Sol-Gel Materials and Nanotechnology Center of Excellence

Address: ul. Smoluchowskiego 25

50-370 Wrocław, Poland

phone: (+48 71) 320 21 18

fax: (+48 71) 321 12 35

Email: sgmn@immt.pwr.wroc.pl

Introduction

Poland and other countries aspiring to full membership in the European Community have to bridge many gaps in a very short time. The discrepancies between them and the members of the Community span almost every aspect of life - from the law to pollution of water, soil and atmosphere. Yet, there is an enormous potential in these future members of the EU - given a chance their young generations can join the greater family of the European nations bringing new ideas, skills and enthusiasm.

            Wrocław - the city in which the Center is localized - is uniquely positioned where Poland, Germany, the Czech and Slovak Republics meet. Furthermore, it is a great academic center - 11 higher-education establishments with total enrolment of 111,000 students (17% of its population). As such Wrocław is a perfect candidate for a hub of scientific and technological exchange between the East and the West of Europe.

            Establishing of the Center of Excellence "Sol-Gel Materials and Nanotechnology" in Wrocław was aimed primarily at creating an international network of research groups (originating from universities, national labs and other research-oriented establishments), companies interested in new technologies and materials as well as local-government institutions and integrating this network into the greater European Research Area. That networking would occur in several intersecting areas by building contacts: between scientists from different fields (interdisciplinary research), between scientists and manufacturers (technology transfer) and between scientists/manufacturers and local communities (response to local economic and social challenges and needs). The above mentioned networking between scientific, industrial and governmental institutions would cover as broad area of Europe as possible, helping in this way to incorporate the participant from the NAS into the European Community.

Objectives

The particular objectives envisaged for the "Sol-Gel Materials and Nanotechnology" Center of Excellence cover:

networking - organizing and coordination of the network of scientific, industrial and governmental institutions aimed at enhancing of cooperation between them and yielding joint projects leading to: obtaining grants, publishing scientific papers, formulating patents and organizing spin-offs; contacts with other Centers specializing in related topics will be established and twinning proposals will be formulated

organization of international and local conferences and workshops - stimulating exchange of scientific and technological ideas, bringing together people from different areas and countries

organizing short-term visits for senior and junior scientists - helping in establishing contacts aimed at formulating new research projects capable of obtaining funds from local sources and the European Commission (e.g. the framework programs)

publishing a scientific journal - the Center is already involved in preparing, editing, printing and providing via the internet of "Materials Science". The journal - which covers various aspects of new, advanced materials - is a perfect medium for achieving increase in the scope and impact of the envisaged network.

Innovative character

New, smart materials and nanotechnology belong to the topics showing the fastest rate of growth and immense impact on contemporary science and technology. Due to the advances of experimental and computational techniques in physics and chemistry it is possible now to obtain direct information about molecular and atomic structure of matter (nanometric scale) and dynamics of physicochemical processes governing its behavior observed in real-time (femto- and nanosecond scale). These methods include:

supramolecular chemistry - enabling the researches to build desired macroscopic structures by controlling the formation process (chemical recontent/sgmn/actions) on the nanoscale (e.g. carbon nanotubes (fullerenes), electroluminescent organic displays etc.)

fast lasers - pulsed lasers operating in nano- and femtosecond regimes are used to investigate and modify elementary physicochemical processes enabling researchers to obtain materials with completely new properties (e.g. quantum dots, nonlinear optics etc.)

optoelectronics - optical fibers, optical amplifiers, new generations of detectors are used to integrate, miniaturize and enhance systems of information collection, transmission and evaluation yielding more powerful tools for science and technology

scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) and atomic force  microscopes (AFM) - research    tools enabling visualization of structures of virtually any objects on nanoscale

spectroscopic techniques - such methods as NMR, UV-VIS-IR absorption techniques,    Raman scattering, luminescence measurements, ESCA etc. yield fast and reliable information on composition and properties of materials under investigation.

The above mentioned tools and techniques are just a few of a fast growing family of techniques enabling researches to conceive, build, test and apply new advanced materials which structure and properties are controlled on the molecular and atomic levels.

The sol-gel technique is one of the fastest growing fields of contemporary chemistry. The main advantage of this process stems from the fact that it offers an alternative approach to conventional production of glasses, glass-like materials and ceramics of various properties and applications. Conventional glass preparation requires melting of the precursors at high temperatures, rapid cooling and subsequent vitrification of the glassy material. This procedure highly restricts choice of substances which can be entrapped in the glass products. Furthermore, the way in which conventional glass is produced makes thin films preparation extremely cumbersome. Production of porous glassy materials via the conventional melting is similarly inconvenient.

            The sol-gel technology enables production of doped glassy materials either as porous dry gels ("xerogels") or densified materials. Since the process starts from aqueous solutions of precursors it is possible to immobilize in glass-like materials various substances even as fragile as proteins (yielding bio-content/sgmn/active glasses). Furthermore, contrary to the conventional methods of glass production it is possible to obtain doped materials with extremely large dopants concentrations - a crucial feature in production of, for example, nonlinear optics based on rare-earth doped glasses and ceramics (e.g. erbium fiber-optical amplifiers for telecommunication industry). Another attrcontent/sgmn/active feature of this technology is the fact that sol-gel materials can be obtained as bulks, thin films (on various supports) and powders.

Various materials obtainable by the sol-gel technique and the processes leading to their production are shown in below:

 Bulks

Sol-gel technologies

The SGM&N Center of Excellence is content/sgmn/actively involved in designing, production, investigations and applications of various materials of the sol-gel origin. Examples of the main thematic areas:

optical sensors (optodes) - the idea is based on changes of optical parameters of content/sgmn/active (sensing) molecules physically entrapped in (or, in some cases, covalently bound to) porous sol-gel thin films (on planar or fiber-optical supports). Those changes are induced by changing external physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, hydrostatic pressure or presence of analyte molecules or, for example, bacteria [e.g. a Gold Medal with Distinction during the 48^th World Exhibition of Innovation, Research and New Technologies Eureka'99  for "sol-gel optode of gaseous ammonia"]

non-linear optoelectronics - the sol-gel technique is used to obtain densified glasses and ceramics doped with high concentrations of, for example, rare earth content/sgmn/active ions [e.g. a Gold Medal with Distinction during the 49^th World Exhibition of Innovation, Research and New Technologies Eureka'00  for erbium doped sol-gel preforms for fuber-optical amplifiers]

nanomaterials - e.g. nanopowders consisting of uniform spheres of submicron sizes; such spheres can further modified with various content/sgmn/active substances yielding materials exhibiting, for example, the photonic effect (e.g. for optical integrated circuits)or several orders of magnitude increase in intensity of Raman signal (e.g. for medical biosensors based on the SERS efect). 

