Macromolecular Amphiphiles Polymer Synthesis Diblock Copolymers Triblock Copolymers Dendron Copolymers Bio-Inspired Hybrid Materials Mesoporous Materials High-Temperature Ceramics Hybrids from Nanoparticles Thin Films Fuel Cell Materials Functional Core-Shell Silica Particles Fluorescent C Dot Particles Probes for Nanobiotechnology Laboratories on Particles Nanophotonic Materials Complex Polymeric Materials Mobile Hydrogels Complex Fluids filler
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Macromolecular Amphiphiles

The terms macromolecule and polymer refer to large molecules whose structure depends on the monomer or monomers used in their preparation. A polymer prepared from a single monomer is called a homopolymer.

If two or more monomers are employed, the product is a copolymer. In copolymers the monomeric units may be distributed randomly (random copolymer), in alternating fashion (alternating copolymer), or in blocks (block copolymer).

polymer types

If the backbone consists of a single block of each monomer A and B, the polymer is an AB diblock copolymer, other possibilities include ABA and ABC triblock copolymers.  One can also describe polymers by their connectivity as linear, branched or network.

other polymer types

An amphiphile is a molecule that possesses both a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic nature. Soaps, fatty acids and block copolymers are examples of amphiphilic molecules. It is common for amphiphiles to spontaneously self-assemble into a diversity of morphologies. We use this property of macromolecular amphiphiles to design hybrid materials.

All images and text Copyright 2008

Wiesner Research Group - Cornell University