Educational Background:

Diploma thesis: Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany, 1988 Ph.D.: Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research and Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany, 1991 Habilitation: Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research and Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany, 1998

Awards:

Ph.D. Award of the Hoechst AG Carl Duisberg Memorial Award of the German Chemical Society

Research Description:

Our research currently focuses on an interdisciplinary approach to ''soft materials'', with emphasis on the study of block copolymers, ranging from synthetic aspects of polymer science all the way to the physics of complex fluids under shear flow. With our recent effort to obtain silica-type materials from block copolymer mesophases we bridge the gap between polymers and ceramics opening up a fascinating research area with potential applications ranging all the way from the life sciences to microelectronics. Our current research activities are summarized as follows:

Synthesis and characterization of model *,*-

macrozwitterionic block copolymers

Investigation of the self-assembly of these model macromolecular surfactants in the bulk as well as in solution

Order and dynamics of complex block copolymer fluids under shear flow

Diblock copolymers as structure directing agents for silica-type mesostructures

mesoporous materials obtained from block copolymer directed silica synthesis

nano-objects of controlled shape, size and composition from hybrid mesophases

ion conductivity of organic-inorganic hybrid materials

Funding
Since part of the research effort is conducted at the Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Science in Mainz, Germany, funding comes from German as well as American sources, some of which are: German Science Foundation (DFG), Max-Planck-Society (MPG), BASF Germany, NSF, New York State Center for Advanced Technology (CAT).

Selected Publications:

P.F.W. Simon, R. Ulrich, H.W. Spiess, U. Wiesner, Review: Block Copolymer - Ceramic Hybrid Materials From Organically Modified Silicon Precursors, Chem. Mater. 2001, 13, 3464.

G. Floudas, B. Vazaiou, F. Schipper, R. Ulrich, U. Wiesner, H. Iatrou, N. Hadjichristidis, Poly(ethylene oxide-b-isoprene) Diblock Copolymer Phase Diagram, Macromolecules 34, 2001, 2947.

A.C. Finnefrock, R. Ulrich, A. Du Chesne, C.C. Honeker, K. Schumacher, K.K. Unger, S.M. Gruner, U. Wiesner, Metal-Oxide-Containing Mesoporous Silica With Bicontinuous Plumber's Nightmare Morphology From a Block Copolymer-Hybrid Mesophase, Angew Chem. Int. Ed. 2001, 40, 1208; Agnew. Chem. 2001, 113, 1248.

G. Floudas, R. Ulrich, U. Wiesner, B. Chu, Nucleation and Growth in Order-to-Order Transitions of a Block Copolymer, Europhys. Lett. 2000, 50, 182.

R. Ulrich, A. Du Chesne, M. Templin, U. Wiesner, Nano-Objects With Controlled Shape, Size and Composition From Block Copolymer Mesophases, Adv. Mater. 1999, 11, 141.

V. SchSdler, P. Lindner, U. Wiesner, E. Mendes, Ionic and Zwitterionic Model Macromolecular Surfactants, J. Phys. Chem. B 1998, 102, 7316.

V. SchSdler, V. Kniese, T. Thurn-Ahlbrecht, U. Wiesner, H.W. Spiess, Self-Assembly of Ionically End-Capped Diblock Copolymers, Macromolecules 1998, 31, 4828.

U. Wiesner, Feature Article: Block Copolymers Under Large Amplitude Oscillatory Shear Flow: Order and Dynamics, Macromol. Chem. Phys. 1997, 198, 3319.

M. Templin, A. Franck, A. Du Chesne, H. Leist, Y. Zhang, R. Ulrich, V. SchSdler, U. Wiesner, Organically Modified Aluminosilicate Mesostructures From Block Copolymer Phases, Science 1997, 278, 1795.