In the Department of Polymer Structures the synthesis work of polymers at IPF is concentrated. These polymers very often have rather complex chemical architectures in order to meet the requirements of special applications. The projects belong to the main research line “Multifunctional polymer architectures” and can be divided into two main topics:

• defined polymer architectures: multi- and biofunctional polymers
  • branched polymer architectures
  • functional hydrogels
  • bioactive and biofunctionalized polymers
  • optically and thermosensitive polymer materials

•  control of nanostructure and morphology
  • synthesis of nanostructured block copolymers
  • polymers with special surface properties
  • nanocomposites and nanohybrids

The preparation of these multifuntional polymers can be performed by means of a number of (controlled) synthesis methods:

• anionic polymerization (nanostructured and multifunctional block copolymers, PD Dr. D. Pospiech)
• controlled radical polymerization CRP
  
• metallocene catalyzed polymerization (Dr. U. Schulze)
• click chemistry
• high temperature polycondensation in solution and melt (PD Dr. D. Pospiech)
• Sol-gel reactions for the in-situ preparation of oxidic and metallic nano particles in the presence of polymers
• Inline-Monitoring techniques to follow up polymerizations and chemical reactions

Advanced chemical analysis methods, examination of surface properties and mechanical testing are the characterization tools to elaborate struture-property relations.

Molecular Modeling allows to understand more intensively the polymer properties:

• Mean Field Modeling of block copolymers and blends, phase diagrams
• Molecular dynamics
• Rietveld Refinement of solid state structures

We try to develop polymer materials for a variety of applications:

• polymeric coatings
• special polymers to functionalize materials with respect to conductivity,  flame retardancy, self-healing
• fluorinated and semi-fluorinated polymers for the modification of surface properties and for nanolithography
• in the micro and the nano scale adressable polymers
• polymers for microlectronics/organic electronics
• switchable polymers with high selectivity and short switch times for sensors/actors
• catalytically and biologically active polymers
• high and long-term stable biocompatibility
• optimized bioactivity of synthetic poylmers and biohybrids for medical applications