New materials are developed for renewable energy production, hydrogen storage, carbon dioxide separation, controlled release, green chemistry, sensors and implants. Fundamental understanding of the structure and bonding of molecules, clusters and particles is acquired by combining experimental and theoretical methods in collaborative interdisciplinary research.
The basic knowledge is used in the design, synthesis and assembly of hard and soft materials, such as ceramics, porous and biomaterials, liquid crystals and soft biological matter. Linking chemical structures and reactivity with the physical and chemical properties of compounds and materials and assessing their potential usefulness as well as impact on the environment, including exposure to contaminants and metabolites in wildlife and humans, are focal areas of research.