The Center of Excellence is coordinated through the Management Board. The role of the Management Board is to:

ˇ        develop long-term plans concerning the Center strategic research directions,

ˇ        obtaining financial support and expand the Center capabilities

ˇ        control the Center financial status

ˇ        coordinate contacts with industry and local governments

ˇ        coordinate the staff policy and stimulate the staff development.

 The Board consists of:

• the Scientific Coordinator
• the task leaders
• editor-in-chief of "Materials Science"

The members of the Board have proven scientific qualifications. Each of them possesses also leadership qualities.

The Center of Excellence Scientific Coordinator is Prof. Krzysztof Maruszewski.

The working groups with their leaders are dedicated to carrying specific tasks:

• Scientific projects - organization of work, coordination and content/sgmn/active participation in preparation of grant proposals, spin-offs and other research-oriented content/sgmn/activities. The working group will be also responsible for obtaining scientific results, preparation of papers, reports, patents etc. - Leader 1 - Prof. Wiesław Stręk

• Events - work concerned with all aspects of organization of conferences, workshops and related events - Leader 2 - Prof. Marek Rybaczuk

• Information - preparation, actualization and providing of databases and the Center official web page. Also, preparation of the Center booklets and maintaining contacts with the Center partners - Leader 3 - Prof. Jerzy Kaleta

• "Materials Science" journal - editing and publishing of "Materials Science" - person responsible - Prof. Juliusz Sworakowski  Editor-in-Chief (Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Technical University of Wrocław)

• The Center office - secretarial support of the Center of Excellence - person responsible – Dr. Katarzyna Kozłowska,  the Center secretary.

The information flow within the Center core is coordinated by the Center office. The Scientific Coordinator is responsible for introducing measures decided upon the Management Board. The Management Board decisions are subject to the Supervisory Board advises and revisions. The Management Board meets every month (or more frequently, if need arises). The Management Board measures and plans are consulted with the Supervisory Board every three month.

The Center of Excellence is a structural part of the Technical University of Wrocław. As such, its infrastructure and working environment is a part of the University macrostructure. Safety concerns as well as equal opportunity regulations are thus warranted by the standing rules of the University. As a public higher-education facility the Technical University of Wrocław conforms to the Polish Law and international academic regulations.

Supervisory Board

The supervisory Board guides and advices the Management Board in its efforts in leading, coordination and expanding of the SGM&N Center of Excellence.

The Supervisory Board consists of:

1. Prof. M.A. Aegerter, Institut für Neue Materialien - INM, Germany

2. dr. J. Czyżewski,ABB Corporate Research, Poland

3. Prof. J. Holsa, University of Turku,Finland

4. Prof. A. Kłonkowski, University of Gdańsk, Poland

5. Prof. J. Legendziewicz,Wrocław University, Poland

6.  eng. R. Okniński, KOLT  S.A.  Technical-Commerce Firm, Poland

7. Prof. M. Opałło, Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland

8. Prof. J. Phalippou, Laboratoire des Verres - UMR  5587, Universite de Montplier 2, France

9. Prof. R. Reisfeld,The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

10. Prof. M. Bettinelli, Universita degli Studi di Verona, Italy.

Background information on SGM&N Coordinator

Krzysztof  Maruszewski  (Ph.D.  D.Sc.)                      

He was born 08.08.1964 in Zielona Góra, Poland. He graduated from the Faculty of Basic Problems of Technology of Wrocław Technical University in 1988. His M.S. Thesis "Computer Simulations of Side Directed Mutagenesis and Is Influence on Proteins content/sgmn/activity and Stability" was prepared in the Quantum Chemistry Group under a guidance of prof. dr hab. inż. A. Sokalski and resulted in publication in Int. J. Quant. Chem. As a student he was a chairmen of  theAssociation of  Biotechnology Students (1987-1988) where he organized the I^st and II^nd National Biotechnology Seminars. He received three Chancellor of Wrocław Technical University Awards (1985, 1986, 1988) and Minister of Higher Education Award ("Primus Inter Pares") in 1987.

    He begun his doctoral study at Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA in the group lead by prof. J. Kincaid in 1989 . During his graduate study at Marquette University he completed five proficiency exams in the first year of the program and received: Dennis J. O'Brien Fellowship (1990), Rev. J.P. Raynor, S.J. Fellowship (1991-1992) and "Certificate of Accomplishment" in 1994. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in 1992 for Thesis: "Spectroscopy and Physicochemical Properties of Ruthenium(II) Polypyridine Complexes in Free Solutions and Entrapped in Zeolites". He continued research at Marquette University as an Associate Researcher during his post-doctoral work (1992-1995).

    After return to Poland in 1995 he begun to work in the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research (Polish Academy of Sciences) in Wrocław and in the Chemistry Department of Opole University. The Scientific Council of the Institute granted him a D.Sc. degree for "Physicochemical and Spectroscopic properties of metal complexes and organic molecules immobilized in zeolites and sol-gel matrices" in June of 1999. He was nominated for an Assistant Professor position in the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research in March of 2000. In the same year he was also offered a professor position at the Wrocław University of Technology which he accepted (ending my work at the Opole University).

    In 1997 a Polish Scientific Research Committee (KBN) grant "Technology and Physicochemical Properties of Optical Chemi- and Biosensors (Optodes) Based on Sol-Gel Silica Matrices" (of which he was a Principal Researcher) was nominated to the "Polish Nobel" series. The results of the grant were evaluated as "excellent" and described in several newspapers and TV programs. At the present moment he is a Principal Researcher of another three KBN grants concerned with such devices. He also took part in five other KBN grants. He was a member of a Coordinating Committee of a SCI-TECH II grant (program Phare) related also to optical sensors.

    He was awarded:

• a Gold Medal with Distinction during the 48^th World Exhibition of Innovation, Research and New Technologies Eureka'99,
• a Gold Medal with Distinction during the 49^th World Exhibition of Innovation, Research and New Technologies Eureka'00,
• an Individual Prize of  the Polish Minister of Education in 2000.

