IMBB - WebCalendar

Time:

14:10

Location:

3rd Floor Seminar Room (Physics building)

Description:

Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Speaker: Dr. N. Koumakis

Affiliation: Institutes of Physical Chemistry, National Hellenic Research Foundation

Title:Studies on Active Matter

Location:3rd Floor Seminar Room (Physics Building)

Time:14:15 (sharp)
Language: English

Abstract:
Active matter, matter with self-propelling constituents, has recently sparked the interest of the soft matter scientific community. Active components may be biological i.e. bacteria, or even chemically driven particles. The ability of active matter to provide energy through motion at a microscopic level, produces interesting phenomena, such as effective interactions, swarming, internally generated flows and activity induced phase transitions. Here, we examine various aspects of model active matter systems, ranging from hydrodynamically induced synchronization, active transport effects and complex interactions between active and non-active components.

Time:

16:10

Location:

3rd Floor Seminar Room (Physics building)

Description:

Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Speaker: Dr. E. Glynos

Affiliation: FORTH/IESL

Title: Designing Materials at the Macromolecular Level: From Controlling the Polymer Behavior at
Surfaces and Interfaces to High Performance Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Energy Storage

Location: 3rd Floor Seminar Room (Physics Building)

Time: 16:15 (sharp)
Language: English

Abstract:
The macroscopic properties of a polymer material are intimately related and are encrypted to its macromolecular structure. By adjusting the chemical structures of the constituent monomers, the molecular weight, and the linear or non-linear/branched architecture of the polymers, it is possible to formulate materials with an amazing variety of physical properties. To this end, advances in polymer chemistry have led to the synthesis of a wide range of well-defined non-linear polymers with controlled architectures (stars-shaped, H-shaped, pom-pom, ring, comb), compositions, and degree of polymerization, have provided material scientists the ability to design materials with desired/on-demand properties that meet the requirements of specific applications.

In the first part, I will provide evidence that several macroscopic properties of polymeric material, where polymer-interface interactions play a significant role, may be readily controlled simply by changing the macromolecular architecture and without changing the monomer or the interface chemistry. In particular, I will show that the equilibrium contact angles of macroscopic droplets of star-shaped polystyrene (SPS) molecules on oxidized silicon substrates, may be as much as one order of magnitude smaller than that of their linear analogues (linear polystyrene, LPS) on the same substrates. I will show how the aforementioned enhanced interfacial properties of star-shaped polymer are manifested on the vitrification behavior of supported polymer films and on the mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposite materials.

In the second part, I will introduce the use of polymer nanostructured nanoparticles of asymmetric mikto-arm copolymers, in which stiff insulating arms complement ion-conducting arms, as additives to liquid electrolytes for the synthesis of solid polymer electrolytes that exhibit an unprecedented combination of high modulus (G' ~ 0.1 GPa) and ionic-conductivity at room temperature (σ ~ 10-4 S/cm), necessary for practical applications. I will demonstrate that the final/desired morphology and phase dimension of the nanostructured solid-polymer electrolytes may be precisely controlled as the final morphology is encrypted within the macromolecular characteristics and the chemical composition of the "nanoparticles". Our strategy offers tremendous potential for the design of all-polymer nanostructured materials with optimized mechanical properties and ionic conductivity over a wide temperature window for advanced lithium battery technology.

For forthcoming colloquia, please visit:
http://www.materials.uoc.gr/en/colloquia

Time:

12:00

Location:

“Seminar Room 1”, FORTH’s bldg

Description:

IMBB JOINT COLLOQUIA

Speaker 1: Emmanouela KALLERGI (Nikoletopoulou's Lab)

Title: "Regulation of Neuronal Autophagy by Neurotrophin SIgnaling"

Speaker 2: Alexios MOLFETAS (Kokkinidis' Lab)

Title: "Insights from the resurrection of a dead enzyme".

Friday, May 5th, 2017 @ 12:00
“Seminar Room 1”, FORTH’s bldg