Research

A. Plant viruses as scaffolds for nanoscale structures

The Tobacco mosaic Virus (TMV) is the example for self-assembly. Its coat proteins assemble to well-defined 18 nm thick tubes with 4 nm wide channels.

1. Ultrathin metal wires: Synthesis, isolation and electrical/magnetic characterization of 4 nm thick wires in Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV). Transition from nickel to cobalt and alloys (ferromagnetic?). End-capping of TMV with metal dumbbells. Electron beam and optical lithography for nanoscale contacts. Transport measurements in high magnetic fields at low temperatures; energy filtering TEM for nanoscale chemical analysis.

2. Filling of viral channels: Targeted drug delivery based on fluids confined in a 4 nm channel with chemically well-defined walls (TMV). End-capping of TMV with magnetic dumbbells, magnetic field-induced opening. Single particle experiments: Assembly of TMV on a solid surface, lithographical structuring to produce microfluidic channels, coating with hydrophobic layer. Post-detection of flow.

3. Virus-based ferrofluids: New shear-resistant ferrofluids based on nanorods. 20-50 nm thick ferromagnetic tubes produced by electroless deposition on TMV. Following the metal growth in real time by light scattering. Development of template- (TMV-)free deposition of wires in magnetic fields.

B. Electrospinning of self-assembling molecules to wires

Peptide wires/tubes: Steering the assembly of biomolecules, esp. peptides, by electrospinning to fibers. Simple creation of wire-like structures that are not attainable on other ways. Elucidation of assembly mechanisms. Characterization by Raman spectromicroscopy, electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy etc.

C. Porous carbon electrodes for electrochemical capacitors and batteries

Ageing of real devices: Industrial and fundamental research tackling a major problem in energy storage, device ageing. Disassembly and cleaning of electrodes and other parts, multimethod analysis for (electro)chemical and structural modification of carbon. Procedures for the production of improved devices. Techniques: Voltammetry, nitrogen porosimetry, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, SEM, STM of model surfaces.