He took part in 8 international conferences and 23 conferences in Poland. He is an author of 44 published publications and two books. He has six submitted patents. Number of citations: 178 (1989-2001). He is a supervisor of eight PhD students.  He was an organizer of ten conferences including chairmanship of the "Sol-Gel Materials 2001" International Conference (Rokosowo, Poland, 2001). He is a member of the Polish Chemical Society.

International attrcontent/sgmn/action

The SGM&N Center of Excellence possesses significant, well proven research capabilities  in the field of theory, manufacturing, investigations and applications of a variety of sol-gel based materials, including nanomaterials.

            The major experimental capabilities of the Center are based, among others, on the following labs:

ˇ        several synthetic labs - full synthetic capabilities (chemical benches, high-temperature furnaces, dry-boxes etc.)

ˇ        chemical analytical labs - various methods (electrochemical, chromatographic etc)

ˇ        microbiological and biochemical labs - techniques for biological sol-gel sensoric system

ˇ        microscopy labs - Transmission Electron Microscopes, Scanning Electron Microscopes, various optical techniques

ˇ        lasers lab - complete coverage of optical laser methods (e.g. argon lasers, krypton lasers, an excimer laser, a dye laser, a YAG:Nd, a Ti:Sapphire laser etc.)

ˇ        spectroscopy lab - UV-VIS-IR absorption and emission techniques (from liquid-helium to high-temperatures), Raman scattering, excited states lifetime measurements etc.

ˇ        crystallography lab - single-crystal and powder techniques

ˇ        material fatigue lab - various materials fatigue tests

ˇ        computational facilities - the Technical University Computational Center

The Center has established links with many scientists representing various fields from Europe and other parts of the world. Examples of the scientific institutions from which researchers have visited the Center include:

ˇ        Prof. M.A. Aegerter,  Institut für Neue Materialien – INM, Germany

ˇ        Prof. V. Zolin, Institute of Radioeneering and Electronics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia 

ˇ        Prof. J. Phalippou, Laboratoire des Verres - UMR  5587, Universite de Montplier 2,  France 

ˇ        Prof. N.V. Gaponenko, Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics,   Belarus

ˇ       Prof. J. Holsa, University of Turku, Finland

ˇ       Prof. R. Reisfeld, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

ˇ       Prof. R. Acevedo, Ciudad Universitaria, Santiago, Chile

ˇ       Prof. G. De Sa, Cid. Universitaria, Recife, Brazil

ˇ        Prof. T. K. Anh, Inst. Material Sciences, Hanoi, Vietnam

ˇ        Prof. S. Bratccini, Univ. Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

ˇ        Prof. L. C. Klein, Rutgers State University, USA

ˇ        Prof. D. Millers University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

ˇ        Prof. H. C. Zeng,National University of Singapore,  Singapore

 and many others.

The Center has been visited by many students and post-docs, among others, from: Finland, France, Germany, China, Vietnam, Belarus and Italy.

The visits, exchanges and other forms of international cooperation are possible due to the fact that the scientific staff of the Center of Excellence communicates (in speech and writing) in English. Furthermore, French, German and Spanish speakers are among the Center Polish participants. The senior scientists of the Center of Excellence possess wide experience in international contacts (degrees obtained at the foreign universities, memberships of international societies, participations in conferences in different parts of the World).

Currently, the SGM&N co-operates with the Network of Centers of Excellence "Interfacial Effects, Novel Properties and Technologies of Nanostructured Materials" (Acronym NANOstructured materials) in developing of nanostructured ceramics for optoelectronics applications.The Center was represented during the II Workshop of the Network of Centers of Excellence (5-6 October 2001, Ulm Germany).

Sol-gel technology - Introduction

The sol-gel technology emerged within the last two decades and quickly became one of the most important and promising new material fabrication methods. It enables researches to design and fabricate a wide variety of different materials with unique chemical and physical properties. The sol-gel materials are based on silica, alumina, titania and other compuonds. The sol-gel technology allows to fabricate: monolithic and porous glasses, fibres, powders, thin films, nanocrystalllites, photonic crystals. A broad spectrum of different sol-gel derived materials opens a variety of new applications in a broad range of fields: optoelectronics (optical sensors, lasers, filters, photonic crystals), ferroelectronics, luminophores, scintillator ceramics, cathodoluminescent screens, powder lasers, anti-reflection coatings, superconductors, telecommunication (optical fibers and wave guides), medicine (bio-glasses), catalysis, anticorrosion coatings, new chemicals for agriculture, pharmacy (controlled drug delivery systems).

The following technology themes are under current development in the Center of Excellence: fabrication of porous monolithic and thin film glasses, fabrication of glasses doped with transition metal and rare eart ions, fabricontent/sgmn/action of optical sensors (optodes) of various physical and chemical parametres, fabrication of nanometric crystallites, fabrication of pure and doped submicron spherical particles, fabrication of inorganic-organic materials hybrid.

The sol-gel technique

Conventional glass preparation requires melting of the precursors at high temperatures, rapid cooling and subsequent vitrification of the glassy material. This procedure highly restricts choice of substances, which can be entrapped in the glass products. Basically only metal oxides and some inorganic salts can survive such drastic conditions avoiding thermal decomposition. Furthermore, the way in which conventional glass is produced makes thin films preparation extremely cumbersome and the only method of preparation of porous classical glasses requires etching or partial dissolving (e.g. Vycorâ glass). On the other hand glass and glassy materials possess several useful features for optical applications such as transparency, homogeneity, mechanical sturdiness, high refrcontent/sgmn/active index etc.

An alternative approach to glass and glass-like materials is offered by the, so called, sol-gel technology. The process itself is known for more than a century, but it has gained a new importance in the last two decades after pioneering results of Dislich. He and other researchers improved the chemistry of the process so much that it is now possible to obtain samples in days (or even hours - in case of thin films) rather than months (or years) like in the case of the early samples.

The sol-gel technique is based on hydrolysis of liquid precursors and formation of colloidal sols. The precursors are usually organosilicates (e.g. TEOS - tetraethoxysilane) yielding silicate sol-gel materials. However, the method is not restricted to the silicon compounds - for example compounds of zirconium, vanadium etc. can be used as precursors leading to materials possessing different physico-chemical properties. Furthermore, it is possible to obtain modified organosilicate precursors with direct Si-C bonds (which do not undergo hydrolysis) and possessing terminal functional groups (e.g. -NH2, -SH2 etc.). Such precursors, either pure or mixed with the conventional ones, yield inorganic-organic materials with mechanical (e.g. elasticity) and physico-chemical properties (e.g. wetability) modified by the organic components of the inorganic polymer network. The functional groups can be also used for covalent binding of various chemicals (including biomolecules) giving specifically modified glassy materials.

