Objective
Many of the remarkable properties of molecular nanostructures are cooperative effects. A system is described as cooperative when it behaves differently from expectations based on the properties of its individual components. Multivalent cooperativity is crucial for biological molecular recognition, yet the factors determining the magnitude of this effect are poorly understood. Excitonic cooperativity is exploited in sensitive detectors for explosives, and is the basis of photosynthetic light harvesting. Electronic cooperativity is illustrated on the molecular scale by the phenomenon of aromaticity, and on a larger scale by metallic conductivity. Magnetic properties provide many examples of cooperativity. The magnitude of cooperative effects increases with the strength of coupling between the individual components, and with the number of coupled components. Cooperative systems exhibit sharp changes in behavior in response to small changes in conditions, such as transitions from free to bound, fluorescent to non-fluorescent, or conductive to insulating. The tendency towards an “all-or-nothing” response is often useful; in the limit of a very large ensemble, it leads to phase transitions. The CoSuN project will extend methodology developed in Oxford to create large monodisperse supramolecular nanostructures which are uniquely suited for exploring multivalent, excitonic and electronic cooperativity. The template-directed synthesis of these nanostructures is made possible by strong multivalent cooperativity, while the electronic coupling between the individual subunits results in other cooperative phenomena. This project will clarify understanding of cooperative molecular recognition. It will also help to solve some of the mysteries of photosynthesis and reveal the first molecular manifestations of coherent quantum mechanical phenomena, such as Aharonov-Bohm effects.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry aromatic compounds
- natural sciences biological sciences botany
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Host institution
OX1 2JD Oxford
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.