Research

Energy storage and conversion in e.g. batteries, sustainable synthetic fuels, and hydrogen, depends critically on the interactions between materials, electrons and molecules down to the atomic scale. In this theme these interactions are addressed and controlled on a fundamental level and in relation to direct applications for the energy transition.

Many-body systems such as colloids and biological macromolecules can form complex, multiscale materials through the efficient process of self-assembly. Such self-assembled materials are of great interest to fundamental topics such as phase behaviour, and key to design and understand supercapacitors, catalysts and battery electrodes, membranes and filters for water management as well as (bio)chemical separation and nanomedicine.

Harnessing the wave nature of light and matter and their interactions allows for ultimate performance and precision in high-technology systems and materials such as quantum information technology, chemical, physical and biological imaging, colouring and sensing, and ultimate efficiency in computing, light-harvesting, lighting and photovoltaics.