In the case of the most often employed silicate sol-gel matrices, manufactured from hydrolizates of various alkoksysilanes, the chemical recontent/sgmn/actions involved in the gel formation involve the precursor hydrolysis and the subsequent formation of the silicate network.

At this stage a wet gel is produced which, upon drying, yields porous xerogels. The drying is accompanied by liquid expulsion from the pores (syneresis) and substantial matrix shrinkage often leading to cracks (mainly due to the capillary pressure).

The hydrolysis process is significantly improved (accelerated) if conducted at pH 7. Thus, addition of acid (typically HCl_(aq)) or base (typically NH₄OH) speeds up this process. After the hydrolysis the acidity of the sol is neutralized slowly to approx. 7 pH, what stimulates the gelation process. At this stage a mechanically unstable "wet" gel is formed. Drying of wet gels (even at ambient temperatures) leads to xerogels ("dry gels"). Xerogels are stable, transparent and insoluble in water and most of organic solvents and porous solid materials.

In cases when fully-densified sol-gel glasses are sought, extensive drying at temperatures close to the vitrification temperatures will yield such materials (e.g. for silicate glasses it is necessary to heat at quartz vitrification temperature Vg&asymp1300°C). This enables obtaining glasses in situations when it is not feasible via the conventional melting techniques (e.g. heavily-doped with certain temperature-resistant materials).

Since the early steps of the sol-gel process occur in liquid phase, it is possible to add basically any substance (as solutions or suspensions) at this stage. Simple mixing provides uniform distribution of the dopant within the liquid host phase. After the gelation the guest molecules become physically entrapped within the now solid host matrix. Furthermore, the hydrolysis, doping and gelation occur usually at ambient temperatures - allowing entrapment of even such delicate molecules as proteins without their decomposition. Sol-gel doped matrices, obtained in the above described manner, are of the form of xerogels and possess a network of internal pores and cavities enabling the entrapped molecules to interact with the surrounding medium. Furthermore, the doped matrices usually possess good optical characteristics (transparency and high refrcontent/sgmn/active indexes). Those features are of key importance for production of optical sensors (optodes).

Submicron silica spheres prepared by the sol-gel method

Another convenient feature of this technology is the fact that the sol-gel samples can be obtained as bulks, thin films and powders. It has to be noted that bulk sol-gel samples suffer very often from internal cracks, leading to their destruction. This effect is caused by evaporation of solvent molecules from the network of pores of the drying gels. The ensuing capillary pressure is high enough to cause the material collapse. However, for reasons only partially understood, sol-gel thin films are virtually immune from this destructive effect. Thus, for example sol-gel optodes based on such thin films possess all the attrcontent/sgmn/active features of the sol-gel materials being, at the same time, virtually free from the most troublesome drawback of the method i.e. samples cracking.

The sol-gel technique is one of the fastest growing fields of contemporary chemistry. The main advantage of this process stems from the fact that it offers an alternative approach to conventional production of glasses, glass-like materials and ceramics of various properties and applications. The sol-gel technology enables production of doped glassy materials either as porous dry gels ("xerogels") or densified materials. Since the process starts from aqueous solutions of precursors it is possible to immobilize in glass-like materials various substances even as fragile as proteins (yielding bio-content/sgmn/active glasses). Another attrcontent/sgmn/active feature of this technology is the fact that sol-gel materials can be obtained as bulks, thin films (on various supports) and (nano)powders. Such matrices, content/sgmn/activated by doping, impregnation or covalent bonding, yield materials which can be used as, among other possibilities, optical sensors, catalysts, medical materials (e.g. bone implants), content/sgmn/active (e.g. "smart windows") and passive coatings (e.g. scratch-resistant or antireflective) or various optical materials (e.g. scintillators, powder lasers, amplifiers etc.).

References:

[1] Ebelman, H. (1847). C. R. Acad. Sci., 25, 854.
[2] Dislich, H. (1971). Glastechn. Ber., 44, 1.
[3 Wolfbeis, O.S. (Ed.) (1991). Fiber Optical Sensors and Biosensors, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.
[4] Maruszewski, K., Strommen, D.P. and Kincaid, J.R. (1993). J. Am. Chem. Soc , 115, 8345.>br/> [5] Maruszewski K. and Kincaid J.R. (1995). Inorg.Chem., 34, 2002.
[6] Maruszewski, K., Andrzejewski, D. and Stręk, W. (1997). J. Luminesc., 72-74, 226.
[7] Maruszewski, K., Jasiorski, M., Salamon, M. and Stręk, W. (1999). Chem. Phys. Lett., 314, 83.
[8] Lakowicz, J.R. (Ed.) (1994). Topics in Fluorescence Spectroscopy Vol. 4: Probe Design and Chemical Sensing,Plenum Press, New York.
[9] Marazuela, M.D., Moreno-Bondi, M.C. and Orellana, G. (1998). Appl. Spectrosc., 52, 1314.
[10] Campbell, M., Yang, Y., Wallace, P.A. and Holmes-Smith, A.S. (1997). Opt. Rev., 4, 111.
[11] Nakamoto, K. (1978). Infrared and Raman Spectra of Inorganic and Coordination Compounds, John Wiley, New York.
[12] Clark, R. J. H. and Hester, R. E. (1978 up to now). Advances in Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy.
[13] Long, D. A. (1977). Raman Spectroscopy McGraw-Hill, New York.
[14] Strommen, D. P., (1984). Laboratory Raman Spectroscopy, John Wiley, New York.
[15] unpublished results.
[16] Stöber, W., Fink, A. and Bohn, E. (1968). J. Colloid Interface Sci., 26, 62.
[17] Jasiorski, M., Maruszewski, K. and Stręk, W. (2002). Mat.Sci., 20, 51.
[18] Maruszewski, K., Jasiorski, M., Hreniak, D., Stręk, W., Hermanowicz, K. and Heiman, K. J. Sol-Gel Sci.Techn., in press.
[19] Campion, A. and Kambhampati, P. (1998). Chem. Soc. Rev., 27, 241.
[20] Li, X.Y., Petrov, V.I., Chen D. and Yu, N.T. (2001). J. Raman Spectr., 32, 503.
[21] Kurokava, Y., Imai, Y. and Tamai, Y. (1997). Analyst, 122, 941.
[22] Litorja, M., Haynes, C.L., Haes, A.J., Jensen T.R. and Van Duyne, R.P. (2001). J. Phys. Chem. B, 105, 6907

