More about this network
In recent years the growing scientific and applied interest of modern Materials Science is associated with the creation and study of so-called "smart" materials capable to be highly sensitive to environmental influences and easily responsive to external fields. This Project focuses on the design and study single and multicomponent field-responsive polymer systems, which are best suited to meet these requirements and include the self-organised amorphous and liquid crystalline (LC) polymers, their composites with low molar mass compounds, anisotropic networks and polymer gels, capable of responding to a minor variation of the external field (temperature, electric and magnetic fields, light illumination) and even to a variation in chemical environment (pH, ionic strength). The response of these materials is essential in magnitude that leads to the changes of molecular and /or supramolecular structures - variation of configuration and conformation of macromolecules, orientation phenomena, new phase formation, swelling or contraction of the sample. The major type of such "intelligent" polymer materials are supposed to be main and side-chain liquid crystalline (LC) polymers (including special type of LC block-copolymers) containing specific thermochromic, photochromic fragments as well as strong polar and ionogenic groups, responsible for their high sensitivity with respect to the external field and chemical environment. Two- and multicomponent polymer systems are supposed to be represented in two variants: mixtures of LC polymers and block copolymers with functional low molar mass compounds (optical active substances, dyes and liquid crystals) as well as hydrogels, containing regular nano
The objective of the research is the design of the above-mentioned "smart" polymer systems, the study and description of the dynamics of the molecular and supramolecular transformations, the investigation of thermodynamic parameters and transport phenomena and the study of ordering and relaxation effects under the action of external fields and change of external conditions.
Results obtained in this new interdisciplinary area of research and development will provide the basis for the understanding of the principles of operation of "smart" polymer materials, the methodology of their structural design and the creation of new photochromic and thermochromic materials, memory devices, optical sensors and mechano- and bio-chemical devices, membranes with regulated permeability.
Instrumental Facilities
Laboratory "Photochemistry in Polymers and Supramolecular Systems" of the Institute of Thin Film Technology & Microsensorics, Teltow/ Berlin
- JoachimStumpeE-Mail
- Institut für Donnschicht-Technologie und MikrosensorikBerlinGermany
Experimental Facilities
The laboratory "Photochemistry in Polymers and Supramolecular Systems" is quite well equipped for spectroscopy and photochemistry with polarized light:
Spectroscopy
UV/Vis spectrometer Lambda 19 (Perkin Elmer) for polarized and temperature dependent measurements,
UV/Vis Spectrometer Lambda 2 (Perkin Elmer),
UV/Vis diode array-spectrometer in combination with in-situ irradiation (1000 W Xe-lamp and monochromator )
UV/Vis microscope spectrometer "Zeiss" including in-situ irradiation, heating and polarization, lateral resolution 2m m,
FT-IR spectrometer "Unicam RS-1" (Unicam) for polarized measurement and including microscope with a lateral resolution of about 4m m,
Fluorescence diode array spectrometer (Kontron)
Different methods to detect birefringence
Refractometer (phase shift ) in combination with an Ar+ laser for the induction of anisotropy, Plasmon and waveguide spectrometer,
Polarizing microscope "Jenalab Pol D" with retamet (Ehringhaus compensation method measuring the optical path length).
Holography set up
for the induction of bulk and surface gratings (in preparation),
Irradiation
Argon+ laser "Innova 90-4" (Coherent, 514 nm, 1,7 W)
DPSS Laser (Coherent, 532 nm, 150 mW);
HeCd Laser (Coherent, 325 nm, 100 mW),
Optical benches with irradiation lamps (XBO and HBO);
Microscopy
Polarizing microscop "Leitz" with heating and cooling cumber;
Stereomicroscop "Zeiss" with CCD camera;
Other methods
HPLC (Knauer),
Spin-coater (Karl Süss),
In collaboration
X-ray diffraction, NEXAFS (Bessy), dielectric spectroscopy, time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, AFM, SHG.
