Objective
Soft matter provides the ideal playground for exploring physical phenomena that have no counterpart in atomic and molecular systems. A continuous progress in particle synthesis has provided a rich variety of soft, polymeric colloids, which are highly interpenetrable and can reach ultra-dense, jammed states. Such colloids offer exquisite control of material properties through a change in their internal architecture. Among this new generation of soft particles, microgels – colloidal-scale particles individually made by crosslinked polymer networks – have become a favourite model system for their responsive swelling properties and their multitude of applications. Notwithstanding their potentialities, knowledge of their behaviour from a fundamental point of view is still very limited. The present theoretical description is mostly based on simple models, which do not account for the internal, polymeric nature of the particles. Using state-of-the-art computational techniques across all scales (from atomistic to multi-blob coarse-graining), this 5-years work-program will provide an accurate model of both the microgels and of the effective interactions among them. The model will account for
polymer/solvent interactions and for variation of the external control parameters at all densities, up to jamming conditions. In this way, I will develop a unified framework from the design at the molecular level of the individual particle up to the description of the macroscopic properties of the material. At all steps, I will verify my theoretical progress with experimental measurements performed by world-leading collaborators. This proposal will thus bring the current understanding of microgels to a new level: besides rationalizing existing results, it will open the way for new uses and applications of these fascinating systems.
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: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology materials engineering amorphous solids amorphous semiconductors
- natural sciences physical sciences condensed matter physics soft matter physics
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- engineering and technology materials engineering coating and films
- natural sciences chemical sciences analytical chemistry calorimetry
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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.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant
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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.
(opens in new window) ERC-2015-CoG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
00185 Roma
Italy
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.