Optical fiber sensors and luminescence biosensors

prepared by the sol-gel method

The idea behind the sol-gel optical sensors (optodes) is based on changes of optical parameters of content/sgmn/active (sensing) molecules physically entrapped in (or, in some cases, covalently bound to) porous sol-gel thin films. Those changes are induced by changing external physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, hydrostatic pressure or presence of analyte molecules or, for example, bacteria. There are several kinds of optical signals which could be used as analytical response of such optodes. In general, one can observe changes of:

• time of decay of the sensing molecules luminescence,
• intensity of light absorbed or emitted by the sensing molecules
• changes in vibrational spectra (bands intensity and frequency) of the sensing molecules,
• polarization properties of the sensing molecules.

Electronic spectroscopy in the visible region offers several advantages stemming from the fact that relatively small number of inorganic, organic or metalloorganic molecules possesses electronic transitions in the VIS range (color). This fact lowers the possibility of optical interference with the sensing molecules coming from unwanted molecules (in most cases organic), which might diffuse into the matrix pores or adhere to the optode surface. Furthermore, spectral bands corresponding to such transitions are usually broad in condensed phases (liquids and solids) and, often, even in gases. This property makes them easier to detect. Simple colorimetric measurements of acidity supply an example of this analytical method. In this case changes in pH result in changes of absorption patterns (color) of organic indicator dyes such as, for example, phenolophtaleine, bromocresol, rosolic acid etc.

As it has been mentioned, optodes can be based on detection of changes of polarization properties of the sensing molecules bound to sol-gel matrices. For example, it is possible to covalently bind large, biological molecules labeled with luminophors to the surface of a sol-gel thin film in such a way that the macromolecule retains partial rotational freedom. If some other molecule recognizes and binds to the labeled biomolecule its rotation can be hampered what leads to changes of the luminophore emission polarization anisotropy. The system based on the this effect can be employed as a luminescent sensor for detection of certain bacteria.

The luminescence biosensor based on detection of changes of depolarization of luminescence

Thin films of titania and silica-titania composites

New methods of fabrication of the thin films obtained by the sol-gel method for bacteriostatic and optical applications have been developed. Both types of materials are prepared from hydrolyzed alkoxides of silicon and titanium (or their mixtures). The well-known antiseptic properties of silver are due to influence of silver ions on various microorganisms. Silver ions are produced by oxidation of metallic Ag in the air. It is related to the fact that this process yields a thin layer of AgO on the metallic core of particle. Thus, it is important to prepare materials with well dispersed silver particles, possessing high specific surface and nanometric metal precipitates. These requirements are met by the sol-gel derived materials. Easy preparation of thin films and the simple process of silver doping allows to prepare antiseptic and non-toxic for humans materials for medical applications and the food industry.

 Emission spectra (a) and luminescence decays (b) recorded for TiO₂ doped with Eu³⁺ and co-doped with Eu³⁺ and silver particles

Besides antiseptic properties of silver doped materials, a strong influence of metallic, nanostructured Ag on the luminescence efficiency of light emitting lanthanides ions, which are generally used as luminophores, has been found recently. This effect is due to phonon-plasmon intercontent/sgmn/action which is present in dielectric materials doped with nanosized metallic particles under optical excitation. The luminescent thin films of nanocrystalline TiO₂ content/sgmn/activated with Eu-ions (red luminophore) and co-doped with silver particles have been successfully obtained by the sol-gel method and their emission properties have been investigated (Fig.1). The effect of silver doping on the luminescence lifetimes increasing, which indicates on the increase of emission efficiency from Eu³⁺-ions, has been found. The fabricated material can be used as a new, planar luminophores for optoelectronic applications (for instance in Field Emission Displays (FEDs)).

Magnetic Powders

Understanding the correlation between magnetic properties and (nano)structure involves collaborative efforts of chemists, physicists and materials scientists to study both fundamental properties and potential applications. Magnetic nanoparticles of a single magnetic domain size possess very interesting properties and the potential to replace many of the conventional magnetic materials.

Ferromagnetic materials, magnetic powders, have been widely used as  magnets, cores and wave absorbers.

Nanoparticles of magnetic materials are used in magnetic disks, recording tapes, etc.

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles also find important medical applications e.g. magnetic cell sorting, magnetocytolysis, drug-targeting experiments etc. 

The correlation between nanostructure and magnetic properties suggests the classification of nanostructures morphologies:

Type A

Materials include the ideal ultrafine particle system, with interparticle spacing large enough to approximate the particles as nonintercontent/sgmn/acting. The isolated particles with nanoscale diameters.

Subgroup of Type A

Materials in which magnetic particles are surrounded by a surfactant preventing intercontent/sgmn/actions. Ferrofluids, in which long surfactant  molecules provide separation of particles.

Type B

Materials include ultrafine particles with a core-shell morphology. In type-B particles, the presence of the shell can help to prevent the particle-particle intercontent/sgmn/actions.

Type C

Nanocomposites are composed of small magnetic particles embedded in chemically dissimilar matrix. The matrix may or may not be magnetocontent/sgmn/active.

Type D

Materials consists of small crystallites dispersed in noncrystalline matrix. The nanostructure may be two-phase, in which nanocrystalites are a distinct phase form the matrix, or the ideal case in which both the crystallites and matrix are made of the same material.

The spherical powders doped with ferrofluid and other magnetic compounds are prepared by sol-gel process, modified in the part of TEOS hydrolysis technique. Spherical hydrous silica particles with narrow size distribution were previously produced by Stöber, et al. via the hydrolysis/condensation method. Under conditions of constant stirring at room temperature, TEOS (tetraethylorthosilicate) was added to a solution of reagent-grade ethanol and concentrated ammonium hydroxide solution. The TEOS underwent hydrolysis/condensation recontent/sgmn/action, forming (poly)silicic acid. Within minutes, precipitation of uniform spherical particles occurred.

Figure 1. Diagram of the sol-gel preparation procedure for SiO₂ powders doped with the magnetic fluid (FF21)

Figure 2. SEM photographs of  spherical magnetic powders.

