Nanotechnology - Flinders Focus, Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia



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Flinders Focus on Nanotechnology

Molecular Design - innovation at the molecular level

Nanotechnology is science at the molecular level – and to work at that level you have to be able to design and build at that level. If you cant build it you cant see it !

Scientists have long been able to build molecules using atoms in chemistry. What sets Nanotechnology apart is that now we are building systems from whole molecules not just atoms. Basically we now talk about chemistry beyond the molecule, not within the molecule.

To be able to construct these larger systems we need to know about how molecules interact with each other. This then allows us to use these principles in building.

Computers have become essential is the design of molecular systems since they allow large systems to be viewed in three dimensions. This allows the designer to really get inside the molecules and see if the design is correct.

We couple the design that is carried out on the computer to synthesis in the laboratory. Thus we are using normal organic chemistry to create extraordinary molecular systems that have specific behaviour.

In our laboratory we are focusing on porphyrin containing molecular systems since these have great light absorbing properties. This allows them to be used to create functional systems such as molecular switches and solar cells.

Our projects Flinders researchers are using design and synthesis to create:

Molecular Capsules
Porphyrin containing Molecular switches
Solar cells porphyrin containing
Anti Cancer agents

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