Würzburg chemistry professor receives 2.5 million euros for innovative research!

Würzburg chemistry professor receives 2.5 million euros for innovative research!

Frank Würthner, chemistry professor at the University of Würzburg, has once again received a prestigious ERC Advanced Grant. The prize is endowed with 2.5 million euros and is made available for Würthner's new project entitled “Supramolecular Approach to Schwarzite Carbon Materials” (SCHWARZITE). This effort aims to synthesize Schwarzites, novel carbon nanomaterials that have unique properties and can potentially enable revolutionary applications in energy and filter technology.

Würthner heads the Chair of Organic Chemistry II and the Center for Nanosystems Chemistry at the University of Würzburg, which he has led since its founding in 2010. His research interests lie in the area of ​​organic electronics and solar technology. Since 2012 he has received support from the Bavarian research program “Solar Technologies go Hybrid”, which underlines his outstanding contributions to research.

Goal and significance of the project

The SCHWARZITE project focuses on the production of Schwarzites, which are distinguished by a three-dimensionally delocalized electron system. This enables almost resistance-free electrical power conduction. Such materials could serve as innovative alternatives to traditional carbon nanotubes and graphene in batteries and filter systems, thereby driving significant advances in the respective technologies.

The name “Schwarzite” was chosen in honor of the mathematician Hermann Schwarz, who theoretically described such structures in 1880. However, the synthesis of these materials presents significant challenges as it requires special sp2-hybridized carbons. Theoretical physicists have also predicted the presence of Dirac cones in some of the Schwarzite structures, further influencing their physical properties.

Research background and methods

A promising concept for producing Schwarzites was developed in Würthner's laboratory as early as 2022, based on heptagon units in nanographene structures. Here, nanographene molecules were successfully grouped around C60 fullerenes in a blackite-like arrangement. The current project aims to produce heptagon-containing nanographenes, chemically modify them and polymerize them into blackite-like materials.

The functional properties of these novel materials will be further investigated at the Center for Nanosystem Chemistry. The center received new technical equipment in 2016 to effectively support these research activities.

Würthner, born in 1964, received his first ERC Advanced Grant in 2018 for a project to convert solar energy into fuels. It should be noted that ERC Advanced Grants are awarded to provide funding to outstanding scientists for innovative projects. The application can be submitted in any research area, so there are no specific academic requirements to apply for this funding. The projects are designed to last five years and can also include international research collaborations.

In summary, the award of the ERC Advanced Grant is not only a personal achievement for Frank Würthner, but also a significant advance for research in the field of nanomaterials. These developments could have far-reaching implications for future technologies.

Further information about the ERC Advanced Grant and the application processes can be found on the website European Research Council.

The University of Würzburg emphasizes the importance of this research for chemical and technological development and will follow the results of the SCHWARZITE project with great interest.

The project not only promotes basic research, but could also have a significant impact on practical applications in industry.