Field-Theoretic Modeling of Supramolecular Polymer Networks and Gels

by Dr. Aruna Mohan (ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company)

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 from 14:30 to 15:30 (Asia/Kolkata)
at Colaba Campus ( A304 )

Description

Multifunctional supramolecular polymer networks and gels are employed in several areas including biotechnology, nanotechnology and microelectronics. For example, self-healing polymers composed of di- and tri-functional groups (Cordier et al., 2008) find applications in construction, cosmetics, electronics and medicine. Furthermore, block copolymer lithography has applications in semiconductor design (Tang et al., 2008).

This talk will present a field-theoretic model of polymer networks and gels composed of reactive multifunctional monomeric units. Two examples are presented to illustrate the application of self-consistent field theory in determining equilibrium structures arising from reactions among multifunctional monomers. In the first case, network formation and gelation in a confined system of single-component multifunctional monomers is considered. In the second case, microstructures arising from copolymerization reactions in a binary system of multifunctional monomers are investigated. Morphologies arising from copolymerization may range from homogeneous disordered morphologies to ordered microstructures such as lamellae, wherein the distinct constituents assemble into alternating layers. The goal of this work is to enable the rational design of polymer materials with desirable properties, based the a priori prediction of microstructures resulting from selected monomeric constituents.