TSU

 

 

 

  

 

 

PROJECT 00-445

 

 

 

Architectures of molecular rods in a polymer network

 

 

 

September 1, 2001 – August 31, 2004

 

 

 

Co-ordinator -  Professor G.Wegner

 

 

 

 

The present project is dedicated to a systematic experimental and theoretical investigation of equilibrium and dynamic characteristics of polymer gels with entrapped linear rodlike macromolecules capable to self-organization.

 

The main aims of the project are:

            1) to prepare new types of composite hydrogels consisting of flexible polyacrylamide network loaded with newly synthesized rodlike linear polyelectrolytes, which are capable to self-assembly in aqueous media due to hydrophobic character of their main chain;

            2) to study the effect of rodlike macromolecules on the strengthening of highly swollen gel which is promising for the application of gels as superabsorbents;

            3) to study the self-aggregation of rodlike macromolecules inside the gel, including the liquid-crystalline ordering, a particular attention being paid to the possibility of regulation of the emerging microstructures by external stimuli exploiting the responsive properties of the gels;

            4) to study the dynamics of entrapped macromolecules inside the network to obtain information about the self-assembly of the macromolecules and their interaction with network chains.

 

Along with traditional investigation of equilibrium characteristics of the gels with embedded macromolecules, a particular attention will be paid to the study of molecular dynamics in the system. The theoretical approaches will be developed to describe the equilibrium and dynamic properties of gels loaded with linear rodlike macromolecules.

 

These studies will permit to better understand a correlation of the macroscopic properties of the composite gels with their microstructures, which is important in the unfolding of numerous practical applications of these gels.

 

 

 

 

Cooperation

 

 

 

 

Six research teams (two from INTAS members and four from Russia) will be involved in the project. Different experimental techniques (small-angle neutron scattering, quasi-elastic light scattering, pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance, polarization microscopy etc.) will be used.

 

 

 

Professor

Gerhard Wegner

 

Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung

Ackermannweg 10

D-55128 Mainz

GERMANY

 

Professor

George Fytas

Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas

Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser

71110 Heraklion

GREECE

 

Professor

Alexei Khokhlov

Chair of Polymer and Crystal Physics

Physics Department

Moscow State University

Vorobyovy Gory, 117234 Moscow

RUSSIA

 

Professor

Valentin Gordeliy

Joint Institute of Nuclear Research

Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics

Condensed Matter Department

Moskowskaya 2, 141980 Dubna

RUSSIA

 

Professor

Vladimir Skirda

Kazan State University

Physics Department

Chair of Molecular Physics

Kremlevskaya street 18, 420008 Kazan

RUSSIA

 

Professor

Yuli Gotlib

Institute of Macromolecular Compounds of Russian Academy of Science

Physics Department

Laboratory of Theory and Computer Simulation of Polymer Systems

Bolshoi Prospect 31,

199004 St.Petersburg

RUSSIA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Publications

 

 

 

 

Zaroslov Yu.D., Gordeliy V.I., Kuklin A.I., Islamov A.H., Philippova O.E., Khokhlov A.R., Wegner G. Self-assembly of polyelectrolyte rods in polymer gel and in solution: small-angle neutron scattering study. Macromolecules, 2002, v.35, N 11, pp.4466-4471.