken structures are usually not thermodynamically favorable. In this project, combining material chemistry with optical physics, the investigators aim to overcome aforementioned critical challenges by exploring a path-breaking new approach of "properties-determine-structures" for scalable synthesis of a new class of metamaterials with unique properties, or properties not found in nature. Through the study of the symmetry effects of nanocomposites and models of plasmon-mediated self-assemblies, the team is developing new feedback strategies for controlling self-assembly processes. Plasmon is collective oscillation of electrons on metal surfaces. Using such autonomous feedback mechanisms, the final material properties dictate the material structural evolution during self-assembly, thereby achieving the desired complex symmetry-breaking structures.Non-technical Description: This interdisciplinary project brings together researchers from optics and chemistry to develop a revolutionary self-assembly route to large-scale synthesis of materials with complex symmetries that go far beyond materials fabricated or synthesized through conventional techniques. Light itself is used to guide the assembly into the desired structures. The team integrates this research project with education activities. For instance, the nanochemistry, optical physics, fabrication, optical/chemical characterization, and computational techniques developed in this project provide a multidisciplinary setting for training students to be next generation of leaders in science and engineering. This collaborative project aims to reshape materials research in both optical physics and material chemistry with a profound impact on a broad range of applications in manufacturing, energy technology and health care.