Project Details
Projekt
Monitoring diffusion processes in nanoporous block copolymer membranes with high spatial and temporal resolution
Subject Area
Polymer Materials
Term
from 2014 to 2017
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 253503811
The proposed project aims at the investigation of transport processes in switchable diblock copolymer membranes with nanometer-sized pores with high temporal and spatial resolution. The membranes will be prepared by non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) from suitable amphiphilic block copolymers which will be synthesized using living/controlled polymerization techniques. The hydrophobic (polystyrene) block will form the matrix of the structures and the hydrophilic segments covers the pore walls. As hydrophilic block we plan to use a material, which solubility in aqueous media can be reversibly altered through external stimuli. Possible envisioned triggers are changes in the pH (e.g., poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate), PDMAEMA), temperature (copolymers from PDMAEMA and poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA), or the irradiation with light of a specific wavelength (copolymers of poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide), PNiPAAm, and poly(spiropyrane methacrylate), PSPMA). The transport processes will be monitored using 3D single particle optical tracking (3D-SPOT) with fluorescently labeled particles of suitable size (d < 50 nm). The recorded diffusion paths will be compared with reconstructed 3D models of membranes by transmission electron microscopy tomography (TEMT) using semi-thin microtome slices (200-300 nm). Prior to that, the membranes will be embedded within suitable resins.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
