The co-existence of ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism in multiferroic materials opens up a host of new cross-coupled phenomena and enables entirely new device paradigms. This project seeks to develop self-assembled organic-inorganic hybrid nanostructures with coupled electric, magnetic, and structural order parameters at nanometer scale as a totally new form of multiferroic materials. Specifically, the ferromagnetic nanoparticles will be incorporated into the ferroelectric polymers via covalent bonding interactions for colossal magneto-electric effect. The block structures of ferroelectric polymers and ferromagnetic nanoparticles will be prepared and explored to the control of the nanoparticle aggregation via supramolecular self-assembly. The success of this exploratory project will have profound implications for design and synthesis of active nanostructures with new architectures and multiple functionalities. Future scientists capable of working at the interface between traditional disciplines will be trained and educated within this program. Educational videos with supporting classroom materials will be produced for secondary schools, targeting the 7th through 12th grades.
