Non-Covalent Assembly of Functional Nanostructures

这是Andrei Khlobystov （AK）申请欧洲青年研究者奖的申请。最近，人们认识到量子点和内嵌富勒烯等纳米结构在各种应用（如高速电子、稳定存储元件）中的重要性。人们在学习孤立纳米结构的性质上已经付出了很多努力，但对这些材料的有序阵列的开发和理解才刚刚开始探索。本应用程序的中心目标是开发一种技术，用于组装磁性和/或光学活性中心的功能网络，其量子态可以在超过分子尺寸的距离上相互作用。我建议在纳米尺度上运用配位和超分子化学，通过导电纳米线连接有活性的纳米物体。制造这种纳米结构面临三个主要挑战：(1)纳米级网络构建块的化学功能化，(2)表面纳米物体的位置和方向控制，以及(3)介导网络中相互作用的纳米线的电子特性的微调。这些挑战将通过在纳米尺度上利用多功能配位和超分子化学、光化学或电化学来解决。新材料有望展现出一系列不同寻常的、可测试的磁性、光学和催化性能。纳米粒子和纳米线的金属定向超分子组装将用于控制它们的排列。金属功能化纳米级构建块之间的高度定向配位相互作用将允许构建具有所需拓扑和几何形状的聚合物结构。这种新颖的跨学科方法将促进对纳米尺度上自组装基本方面的理解，并将产生对存储元件、量子计算、分子传感器或光电器件等商业应用有用的新材料。

This is an application for a European Young Investigator Award for Andrei Khlobystov (AK). Recently the importance of nanostructures such as quantum dots and endohedral fullerenes for various applications (such as high speed electronics, stable memory elements) has been recognised. Much effort has been placed on learning about properties of isolated nanostructures, but the development and understanding of ordered arrays of these materials has just begun to be explored. The central aim of this application is to develop a technology for assembling functional networks of magnetically and/or optically active centres whose quantum states can interact with each other over distances exceeding molecular dimensions. I propose to connect active nano-objects via conducting nanowires through applying coordination and supramolecular chemistry at the nanoscale. There are three major challenges in fabrication of such nanostructures: (1) chemical functionalisation of nanoscopic building blocks for networks, (2) positional and orientational control of nano-objects on the surface, and (3) fine tuning of electronic properties of nanowires mediating interactions in networks. These challenges will be addressed by utilising the versatile coordination and supramolecular chemistry, photo- or electrochemistry on the nanoscale. The new materials are expected to exhibit a range of unusual and testable magnetic, optical and catalytic properties. The metal-directed supramolecular assembly of nanoparticles and nanowires will be used for controlling their alignment. The highly directional coordination interactions between metal functionalised nanoscopic building blocks will allow construction of polymeric architectures with desired topology and geometry. This novel interdisciplinary approach will advance the understanding of fundamental aspects of self-assembly on the nanoscale, and will produce new materials that are commercially useful for applications, such as memory elements, quantum computing, molecular sensors, or optoelectronic devices.