Organic - inorganic polymer hybrid

An organic-inorganic hybrid polymer hybrid materials has been obtained by combining organic termo- and photopolymerization and the sol-gel process. The organic and inorganic phases are formed from two interpenetrating polymeric networks. The family of organic–inorganic hybrid materials have attracted considerable attention due to their interesting properties such as: molecular homogeneity, transparency, flexibility and durability. Such hybrids are promising materials for various applications, e.g.: solid state lasers (optical components), replacements for silicon dioxide as insulating materials in the microelectronic industry, anti-corrosion and scratch resistant coatings, contact lenses or host materials for chemical sensors, membrane materials and many medical and dental applications, such as: dental filling materials. Other areas of applications are catalysis, chromatography. The potential applications and technologies are limited due to their unique properties and characteristics.

Figure 2. AFM micrograph of SiO2/acrylamide-HEMA copolymer hybrid.

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials are synthesized by the sol-gel process. The sol–gel process is an interesting approach to preparation of the inorganic phases in the organic–inorganic hybrid materials due to the fact that it can occur in liquid solutions at room temperature. The sol–gel technology provides an excellent way of obtaining transparent and mechanically stable films, bulk glasses and powders. Furthermore, it provides a convenient way of producing porous materials. The general sol-gel recontent/sgmn/action is based on hydrolysis of various alkoxides to form respective silanols. This is followed by a condensation recontent/sgmn/action occurring between silanols or silanols and alkoxides. The sol-gel process involves evolution of inorganic networks through the formation of a colloidal suspension (sol) and gelation of the sol to form a network in a continuous liquid phase (gel). The precursors for syntheses are used alkoxysilanes such as tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) or alkoxytitanium such as titanium tetrabutoxide (TBT). However, alkoxide such as silica and titanate are also commonly used in the sol-gel process to form mixed-presursor inorganic matrices. We are functionalized surface inorganic materials by vinyl, phenyl, methyl, ethyl and epoxy group.

            The organic precursor such as acrylamide or 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) or mixture of these monomers were introduced to the liquid hydrolyzed silicate solutions. The compositions silica/organic monomers were irradiated by UV light at room temperature. The organic polymer and copolymer phase have been prepared by radical polymerization with benzil used as a photo-radical initiator. The organic polymer also are prepared via thermopolymerization. The obtained materials have been investigated by spectroscopic (IR, Raman), microscopic (SEM, AFM) and thermal analysis (TGA, DTA) techniques. The N₂-adsorption were used to characterize the textural properties such as: specific surface areas (S_BET), pore volumes (V_p), average pore sizes (R_p) and micropore volumes (V_DR). The complete adsorption-desorption isotherms and pore size distributions were analyzed following the Dollimore-Heal method. The textural parameters was measured for organic-silica hybrid materials and for materials after pyrolysis. The pyrolysis of the inorganic-organic polymer hybrid samples was performed at 600°C under oxygen flow. The textural parameters was measured for organic-silica hybrid materials and for materials after pyrolysis. The pyrolysis of the inorganic-organic polymer hybrid samples was performed at 600°C under oxygen flow. All organic-inorganic polymer hybrid samples are non-porous materials. However after complete pyrolysis at 600^oC all samples show high microporosity .The result of the pyrolysis silica show that pyrolysis of the sample leads to mezoporous material. Contact angle vs. water (Langmuir balance), hardness (Vicer's method), roughness (AFM) were also measured. Organic phase is composed of organic hydrophobic and amphyphilic acrylate homo- and copolymers. However, we have obtained hydrophilic organic-inorganic interpenetrating

polymer network. Figure 3 presents FT-IR spectrum of the SiO₂/acrylamide-HEMA copolymer hybrid, sol-gel SiO₂ bulk and free organic copolymer. The spectra show that is possibility to obtain organic-inorganic polymer hybrid by the sol-gel method and the organic photo-polymerization method. The picture of the hybrid bulk sample (Figure 1) shows that the samples are transparent and do not exhibit irregularities which might indicate such phase separation.

At present, we have investigated structure and properties of hybrid SiO₂-TiO₂-organic polymer xerogels obtained by the sol-gel method. We have the intention to describe the preparation, the chemical structure and the mechanical properties of the organic-inorganic silica-titanium polymer hybrid. Further our research area will be synthesis and properties of titanium-based organic-inorganic polymer hybrid xerogels.

We have developed organic–inorganic polymer hybrid for photo- and electroluminescence, which we can used as organic light emitting diode (OLED). These materials we have obtained by the sol-gel method. The basic of classic organic light-emitting diode is a Metal (e.g.: indium tin oxide) – Electroconductive polymer (e.g.: polypyrole) – Electroluminescent material (e.g.:  organic rare earth compounds) - Metal (e.g.: aluminium or calcium). In our work electroconductive polymer and electroluminescent material have been interpenetrated in inorganic sol-gel materials. Porous inorganic sol-gel film have been good hole layer – injecting and transporting layer. OLED have attrcontent/sgmn/active properties such as high luminescence, low driving voltage, easy fabrication of large areas and a wide range of emission colors.

Sol-gel materials under gamma rays

Gamma rays which are generated by radiocontent/sgmn/active materials, have the smallest wavelengths of any other wave in the electroma­gne­tic spectrum. They are very penetrating and can kill living cells. Therefore, they are used in medicine to kill cancerous cells or in food industry to sterilization. Gray is the SI unit of absorbed dose of radiation. The gray is the absorbed dose when the energy per unit mass imparted to matter by ionizing radiation is one joule per kilogram (1 Gy = 1 J/kg).

In our research, influence of gamma rays on organic molecules entrapped in sol-gel matrices is investigated. Tetraethoxy- and tetra­methoxysilan (TEOS and TMOS) are used to obtain the matrices. The compounds enclosed in porous silicate bulks are dyes with strong absorption band in the visible region (metal phthalocyanines, complexes of ruthenium(II) or safranine). Dyes are dissolved in water or organic solvent and added to the sol. The obtained matrix shows very good transmission properties in the investigated region even after irradiation. The translucent bulks are exposed to ⁶⁰Co radiation source at room temperature, at a dose rate of 15,8 Gy/min. For comparison, the solutions of the dyes are also irradiated.

