Functional materials are advanced micro- and nanostructures designed and synthesized to perform specific functions. Some materials perform their function directly, without external stimuli. Examples include graphene, which acts as a catalyst for electrochemical reactions, and carbon nanotubes, which are used as drug delivery systems. There are also functional materials whose functions are performed in response to external stimuli: electromagnetic, optical, or chemical.
At the Department of Chemical Physics of Functional Materials, research focuses on the production and modification of functional materials such as:
- micro and nanocrystalline diamond,
- hybrid materials containing carbon nanotubes, graphene, melamine, conductive polymers,
- composite materials in a polymer matrix with a filler in the form of low-dimensional honeycomb-structured carbons, such as carbon nanotubes and graphene.
The main areas of application for the designed materials include sensors, ionizing radiation detectors, and energy conversion and storage devices.
