Blue Materials: What are they, what can we expect from them and how can we study them using X-ray free electron lasers?

by Prof. Patrick Huber (Hamburg University of Technology, Institute for Materials and X-Ray Physics)

Tuesday 24 Jun 2025, 13:00 → 14:00 Europe/Berlin

XHQ / E1.173 (European XFEL )

The exquisite diversity and functionality of biological materials is truly remarkable, especially since they are composed of just a few common chemical elements. While engineered materials require specific — and often unsustainable — chemical compositions to fulfil their functions, nature achieves unparalleled functionality through optimised architectures spanning multiple length scales. Water, with its ubiquity and unique structural dynamics, plays a pivotal role in shaping the properties and functionality of natural materials at the nanoscale as a 'working fluid'. In this talk, I will introduce a new class of sustainable, interactive materials whose functionality is derived from the interplay between the hierarchical structures of hard matter and water. I will demonstrate how these 'Blue Materials' can mimic natural processes such as water-driven mechanical actuation, capillary-driven water transport, and humidity-responsive colouration and light scattering. I will also discuss their potential applications in areas such as electrical energy storage and conversion, which extend the functionalities observed in nature. Finally, I will talk about how these materials can be studied at X-ray free electron laser sources.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://xfel.zoom.us/j/69457405017?pwd=ML2sznpAZWYEJNzyXo88BRQvjxE5bZ.1

 

Meeting ID: 694 5740 5017

Passcode: 473971