Thermostimulable hydrophobically modified water soluble polymers

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Project objective

Research objectives and content The need for aqueous formulations (instead of the ones based on organic solvents) is continuously increasing, because of obvious practical and environmental reasons. In many industrial applications pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, water treatment, paint, paper, mining and oil industry), these aqueous formulations, among other substances, contain also water soluble polymers to control their rheology and stability or to provide them with switching abilities. In this latter case, specially designed polymers, exhibiting a controlled, sharp and reversible response to various external stimuli, are needed. The objective of this project is to synthesise and study new series of water soluble materials, the macroscopic response of which, especially the rheological, will be easily controllable by a slight temperature change. This will be achieved by the synthesis of copolymers containing a surfactant-type monomer and a monomer introducing a Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST) behaviour. By using adequate LCST monomers, we will obtain the willing macroscopic result at the desired temperature. The aim is to cover the whole temperature range, 0rC<T'100rC. We expect that very interesting rheological phenomena, like thermo- or rheo- thickening and gelling, will be evidenced. Moreover, because of the nature of the monomers, we expect that the polymers will have also many other interesting features, like surface activity, solubilisation ability of hydrophobic substances and sensitivity to the ionic strength. The systematic study of all these properties as a function of the copolymer composition will answer to the ultimate purpose of this project: to understand the relations between the macroscopic behaviour and the chemical structure of these materials. Training content (objective, benefit and expected impact) lf this project is accepted, it will be an opportunity to transfer to my country (especially to the young Ph.D. students working in the Patras polymer team) the knowledge I acquired during my post-doctoral stay in Paris, concerning special modification methods and special techniques for the characterisation and the physiochemical studies of the Stimuli Responsive Water Soluble Polymers. Also, it will offer me the possibilities to broaden and depthen my expertise by the mutual exchange of ideas and knowledge with the Patras group, dealing with a subject which is worldwide within the more recent trends in the field of water soluble polymers. Links with industry / industrial relevance (22) The Stimuli Responsive Polymers are within the recent industrial demands for a large variety of applications, in the field of water soluble polymers. Although it does not exist, at this moment, any special link with the industry, we hope that the originality of the physicochemical behaviour of the proposed materials will attract the interest of the colleagues working in industry.

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Participants

• University of Patras · PATRASCoordinatorGreece

Links

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