Credits: 3 (3–0–0)
Description
This course focuses on the syntheses, structures, behaviours of polymers and polymeric materials that are responsive to external stimuli such as temperature, light, electric potential, pH, and ionic strength. The course will contain important new material to understand and characterize molecular and submolecular assemblies that enable the fabrication of switch-driven polymer systems. This introduces the concepts of stimuli-responsiveness, including the fundamental materials properties required for the design. The module also gives an overview of the design, preparation and uses of polymers in the area of smart surfaces, polymer brush, membranes, gated transport, drug release, catalysis, etc. with a focus on the factors governing their physical properties and their structure-property relationships.