Project Details
Meltable Biopolymers with magnetic micro segments
Applicants
Professor Dr. Thomas Heinze; Dr.-Ing. Robert Müller
Subject Area
Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers
Term
from 2018 to 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 392158889
Novel meltable and magnetic biomaterials will be studied that contain defined distribution pattern and segments of magnetic nanoparticles. Biopolymers with adjustable melting points are synthesized by esterification of the polysaccharides with fatty acids. Additionally, unsaturated functional groups are introduced that can be photochemically crosslinked, on one hand. On the other, functions that enable a reversible cross-linking are in the center of interest. In particular, systems allowing Diels-Alder and retro-Diels-Alder reactions will be investigated. These reversible and irreversible meltable biopolymer derivatives can be loaded with magnetic nanoparticles. A locally limited, induced crosslinking of the polymer matrix is carried out on the magnetically doped materials. Through the crosslinking, substructures can be created in the material that have a barrier effect. During thermal treatment, these barriers have a significantly higher viscosity or do not melt at all. By interaction of the molten matrix with an external magnetic field gradient, the magnetic particles migrate to the segment boundary and concentrate there. This allows the magnetic nanoparticles to be specifically directed through the molten matrix. In this way, multiple magnetic gradients can be generated in the biopolymer matrix having a distribution pattern of the magnetic nanoparticles that is predetermined by the crosslinking. Studies on viscosity and particle motion will show how the barrier effect and how the formation of the segments can be controlled. A mathematical model for the mobility of nanoparticles in the novel systems will be developed from the data for this particle-matrix interaction. The melting behavior in the alternating magnetic field is investigated on solid biopolymers with magnetic microsegments. The possibility of using these biopolymers in micro-technological systems such as actuators will be investiaged.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes