Conceive and elaborate original inorganic and hybrid organic-inorganic materials allowing the development of innovative responses to social concerns in domains such as the environment, energy, and medicine. Study the mechanism of formation of nanomaterials from molecular inorganic and hybrid precursors to the final materials (dense and porous materials, in the form of films, fibers, powders, monoliths). Understand the processes of formation of inorganic and hybrid nanostructured materials to allow their tailored fabrication (composition, size, morphology, texture) along with a final control over their chemistry and associated behavior. Develop bio-inspired engineering permitting the access of new multifunctional architectures (hierarchical structures) with perfect control over the structure, texture, and the functionalization of the material at different length scales.

Texturation and meso-organization of metallic oxides at organized organic interfaces.Synthesis and characterization of hybrid functional nano-objects obtained by polymerization of heterofunctional molecular precursors and the study of their possible assembly.Engineering new mineral structures and hybrid hierarchical structures with multiple functionalities.Studying the processes of self-assembly and characterization of the organic mineral interface by spectroscopic techniques, diffraction and scaterring (in-situ and ex-situ methods).Synthesis of inorganic and hybrid textured materials under external stress.Studying the properties (optical, electronic, mechanical, catalytic...) of novel nanomaterials. Target application domains include: chemical and biological sensors, photovoltaics, photocatalysis, fuel cells, and new hybrid therapeutic vectors.

ARGENTINA
University of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences
Professor Clément SANCHEZ (Holder of the Chair in Chemistry of Hybrid Materials) will give, in October 2011, six lectures on: Design, Chemistry and Properties of Sol-Gel Derived Inorganic and Hybrid Materials