When the dye dissolved in solvent is exposed to gamma radiation, the decay of absorbance is observed. The rate of the decay depends among others on a kind of solvent, exposure time, concentra­tion of the dye and the level of oxygen. When, for example, magnesium(II) phthalocy­anine (MgPc) dissolved in dimethyl formamide (DMF) is exposed to irradiation, gamma rays cause the complex decomposition. This effect is registered as the discoloration of the solution and the decay of the absorption. The complex has three absorption bands in the visible region (~ 604, 642 and 670 nm). The fast decrease in the absorbance is observed for all of them (Fig.1). The initial blue color almost disappears at doses of about 1 kGy (for the initial concentration of the dye 0,62 mM). The decay of absorbance at 670 nm versus dose or gamma irradiation is exponential.

Neodymium bisphthalocyanine (NdPc₂) in DMF has two absorption bands in the visible region (~ 630 and 670 nm) which can be assigned to the monomeric and dimeric form of the phthalocyanine. The fall in absorption depends on the solvent. For the complex in DMF, at the beginning of irradiation, the longer-wavelength band increases and the other decreases its intensity. The monomer : dimer ratio changes during irradiation. Probably the dimer form degradation is faster. In DMF : H₂O solution the ratio is constant at the beginning. The faster decrease in the dimer form seems to appear in the later stage of radiation. In one case the decay of absorbance versus dose or gamma irradiation is exponential, in the other case, it is linear.

Gamma rays also changes the properties of silicate matrix. It becomes nontranspa­rent in the blue region of electromagnetic spectrum at big doses. The absorption shifts from 270 to 400&minus450 nm for 1000 kGy. The bulks, from transparent and colorless, becomes yellowish. The changes are quite similar for bulks from TEOS and TMOS.

The absorption spectra of phthalocyanines in silicate matrix are different as compared to the solutions. For MgPc, there is a broad band with maxima at 610, 680 and 750 nm. The decay of absorption intensity under gamma rays is much slower in the xerogel (Fig.2). It slows a lot especially in the later stage of irradiation. Even up to radiation dose of 1100 kGy, the bulk samples are still color and the sol­­-gel matrix has very good transmission properties in the investigated region. Further research were difficult because the bulk started to disinte­grate.

For NdPc₂ in the sol-gel matrix the broad absorption band consists of at least three over­lapping bands. They also can be assigned to the monomeric and aggregated forms of the Pc. First doses of radiation causes fast degradation. After abut 40 kGy the degradation is much slower. The blue shift, broaden and increase of the band intensity is observed. The longer-wavelength band is assigned to monomer. It is possible that faster degradation of this form causes appa­rent shift and the absorption increase. The change in the monomer&harrdimer equilibrium is also possible. The variation in the absorbance depends on the concentration of the dopant. For different concentrations, the shift and absorbance growth appear at the beginning or in the later stage of irradiation.

To apply the sol-gel matrix with organic compounds as a gamma radiation sensor, it should show proper dependence of absorbance on gamma dose. Only in some cases the dependence is linear or, more often, exponential. Such relationship can be found only for some range of doses. Usually, the straight line can be drawn for small doses and the curve line for larger doses. Perhaps some molecules could be applicable to the dosimeters purpose. For instance, safranine which shows linear decay in a large range from 0 to 40 kGy (Fig.3) or tris(1,10-phe­nantroline)ruthe­nium(II) with exponential decay from 0 to 150 kGy.

As a result of intercontent/sgmn/action between matter and ionising radiation, radicals

 and solva­ted electrons are formed. They can later react with molecules in the environment. The radiation induced transformation of complex compounds are:

–      redox processes leading to the change of oxidizing degree of central ion which changes the coordination number and causes the molecule decomposition;

–      radicals effect (recontent/sgmn/actions with radicals);

–      recontent/sgmn/actions with excited molecules of solvents.

But the final products of the decomposition of many molecules are unknown. The radicals formed under high-energy radiation can be responsible for the degradation. The macrocyclic rings are especially sensitive

to radicals attack. The cleavage of carbon&minuscarbon, carbon&minushydrogen and carbon&minusnitrogen bonds is possible in the dyes molecules.

            The decrease in the dye decomposition rate in the sol-gel matrix might be related to lower concentration of free radicals formed in it upon gamma radiation. Another possibility is that the matrix­induced change of the macrocycle complex surroundings occurs which might increase the dye stability.

The main conclusions of the research are:

–       gamma rays cause decomposition of organic molecules entrapped in sol-gel matrix.

– 

–       the dye decomposition rate is lower in the sol-gel matrix in comparison with dyes in solutions.

–       the linear or exponential decay in absorbance occurs only in a particular range of doses.

–       in the xerogel less radicals can be formed or the matrix increases the dye stability.

Silica, titania and silica-titania powders

Silica (SiO₂), titania (TiO₂) and silica-titania (SiO₂-TiO₂) powders have been prepared by sol-gel method using silicate precursors: tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), phenyltriethoxysilane (TPhOS), vinyltriethoxysilane (TVOS), (3-Aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (APTES) and titanium precursors: titanium(IV) ethoxide (TEOT), titanium(IV) buthoxide (TBOT) and titanium(IV) isopropoxide (TIPO).  Silicate and titanium precursors were dissolved in ethanol, butanol and isopropanol. The recontent/sgmn/actions were catalyzed by ammonia. Various SiO₂, TiO₂ and SiO₂-TiO₂ powders can be produced depending on the solvent/precursor ratio and the solvent used during the hydrolysis. Morphologies of the obtained powders were characterized by the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).  The sol-gel process has been used as a synthetic route to obtain silica and titania particles with spherical morphology. The results are presented in  Figures 1-4.

A

B

  C

D

E

F

Fig. 1. TEM  micrograph of silica powders prepared from TEOS (A-E) and APTES (F).

 A   B

Fig. 2. SEM micrographs of titania powders prepared from TBOT (A,B)

 A B

Fig. 3. SEM and TEM  micrographs of titania powders prepared from TIPO (A,B).

A   B

Fig. 4. SEM micrographs of silica-titania powders: TPhOS/TEOT (A) and TVOS/TEOT (B).

Some of the obtained titania powders possessed spherical grains. The grains size and shape depends on the synthetic conditions and the precursors used. The smallest grain sizes were observed for the recontent/sgmn/actions with TIPO and the biggest for the TBOT syntheses. The important parameter controlling the particle formation and aggregation was the water/precursor molar ratio.

