Conférence IUPAC avec le professeur Olli Ikkala (Aalto)

Titre : From Static Self-Assemblies, Hierarchies adn Biomimetic Materials to Dynamic Self-Assemblies.

Le Département de chimie a le plaisir et l’honneur d’accueillir dans le cadre des conférences IUPAC le professeur Olli Ikkala du Département de physique appliquée à Aalto University (anciennement Helsinki University of Technology) en Finlande. Son allocution sera donnée en anglais.

Résumé : Biological materials characteristically involve self-assembled structures at different length scales using subtle combinations of supramolecular interactions of various strengths. Inspired by them, we have pursued towards hierarchical static and responsive self-assemblies for various functions using simpler tectons, thus allowing rational constructs. Among the most straightforward approaches for hierarchies is to use structural units of different sizes, ranging from low molecular weights to polymers and to colloids and beyond, connected by physical interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, coordinations, ionic bonds and multivalent interactions to mimick sacrificial bonds of natural materials. Combining polymeric and low molecular weight supramolecular adducts leads to a wide variety of hierarchies. Selecting polypeptidic blocks therein allows to additionally control the secondary structure to be α-helical, β-sheet, and random coil within the self-assemblies. On the other hand, combining colloidal level units, such as nanoclay sheets or nanocellulose nanofibers, with polymers leads to biomimetic nanocomposites which open routes for feasible mechanical properties and functional materials. One can combine colloidal, polymeric, and low molecular weight units in supramolecular constructs, leading to biomimetic structures, providing sacrificial bonds for tailored toughness. Colloidal nanofibers and nanorods allow functional networks and surface self-assemblies. Finally a model system is presented allowing to investigate adaptive patterns, complexity and emergent properties in static self-assemblies and switching to dynamic dissipative self-assemblies, suggesting new approaches for several polymer assemblies.

Programme scientifique
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À propos des conférences IUPAC
Les conférences IUPAC ont été rendues possibles suite à la tenue à Montréal en 1990 du Congrès International IUPAC sur les macromolécules, qui a regroupé environ 2200 scientifiques. Elles permettent au Département de chimie de l’Université de Montréal d’inviter des scientifiques de renom qui ont contribué à l’avancement des sciences en chimie macromoléculaire.

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