NRP 47 "Supramolecular Functional Materials"

The National Research Programme "Supramolecular Functional Materials" (NRP 47) supported the property- and application-driven design and synthesis of new molecular devices and supramolecular functional materials. These new materials with their tailor-made specific functions and properties will furnish the foundations for a future key-technology.

The multidisciplinary approach of the supramolecular sciences required close co-operation between chemistry and other scientific disciplines. Therefore the NRP strongly encouraged interdisciplinary approaches with potential areas of application and collaboration at national and international level.

Fundamental aspects

  • molecular recognition
  • supramolecular synthesis
  • self organisation, self assembly of supramolecular structures
  • theoretical and analytical work correlating architecture and function
  • interfacing of molecular elements to the micro and macroscopic world and between each other to realise potentially practical embodiments
  • incorporation of supramolecular systems into existing technologies

Applicational aspects

  • information storage, transport and processing; molecular imprinting,etching at the molecular level; molecular shuttles, switches, wires
  • electron-, photon- and mass-transfer
  • chemical sensors
  • diagnostic tools
  • molecular magnets

Facts & figures

Overall funding

CHF 15'000'000

Period of research

5 years

President of the Steering Committee

Andreas Ludi, Universität Bern

Implementation Officer

Urs Aeberhard, Science Com Services AG, Bern Scientific

Programme co-ordinator

Stefan Husi, SNSF

Call for proposals

April 2000

Publications

Advanced Functional Materials, Special Issue: Swiss National Research Program on Supramolecular Functional Materials, WILEY-VCH, Vol. 16, No. 2, January 2006

NRP "Supramolecular Functional Materials", Special issue of Vision, Science and Innovation Made in Switzerland, September 2002 (PDF, 2.3 MB) (PDF)