Doubly and orthogonally switchable block copolymers from zwitterionic and thermoresponsive blocks: synthesis and structures in solution and in thin film geometry

• Applicants: Professor Dr. André Laschewsky; Professor Dr. Peter Müller-Buschbaum; Professorin Dr. Christine M. Papadakis
• Subject Area: Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers
• Term: from 2013 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 236534685

Aim of the project is the synthesis and investigation of doubly and orthogonally switchable block copolymers in volume and in thin film geometry. These consist of a zwitterionic and a thermoresponsive block. In dependence of the chemical nature of the two blocks and of the block lengths, the switching behavior upon changes of temperature and electrolyte concentration will be investigated, namely in aqueous solution and in thin film geometry. Both, the structures and the kinetics of their changes upon a jump over one of the phase boundaries will be characterized in solution and in thin film geometry using modern scattering methods and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants