Deutsche Forschungsge­meinschaft (DFG) approved the CRC 1415

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) has approved the establishment of the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1415 “Chemistry of Synthetic Two-Dimensional Materials” at the Technische Universität Dresden (TUD) with a total funding volume of ~7.7 million Euro for an initially 4-year’s funding period. Thus, the CRC 1415 will officially begin working on July 1, 2020.

Research

The interdisciplinary CRC consoritum, composed of 22 excellent scientists, will aim at the controlled bottom-up synthesis and the development of novel classes of synthetic organic/inorganic/metal organic 2D materials (2DMs) with high structural definition at the atomic or molecular level. Taking advantage of the versatility of chemistry, the CRC will develop  2D polymers, single-/few-layer 2D covalent organic frameworks,  2D metal-organic frameworks, inorganic materials such as 2D topological insulators, 2D transition metal dichalcogenide, 2D nanoplatelets, 2D layered organic/metal halides as well as 2D van der Waals heterostructures. Moreover, the research will focus on the development of in-situ and ex-situ spectroscopic, microscopic and diffraction characterization methods, which will allow to analyse the morphology, composition, structure, crystallinity, defects and grain boundaries, monitor the reaction mechanisms of synthetic 2DMs, as well as investigate their surface/edge functionalization and physicochemical properties. The third focal point is to theoretically tackle the chemical and physical phenomena of 2DMs using advanced theoretical methods and models, and to predict the 2DM’s formation and their physical and chemical properties. In combination with the experimental investigations, the theoretical contribution is essential to provide an in-depth understanding on the structure of 2DMs, the molecular arrangement and interaction in solution or on surface (or at interface), the growth mechanisms of 2DMs, and the influence of lattice topologies, defects and strain effects on the optical, electronic, mechanical, catalytic and transport properties.