Summary
The conference was attended by a group of world-class scientists (invited as well as SONS participants), and encouraged the active participation of junior researchers through a special student session of talks and posters.
Description of the Scientific Scope and Content
In the spirit of the ESF networking activities the scope of this cross-disciplinary workshop was the very broad range of topics from polymers (synthesis, analyses techniques, assembly of nanostructures) to surfactants and their combinations with polymers (for the production of self-organised nanostructures as well as templating purposes).
The workshop provided the participants with a broad (interdisciplinary) overview of the existing scientific state of the art for the formation of nanostructured materials based on polymers, amphiphiles, and combinations of polymers and amphiphiles. Underlying and supporting these concepts are the issues of synthesis of new starting materials, use of polymers as templates (for nanoparticle synthesis, silica synthesis), the production of hierarchical structures, use and application of appropriate analyses techniques, strategies to control the morphology and function of produced nanostructures including external stimuli to modify temporarily or permanently the structure and properties of self-organising materials and exploiting the interplay of intra- and inter-molecular hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance, electrostatic interaction and topology to control the morphology and function of nanostructured assemblies.
