Molecular Materials (Molmat)
We use polymers, conjugated polymers, polypeptides, liquid crystals, nanocellulose, metal nanoparticles, dendrimers, virus particles, carbon nanotubes and other carbon-based materials as structural and functional units in supramolecular assemblies. Recently, we have been engaged in bio-mimetic self-assembly with a special emphasis on nacre and silk mimetics.
Research Excellence
The Molmat group is part of the ), which was launched as one of the Research Council of Finland´s in Life Inspired Hybrid Materials (2022-2029). MolMat has been also part of the HYBER Centre of Excellence (2014-2019) which aimed to use biological concepts for
Nanomicroscopy Centre (NMC)
Molmat is also a part of the Nanomicroscopy Centre administered by Professor Janne Ruokolainen. NMC is a cutting-edge microscopy facility offering us a number of high-resolution imaging and fabrication tools for soft, hard and biomaterial characterization.
Group leader
Professor Olli Ikkala
I head the Molecular Materials laboratory at the Department of Applied Physics of Aalto University in Greater Helsinki. I am one of the PIs of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Life Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), and I have been the director of the previous CoE in Molecular Engineering of Biosynthetic Hybrid Materials Research (HYBER). My research interest is to develop functional materials based on hierarchical self-assemblies, biomimetics, and materials originating from nature, such as nanocellulose. The laboratory is multidisciplinary, combining physics, chemistry, and materials science. I have published nearly 300 articles, including several articles in the Science and Nature family, as well as ca 20 patents, and have been cited nearly 18,000 times (H-index 72). I have been awarded three times an ERC Advanced Grant and twice an Academy Professorship of the Research Council of Finland. I have received the Finnish Science Award in 2023 and Humboldt Research Award in 2019. I am also an elected member of board the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, and member of the Technology Academy of Finland.
Molecular Materials Facilities
The Molecular Materials research group is located in Nanotalo. The building also houses the Nanomicroscopy Center (NMC).
All equipment is available for external users. Contact details of the responsible persons are listed below (Note: Each facility has a different contact person).
- LTL - SQUID Magnetometer (Quantum Design MPMS XL7):
- LTL - Raman spectrometer with AFM (Horiba LabRAM HR and AFM XE-100):
The Aalto University Nanomicroscopy Center (NMC) provides high resolution microscopy to researchers, who come to work and collaborate using this high-quality equipment. The center is accessible to everyone.
Instruments at Nanomicroscopy Center are available for external users. Researchers from universities are trained to use the instruments by themselves.
Collaboration
We collaborate extensively, both internationally and nationally. Our collaborators include:
Companies
- Kemira
- Nokia
- UPM-Kymmene
International research institutes and universities
- CEA/CNRS/Cermav, Grenoble, France (Patrice Rannou, Redouane Borsali and Vincent Forge)
- Politecnico di Milano, Italy ( Pierangelo Metrangolo)
- University of Duisburg-Essen. Germany (Andre Gröschel)
- University of Bayreuth (A. Müller et al.)
- University of Bristol (C. Faul et al.), Max Planck Institute, Golm (H. Schlaad, H. Börner et al.)
- University of Athens (N. Hadjichristidis et al.)
- KTH (L. Berglund, T. Lindström)
- University of Cambridge (U. Steiner et al.)
- University of Fribourg (R. Mezzenga et al.)
- University of Groningen (G. ten Brinke et al.)
- University of Santa Barbara (E. Kramer, G. Fredrickson et al.)
- University of York (D. Smith et al.)
- University of Pennsylvania (V. Percec et al.)
- KAUST (N. Hadjichristidis et al.)
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (H. Iatrou et al.)
- University of Montreal (X.X. Zhu et al.)
National research institutes and universities
- Tampere University of Technology (A. Priimägi)
- University of Helsinki (M. Leskelä and M. Ritala et al., R. Serimaa et al., H. Tenhu et al., A. Urtti et al.)
- VTT Biotechnology (M.Penttilä)
- VTT Printable Electronics and Optics (H. Sandberg et al.)
- Åbo Academy University (R. Österbacka et al.)
- University of Helsinki (J. Hirvonen and L. Bimbo et al.)
- University of Jyväskylä (H. Häkkinen et al., M. Lahtinen et al.)
- Biomedicum, University of Helsinki (J. Klefström et al.).
Research groups within our university
Biotechnology and Chemical Technology (M. Linder, M. Kostiainen, J. Seppälä et al.)
Forest Products Chemistry (O. Rojas, J. Laine, E. Kontturi, M. Österberg)
Chemistry (M. Karppinen, K. Kontturi, C. Johans et al. )
Applied Physics (E. Kauppinen, P. Törmä)
Latest news
Bioinspired colours and adaptable materials - Professor Olli Ikkala's third EU project builds on living systems
Department of Applied Physics Professor Olli Ikkala received his third Advanced Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) on 11 April 2024. The funding amounts to €2.5 million and the project will run for five years.
Olli Ikkala and Esa Saarinen found a common thread in baroque music and lecturing
Olli Ikkala will continue his research on nature-inspired materials and will find himself again as an organist after his busy research career. Esa Saarinen, on the other hand, continued to lecture the Philosophy and Systems Thinking (Filosofia ja systeemiajattelu) course to packed halls this spring. When they met, they discussed the organ and the atmosphere of the lectures.
Professor Olli Ikkala receives Finnish Science Award
Ministry of Education and Culture grants Olli Ikkala, Aalto Distinguished Professor of applied physics, significant national acknowledgement for his interdisciplinary career in materials research
School of Science researchers now involved in five Centres of Excellence
SCI researchers are partners in three new Centres of Excellence: Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials, Randomness and structures, and Virtual laboratory for molecular level atmospheric transformations.Latest publications
Research group members
Contacts
Prof.
Academic Coordinator Maryam Borghei
Postal address:
Department of Applied Physics
Aalto University School of Science
P.O. Box 15100, 00076 Aalto, Finland
Visiting address:
Nano Building,
Puumiehenkuja 2 A
02150 Espoo
