FP6 priority
1.1.3   Nanotechnologies and Nanosciences, Knowledge-based Multifunctional Materials and New Production Processes and Devices
1.3.1
Title of the proposal

New functionalized polymer nano-materials, their preparation, processing and exploitation

Institute
Slovak Academy of Sciences, Polymer Institute,
842 36 Bratislava, Dubravska cesta 9, Slovak Republic
www.polymer.sav.sk
Contact
Name:
Pavol HRDLOVIC
Phone:
+421 2 54773448
E-mail:
upolhrdl@savba.sk


Research subject for a potential FP6 project

The volume of materials based on polymers is steadily increasing. The traditional way of prepara-tion of new polymeric materials through new or conventional monomers is still open but seems to be rather limited. The open and promising way for preparation of new polymeric materials such as functionalised nano-structure polymer materials, fine and coarse polymer dispersions, percolation-like (conductive) polymer matrices etc. is to polymerise common or new monomers in a non-conventional way to produce nano-particles with controlled size and distribution in any type of heterogeneous polymerisation. The nano-particles besides using them as fillers or micro-reactors can carry various functions e.g. catalytic, conductive, thermo-responsive, pH-responsive, etc. These materials are of great interest because of their surface-active properties and therefore they can serve as the stabilizers of dispersions or compatibilizers of polymers and carrier of drugs and sensors of different types.
New properties are expected from polymeric materials based on both conventional and new monomers and polymers and the blends of synthetic and natural polymers. These materials will have a complex structure with a unique morphology and phase behaviour. The morphology will be dominated by domains is in the nano-region. The development of new processes will be needed to prepare these micro-domains in situ of the conventional polymers. These new materials will have unique optical, mechanical, electrical properties. The morphology and properties will vary with the size of domains and the interface area between the continuous and dispersed phasesWithin the integral complex approach to advanced polymer materials development computer modelling based on molecular simulations (Monte Carlo method) will be included. This will help to elucidate the behaviour of macromolecules on micro- and nano-scale and provides one of few routes for the transition from trial and error approach in macromolecular applications to a knowledge-based approach.


Recent international cooperation of the research team

US-Slovak Research on Modification and Characterization of Polymeric Media. Project INT 9604691/NSF
Cooperation: Dr Eric Nies, Technical University, Eidhoven, The Netherlands.
Project NANOMAT, NAS 200101 Competitive and sustainable growth. Identifier QoL/Growth EESD-2001-INTEGR.,


Proposerīs relevant publications related to the research subject

I. Capek, C.S.Chern, On the radical polymerization in direct miniemulsion systems. Adv. Polym. Sci., 155, 101-165 (2001).
C. Kosa, M. Danko, A. Fiedlerova, P. Hrdlovic, E. Borsig, R.G. Weiss, Macromolecules, 34, 2673-2681 (2001).
P. Cifra, I Teraoka, Polymer, 43, 2409-2415 (2002)