Directed Assembly of Extended Structures with Targeted Properties

There has been an exponential growth in the Chemical Sciences over the last two decades and in the current socio-economic environment it is apparent that the chemical sciences will be central in the drive for cleaner, more efficient energy sources and in solutions to issues of environmental pollution and global warming, while also underpinning advances in healthcare and supporting the drive to combat terrorism. Fundamental to all these issues is a deeper understanding of how processes occur at the molecular level and nanometre level, how this knowledge may be applied to generate materials with particular properties across all the size scales from molecules to bulk materials, and how these materials may find applications in modern society that will be of benefit to all. This is very much the Grand Challenge for the next few decades and incorporates not only chemical scientists, but also biologists, physicists, materials scientists, mathematicians, engineers, economists and educators. Much of the progress is dependant on an understanding of chemistry beyond the molecule and the directed assembly of extended structures with targeted properties . Our control over the assembly of atoms into molecules and materials, and the controlled assembly of molecules into both solid-state and aggregates in solution, remains very limited in scope, setting limits on the ability of chemists and materials scientists to design materials with desired properties even in cases where the underlying material requirements for a particular property are understood. Control of covalent bond formation in conventional synthesis of molecules with strong bonds is good and remarkably complex molecules can be prepared with confidence in multi-step (and increasingly in single-pot) syntheses. In contrast, much more limited control is possible in the preparation of solid-state materials, by techniques such vapour deposition for infinite structures, crystal engineering (employing non-covalent intermolecular interactions and utilising molecules as the basic building blocks) for molecular solids, or solution-phase assembly of molecular components using intermolecular interactions. Covalent bond formation in small molecules can be seen as the first step in an exploration of chemical assembly that needs to be dramatically extended if we are to meet our goal of achieving the a priori design of functional materials. Our contention is that this can be achieved by the incorporation of the use of molecular synthons and non-covalent interactions, to drive the assembly of more complex systems with the same degree of certainty and control that is already achievable for molecular synthesis. By achieving this goal, biological levels of complexity and function could be imposed on artificial materials, with all the evident benefits.We now propose to set up a network to identify the key areas of the Grand Challenge to develop methods to direct the assembly of extended structures with targeted properties and to produce a strategic roadmap to meet the challenge and overcome the barriers. The network will consist of a wide range of scientists, members of the industrial community, members of learned societies, funding bodies and policy makers. A series of general and themed meetings will be held and a roadshow will promote the Grand Challenge to the wider community. The propsal has been submitted by a group of seven researchers, all of whom have contributed extensively to the development of the ideas emanating from an initial Grand Challenges Meeting in late 2008. The team is Professor Paul Raithby (PI, University of Bath), Dr Harris Makatsoris (Brunel University), Professor George Jackson (Imperial College, London), Professor Matthew Rosseinsky (University of Liverpool), Professor Michael Ward (University of Sheffield) and Professor Chick Wilson (University of Glasgow).

This proposal to set up a network to address the Grand Challenge of assembling extended structures, with designed properties, in a directed or rational manner will have an impact on a very broad range of scientists, whether in academia or industry. This impact will spread beyond the scientific community, as the engagement with the Grand Challenge idea develops, to include economists, educators and the public at large. The main impact of this initial network will be to bring together members of the academic community from disparate backgrounds, from engineering to the life sciences, and from a range of industrial organisations, who will cooperate to tackle different aspects of the 'synthesis/function/fabricate/manufacture' Challenge. The key deliverables will be a clear definition of how to break the 'Grand Challenge' into manageable steps, and development of teams who will submit major grant applications in these key areas. We will be guided strongly by the opinions of academic and industrial communities throughout this exercise so being too prescriptive at this stage would be premature, but we can, through the development of the strategic roadmap through the network, suggest areas in which control of synthesis, function, fabrication and manufacture combine to give societally important benefits. Through the publicity that the network will generate there will be an impact on a wide community both within the UK and abroad. The idea of being able to construct a material with a desired function of property from molecules or nanoparticles is very appealing as it can be related to molecular 'lego' with, perhaps, the colours of the brick representing different properties, or the different patterns generated having different functions. Within the outreach programmes the Grand Challenge will be explained and solutions proposed. Thus, there will be an immediate interaction with school children and with the wider public through public lectures and talks at Science cafs. This drive will be supported by press releases and by interaction with the media on a local and national level. Since the Grand Challenge is not likely to be solved for a number of decades to come, it is felt that engagement with the next generation of scientists and engineers at an early stage is of major importance, as well as educating the public in general on the benefits of science and technology. The network will also facilitate the interaction with policy makers (politicians, research councils and learned societies) and have an impact on science strategy within the socio-economic environment. An objective of the network is to identify key areas of research where in the medium to long term there will be social benefits for the widest possible community, and recommend to the funding agencies that support is given to science and technological endeavours in these areas. These recommendations will take a number of forms since it is expected that, in the first instance, groups of collaborators within the network will submit multidisciplinary research proposals. On a slightly longer timeframe the network may suggest that a specific call or calls for funding in specific areas by the Research Councils would be beneficial to the meeting of the Grand Challenge. It is hoped that the network will lead to a strong user base, perhaps centred around the virtual institute, and that this grouping will become influential in the development of research council and government science policy over the next decade.