Emphasis is on a broad description of the general methods and processes for the synthesis, modification and characterization of macromolecules. These more fundamental chapters will be supplemented by selected and detailed experiments. In addition to the preparative aspects, the book also gives the reader an impression on the relation of chemical constitution and morphology of Polymers to their properties, as well as on their application areas. Thus, an additional textbook will not be neede...

The series Advances in Polymer Science presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in polymer and biopolymer science. It covers all areas of research in polymer and biopolymer science including chemistry, physical chemistry, physics, material science. The thematic volumes are addressed to scientists, whether at universities or in industry, who wish to keep abreast of the important advances in the covered topics. Advances in Polymer Science enjoy a longstanding tradition and ...

In his thesis, Matthias Junk takes an innovative approach to assess the local structure and dynamics of biological and synthetic amphiphilic macromolecules capable of transporting small molecules. Replacing the latter with stable radicals, he uses state-of-the-art electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to describe the highly relevant transport function from the viewpoint of the guest molecules. Such, he demonstrates that the functional structure of human serum albumin in soluti...

Colloids are submicron particles that are ubiquitous in nature (milk, clay, blood) and industrial products (paints, drilling fluids, food). In recent decades it has become clear that adding depletants such as polymers or small colloids to colloidal dispersions allows one to tune the interactions between the colloids and in this way control the stability, structure and rheological properties of colloidal dispersions. This book offers a concise introduction to the fundamentals of depletion e...

Non-equilibrium thermodynamics is a general framework that allows the macroscopic description of irreversible processes. This book introduces non-equilibrium thermodynamics and its applications to the rheology of multiphase flows. The subject is relevant to graduate students in chemical and mechanical engineering, physics and material science.This book is divided into two parts. The first part presents the theory of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, reviewing its essential features an...

This book describes the dynamics of low molecular weight and polymeric molecules when they are constrained under conditions of geometrical confinement. It covers geometrical confinement in different dimensionalities:(i) in nanometer thin layers or self supporting films (1-dimensional confinement)(ii) in pores or tubes with nanometric diameters (2-dimensional confinement)(iii) as micelles embedded in matrices (3-dimensional) or as nanodropl...

-On the Mechanisms Leading to Exfoliated Nanocomposites Prepared by Mixing By C. D. Han -Phase Behavior and Phase Transitions in AB- and ABA-type Microphase-Separated Block Copolymers By J. K. Kim, C. D. Han -New Class Materials of Organic–Inorganic Hybridized Nanocrystals/Nanoparticles, and Their Assembled Microand Nano-Structure Toward Photonics By H. Oikawa, T. Onodera, A. Masuhara, H. Kasai, H. Nakanishi -Poly(substituted Methylene) Synthesis: Construction of C–C Main Chain from One Ca...

A Brief History of Polymeric Cryogels Vladmir I. Lozinsky Basic Principles of Cryotropic Gelation Vladimir I. Lozinsky, Oguz Okay Synthesis, Structure-Property Relationships of Cryogels Oguz Okay, Vladimir I. Lozinsky Kinetic Analysis of Cryotropic Gelation of Poly(vinyl alcohol)/water Solutions by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Claudio De Rosa, Finizia Auriemma, Rocco Di Girolamo Cryogels via UV Irradiation Technique Petar D. Petrov, Christo B. Tsvetanov Inorganic Cryogels Oleg A. Shlyakh...

This book presents the general concepts of self-organized spatio-temporal ordering processes. These concepts are demonstrated via prototypical examples of recent advances in materials science. Particular emphasis is on nano scale soft matter in physics, chemistry, biology and biomedicine. The questions addressed embrace a broad spectrum of complex nonlinear phenomena, ranging from self-assembling near the thermodynamical equilibrium to dissipative structure formation far from equilibrium. ...

This book discusses the mechanisms of electric conductivity in various ionic liquid systems (protic, aprotic as well as polymerized ionic liquids). It hence covers the electric properties of ionic liquids and their macromolecular counterpanes, some of the most promising materials for the development of safe electrolytes in modern electrochemical energy devices such as batteries, super-capacitors, fuel cells and dye-sensitized solar cells. Chapter contributions by the experts in the field d...

This book discusses the tribological, rheological and optical properties of liquid-crystal nanomaterials as well as lubricant media. It also describes the formation of liquid-crystal materials and the application of cholesteric liquid-crystal compounds in technical friction units and in human and animal joints. Further, it shows the connection between the tribological and other physical properties of liquid-crystal cholesterol compounds and develops a lubricity conceptual model of choleste...

This volume of Progress in Colloid and Polymer Science assembles original contributions and invited reviews from the priority research program "Intelligent Hydrogels", funded by the German Science Foundation DFG since 2006, with about 25 contributing research groups. In the center of interest of this program and the present book are responsive hydrogels, i.e. hydrophilic polymer or polyelectrolyte networks that are able to respond to environmental stimuli such as changes in temperature, pH...