Fabrication and characteristics of "nanoleaves"

A film having a thickness of a single molecule: That is the material that the PTB scientists, together with colleagues from Bielefeld and Heidelberg, were – as the first and the only ones so far - able to fabricate and whose characteristics and applications they now want to study within the scope of a joint project which is funded by the Volkswagen-Stiftung(Volkswagen Foundation). Their “nanoleaves“ – they are only one to two nanometers thick – are based on crosslinked, self-organising layers which, after fabrication, can be detached from the support and are – in spite of the slight thickness – stable (freestanding). To research the characteristics of this new material – unique solely due to its “thinness“ – already promises fascinating results from a fundamental research perspective. However, in addition, the scientists also have their sights on highly practical applications. Thus the nanoleaves could be used in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, as highly sensitive gas sensors, or also as electrically conductive nanolayers

The scientific news on the division's internet site
www.ptb.de/en/aktuelles/archiv/nachrichten/2008/_nanoblaetter.html

Description of the project on the Webpages of Volkswagen-Stiftung (in German only)
http://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/service/presse/archiv-pressemitteilungen.html?L=0&tx_konopress_pi1%5BbackPid%5D=148&tx_konopress_pi1%5BpL%5D=1167605999&tx_konopress_pi1%5BpS%5D=1136070000&tx_konopress_pi1%5Btx_konopress_texte%5D=378&cHash=6ed5f3b6da

Contact:
Dr. Thomas Weimann, PTB Working Group 2.44 Nanostructures for Technical Applications,
Phone: +49 (0) 531-592 2281, e-mail: thomas.weimann(at)ptb.de