TG-DTA and X-ray powder analysis

Titanium dioxide TiO₂ has three naturally occuring crystalline structures: anatase, brookite and rutile. The rutile form is thermodynamically most stable at standard conditions. The metastable anatase and brookite forms can be transformed to rutile by heating.  The sol-gel synthesized titanium powders are amorphous in nature and the crystalline structure is achieved only after heat treatment. The temperature needed for the crystallization is dependent on the recontent/sgmn/action conditions and the preparation route. The exothermic peak around 400⁰C (Fig. 5) is related to the phase-transformation to rutile. The X-ray diffractogram of the titania powders shows the diffrcontent/sgmn/action pattern characteristic to rutile crystalline phase (Fig. 6). No peaks characteristic to anatase and brookite appear in powders heated at 500⁰C.

Fig. 5. TG-DTA curves of titania powdres prepared by TEOT.

Fig.6. XRD patterns of titania powders prepared from TEOT and calcinated at 500⁰C.

Molecular imprinting

Molecular imprints are obtained by introduction of inorganic, organic or biological molecules during the polymerization step. Subsequent removal of the molecules leaves stable vacant imprints and designed sites for the recognition of the template molecules. Materials obtained in this way are ideally suited  for applications such as separations, chemical sensing and catalysis.

Surfaces of silica particles were molecularly imprinted with organic molecules: safranin, rodamine B, rosolic acid. Silica particles were prepared in the presence of ethanol solution of these molecules. Organic molecules were removed by calcination. The resulting imprinted particles show adsorption of organic molecules. The molecular adsorption of the surface-imprinted particles was larger than in the case of particles without imprints.

content/sgmn/activity progress report of the year 2003

The Center is effectively expanded and broaden its scope.

ˇ First of all, the Center web page has been established (http://sgmn.immt.pwr.wroc.pl/). It contains information about the Center profile, its content/sgmn/activities, the coordinating Institutions (the Wrocław Technical University and the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Polish Academy of Sciences), the management, link to "Materials Science" etc.

ˇ The Center has applied and been accepted to the International Sol-Gel Society (www.isgs.org) and is listed at and linked to the largest international portal dedicated to the sol-gel science: The Sol-Gel Gateway (www.solgel.com/Research/resgr.htm).

ˇ The Center has presented its content/sgmn/activities at the largest Polish Fair – the International Poznań Fair, Poznań, Poland (mtp.mtp.pl). Our presentation took form of a stand (#66/Pavilion 14) dedicated to the Center and presented during the forum: Science for the Economy (a part of the 75^th Fair of Industrial Technologies and Investment Goods) on 9-12.06.2003. There were, among other materials presented, available for the Fair participants: posters, booklets and CD discs pertaining to the Center content/sgmn/activities.

ˇ The scientists participating in the Center have content/sgmn/actively took part in basic and applied research in the field of sol-gel materials and nanoscience. One of the major achievements is the Gold Medal at the 52^nd World Exhibition of Innovation, Research and New Technologies "Eureka" in Brussels (November 2003) received for "Nanocomposite Materials for content/sgmn/active Textiles". The submicron silica spheres doped with nanoclusters of metallic silver has been used for content/sgmn/activation of textile coatings giving them antibacterial capability.

ˇ The scientists affiliated with the Center has published a total of 16 scientific papers in 2003.

The Center has expanded its contacts with other groups working in the field. These contacts will lead to enhancement of the Center experimental capabilities, create new opportunities for fruitful personnel exchanges and lay ground for joint grant proposals directed to the 6^th Framework Program of the EC. Already, three proposals were submitted to the 6^th Framework Program in 2003. During 2003 scientists affiliated with the Center submitted several proposals to the Polish Ministry of Science and Informatization. Two of them have been successful. The financing of the grants for development of intelligent textiles based on various doped nanopowders obtained by the sol-gel method and for the sol-gel–based optical sensors (optodes) has started with beginning of 2004.

            A seminar entitled "The "Sol-Gel Materials and Nanotechnology" Center of Excellence - an Overview" was presented, among others: during the 2^nd International Conference "Sol-Gel Materials", Rokosowo, Poland, June 2003, during the XII Organosilica Compounds Seminar, Dymaczewo, Poland, October 2003, at the Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania, November 2003 and the Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Praque, the Czech Republic, December 2003.

The Center content/sgmn/activities were also presented in several press articles and TV programs. Also, a series of lectures on new developments in nanotechnology was organized for high school teachers of physics.

            The international journal "Materials Science" after several-years long break restarted its operation with the first issue of the completely changed volume 20 at the beginning of 2002. "Materials Science" is published by the Wrocław University of Technology, in collaboration with the Institute of Low Temperatures and Structure Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Wrocław University of Economics. The journal is accessible in two ways: the conventional printed form and in the electronic form. Thus, full texts are available instantly after manuscripts acceptance (and before the paper version printing) at www.MaterialsScience.pwr.wroc.pl. This ensures short waiting times and quick information delivery to scientists worldwide. During 2003 the journal expanded its operation and scope and the electronic database has been improved. The high quality of the scientific papers published and the journal regularity resulted in "Materials Science" being added to the Thompson^O ISI Journal Data Base (the "Philadelphia list" at  www.isinet.com/journals) in the autumn of 2003.

            SGM2004 is an interdisciplinary meeting aimed as a platform for information exchange between prcontent/sgmn/actically and theoretically oriented scientists interested in materials obtained by the sol-gel technique. The Second International Conference on Sol-Gel Materials "Research, Technology, Applications" SGM'03 took place on 15 - 20 June 2003 in Szklarska Poręba, Poland (http://smartsite.immt.pwr.wroc.pl/index/SolGel). This second in a row event gathered around 100 participants from various countries  (Belarus, the Czech Republic, England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Poland and Spain) - doubling its size since the First SGM Conference in Rokosowo, Poland organized in 2001 (http://www.immt.pwr.wroc.pl/sgm2001). The Conference has covered a vide field of topics related to various aspects of theory and prcontent/sgmn/actice of the sol-gel technology.

Some of SGM&N Awards

The SGM&N Team:

Prof. Krzysztof Maruszewski

Prof. Wiesław Stręk

Dr. Marek Jasiorski

Dr. Katarzyna Kozłowska

mgr inż. Dariusz Hreniak

mgr inż. Agnieszka Hreniak

mgr Róża Kornak

mgr Iwona Zaręba-Grodz

mgr inż. Anna Łukowiak

mgr Beata Borak