Smart, stimuli responsive polymers pose challenges for our theoretical understanding. In this context the response to changes in relative solvent co-solvent concentration in solvent mixtures is of special interest. Polymers in perfectly miscible good solvents can collapse, while in mixed poor solvents they can expand. Specific relations between atomistic structure, architecture, molecular weight and material properties are of basic concern and the validity of generic models has been questioned. To shed more light on this computer simulations on different levels of resolution play an increasingly important role. Typical examples of polymer solvation in mixed solvents, especially PNIPAM and PMMA in water alcohol mixtures. The first shows an interesting coil-globule-coil transition. This conformational transition cannot be explained within the classical Flory-Huggins picture, which is the standard mean field theory for polymer solutions and mixtures. The results point towards a general design concept of 'smart stimuli responsive polymers'. In the context of structure formation in spin cast organic materials, often mixed solvents are used. The talk will address the question, whether the above mentioned concepts can be of use to steer and control such structure formation.

Smart polymers in miscible solvent mixtures in bulk and at interfaces

2019 Spring National Meeting

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