Final Activity Report Summary - PRUSSIAN BLUE (Multifunctional molecular switches based on Prussian Blue analogues)
The main objective of the project was to find synthetic approaches for thin films in which one can incorporate, in a controlled way, different kinds of molecular materials that exhibit interesting properties. The structure of the thin film we propose is made by repeating units of one layer of a material playing a templating role (inactive part) on which we can grow, in an ordered way, a molecular compound exhibiting a certain property (the active part of the material).
The template we used in this project is a hybrid film made by clay mineral platelets and amphiphilic molecules (organic compounds which present both a hydrophilic (attracted to water) and a hydrophobic part (rejected by the water)), bound together through electrostatic interactions. Following this approach we are able to transfer the hybrid layer onto a solid substrate and to subsequently grow, on the external part of this film, the molecular material we are interested in. By repeating this cycle many times, we can construct a multilayer film. The properties of the final material will depend to a large extend on how ordered the film is. To control the growth process and to decrease the number of defects, a better insight into the structure and the assembly processes is needed. However, up to date, the structure of this kind of films is not well understood and for this reason, we focused our efforts on the growth process of the multilayer films.
Our most important scientific achievements are related to new information we manage to collect concerning the structure of this type of multilayer materials. Also, we propose new synthetic approaches leading to a more ordered, almost defects-free structure. Using these approaches, we have been able to synthesise and characterise new molecular materials exhibiting interesting properties.
The template we used in this project is a hybrid film made by clay mineral platelets and amphiphilic molecules (organic compounds which present both a hydrophilic (attracted to water) and a hydrophobic part (rejected by the water)), bound together through electrostatic interactions. Following this approach we are able to transfer the hybrid layer onto a solid substrate and to subsequently grow, on the external part of this film, the molecular material we are interested in. By repeating this cycle many times, we can construct a multilayer film. The properties of the final material will depend to a large extend on how ordered the film is. To control the growth process and to decrease the number of defects, a better insight into the structure and the assembly processes is needed. However, up to date, the structure of this kind of films is not well understood and for this reason, we focused our efforts on the growth process of the multilayer films.
Our most important scientific achievements are related to new information we manage to collect concerning the structure of this type of multilayer materials. Also, we propose new synthetic approaches leading to a more ordered, almost defects-free structure. Using these approaches, we have been able to synthesise and characterise new molecular materials exhibiting interesting properties.