SASSYPOL · Hierarchical Self Assembly of Polymeric Soft Systems

The production of the next generation of functional soft systems and materials capable of meeting the current and future demands of society in a sustainable manner will require both new technologies and highly trained scientists. Supramolecular chemistry provides a powerful approach to develop new self-assembled materials with emerging properties, such as healability, recyclability and facile processability. The SASSYPOL ITN will train the next generation of European scientists with the skills necessary to overcome such future demands and simultaneously develop new strategies for the preparation of hierarchically self-assembled polymeric soft systems, which greatly impact important fields such as biomedicine, energy, composite materials and sensing. The ITN unites many leading experts in the areas of supramolecular and polymer chemistry with partners from the industrial sector. Expertise of all partners encompasses the general areas of non-covalent chemistry, with individual research competencies focusing on a number of specific themes including liquid crystalline materials, hydrogen-bonded supramolecules, molecular systems based on host-guest interactions, and advanced modeling and characterisation techniques of complex polymeric and self-assembled materials. The complementarity and diversity realised in synthesis, analysis, and applications is crucial for successful research and training in this area. A number of partners from the private sector will extend the fellows’ training beyond that of traditional academic settings −they will have the critical role of bridging fundamental science with application and commercialisation of the results. Indeed, SupraPolix (a SME), one of SASSYPOL’s industrial full partners is a perfect example of the commercialisation of cutting-edge science initially developed at an academic laboratory. Our activities will thus possess both breadth and quality that can only be achieved through an interdisciplinary pan-European effort.""