Objective
Soft nanotechnology is generally considered as a field that will have a major impact on technological developments in near future. However, the fundamental understanding of the wealth of new structures lacks far behind, despite supporting activity from material science. Such an understanding is indispensable for sustainable growth of this important research domain and its applications. A physics-oriented interdisciplinary education is urgently needed to guide young researchers to the point where they can tackle the relevant fundamental questions. SOMATAI is set up to provide just such training by combining two distinct scientific fields: Soft matter science is a well established interdisciplinary field for the bulk investigation of polymers, colloids, and liquid crystals with response amplitude and time to external stimuli as a function of soft matter structure being of special interest. The second highly relevant field is interface science, since nano-structured materials contain a huge area of internal interfaces which have an essential impact on material properties. The application of the soft matter approach to interfaces promises new and deeper understanding of interfacial phenomena. Interfaces of a water phase to a solid, liquid or gaseous second phase are of special interest and a focal point of SOMATAI. Such interfaces are highly relevant to products from European industry (food, cosmetics, paints) and processes (washing, coating, water purification). They have an outstanding importance from a scientific point of view due to specific interactions at such interfaces. This carefully planned teaching and research programme in a network of 10 leading academic partners, 1 large scale companies, 2 SMEs, and 4 top-level associated partners from Germany, Taiwan and the USA will ensure that young researchers are given an excellent training in a pioneering research domain of high scientific and technological relevance, where Europe can take a leading position.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologiesdesalinationreverse osmosis
- natural sciencesphysical sciencescondensed matter physicssoft matter physics
- natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materials
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringliquid crystals
Call for proposal
FP7-PEOPLE-2012-ITN
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Funding Scheme
MC-ITN - Networks for Initial Training (ITN)Coordinator
52428 Julich
Germany
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Participants (13)
6129EL Urmond
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75794 Paris
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70013 Irakleio
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New Cairo City
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01069 Dresden
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Participation ended
3000 Leuven
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75015 PARIS 15
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1700 Freiburg
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40237 Dusseldorf
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6718 ZB Ede Gld
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5612 AE Eindhoven
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3584 CS Utrecht
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8092 Zuerich
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