News Release

Visions of supermaterials and self-assembly

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American Chemical Society

Increased understanding of the principles of self-assembly in nature has opened the door to a new era of supermaterials, ranging from bulletproof Kevlar and synthetic materials used in products ranging from athletic shoes to automobile tires to the space shuttle.

Many natural molecular systems are self-ordering-among them cell membranes, the laminated coatings inside shells, and crystals of many kinds. They begin with a single unit, an atom or molecule, which replicates and assembles itself in a defined manner. In many cases, such as crystals and buckyballs, these molecular systems assemble in a unique geometric pattern.

The implications are enormous. When science finds the key to natural self-assembly, researchers will be able to create materials with extraordinary applications: artificial body parts; hard, ultraresistant coatings; television screens with exceptionally high definition, and materials with electrical, mechanical and magnetic properties.

Five experts will discuss the discoveries that could jump-start new marvels in materials technology:

Pierre de Gennes, College de France, Paris
"New Forms of Matter: Hopes and Illusions"

Harold W. Kroto, University of Sussex
"The New Round World of Carbon Sheet Materials"

Frank S. Bates, University of Minnesota,Minneapolis
"Morphological Control of Soft Materials using Block Copolymers-from Melts to Micelles"

C. Jeffrey Brinker, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque
"New Directions in Sol-Gel Processing: evaporation-induced self-assembly of porous and composite media"

Robert A. Eisenstein, National Science Foundation
"Materials Research and the National Science Foundation"

Organized by: Nancy B. Jackson, Sandia National Laboratories ACS Committee on Science

What : "Visions of Materials"
Presidential Event

When : Sunday, August 22, 1999,2:00 p.m.

Where : Convention Center, Room 201

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A nonprofit organization with a membership of nearly 159,000 chemists and chemical engineers, the American Chemical Society publishes scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences, and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. ( http://www.acs.org )


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