Stimuli-Responsive Reversible Assembly of 2D and 3D Metallosupramolecular Architectures

The discovery of interconvertible platinum coordination modes, which reveals and masks cis coordinating groups upon addition of acid and base, respectively, has been exploited to facilitate stimuli-responsive assembly and disassembly of both two- and three-dimensional metallosupramolecular architectures. Treatment of a binclear platinum complex with acid along with ditopic and tritopic donor ligands generated a molecular square and a trigonal prism, respectively, in good to high yield. These complexes were unambiguously identified using electrospray mass spectrometry, H-1 NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. Both assemblies can be disassembled into their constituent parts simply by treatment with base, and the prism can be cycled between the assembled and disassembled states by the alternate addition of acid and base.</p

Schallabsorber-Produkte aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen

Akustisch wirksame Schalldämpfungsmaterialien sind in der Regel aus Materialien hergestellt, deren Ursprung synthetisch ist. Oftmals ist die Synthetisierung solcher Stoffe energieaufwändig oder es werden Materialien eingesetzt, die aufgrund der Ressourcenknappheit nicht unbegrenzt zur Verfügung stehen. In diesem Kontext setzt ein Forschungsprojekt an, in dem schalldämpfende Materialien hergestellt aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen und als Schallabsorber qualifiziert werden.Typically, sound absorbing materials are produced out of synthetic based materials. Often the production of these base materials is highly energy consumptive. In other cases scarce resources are needed to synthesize those base materials. In this context the project shall cover how effectively a new absorber material based on renewable resources can compete with existing absorber materials

A framework for the optimisation of glazed gridshells in the early design stage under structural and energy-based criteria

While it is of primary importance to deliver high performance architecture within constraints of time and money, the integration between structural and energy-based aspects presents significant challenges for the organisation of the design process, especially in the early stages. In the case of complex envelopes, such as glazed gridshells, these engineering-related aspects should be considered from multiple points of view from the very beginning of the concept development, exploiting the potential conflicts between architects and engineers to let creative solutions emerge, and thus avoiding expensive and time-consuming design modifications downstream. This paper aims to define the framework required to integrate a multi-objective optimisation capable of combining such aspects into an integrated flow of information. Such an integrated analysis presents difficulties because, in the early design phases, conceptual changes happen faster than computational capacity; so, to overcome this obstacle it is necessary to define an iterative flow of information between structural and energy-based procedures, while at the same time taking into account the aesthetic requirements. This particular flow not only guarantees a correct passage of technical data among different software tools, but it also allows for a better communication and comprehension of information between diverse actors, such as architects and engineers. Based on this specific plan, a conceptual framework for optimising gridshells under structural, geometrical and energy-based criteria is developed and presented. The final goal of such a procedure is not, clearly, to replace the designer, but to give guidance to transform potential conflict into creative discussion and improve the efficiency of the later phases of the design process