Abstract
The review summarizes the research carried out in the Laboratory of Nano- and Microstructural Materials at the Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Sciences (CMPW PAS). Studies carried out for many years under the guidance of Professor Andrzej Dworak led to the development and exploration of the mechanisms of oxirane and cyclic imine polymerization and controlled radical polymerization of methacrylate monomers. Based on that knowledge, within the last three decades, macromolecules with the desired composition, molar mass and topology were obtained and investigated. The ability to control the structure of the synthesized polymers turned out to be important, as it provided a way to tailor the physiochemical properties of the materials to their specific uses. Many linear polymers and copolymers as well as macromolecules with branched, star, dendritic and hyperbranched architectures were synthesized. Thanks to the applied controlled polymerization techniques, it was possible to obtain hydrophilic, hydrophobic, amphiphilic and stimulus-sensitive polymers. These tailor-made polymers with controlled properties were used for the construction of various types of materials, primarily on the micro- and nanoscales, with a wide range of possible applications, mainly in biomedicine. The diverse topology of polymers, and thus their properties, made it possible to obtain various types of polymeric nanostructures and use them as nanocarriers by encapsulation of biologically active substances. Additionally, polymer layers were obtained with features useful in medicine, particularly regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
Highlights
The present state of knowledge and current investigations of macromolecules with varied topology carried out in the Laboratory of Nano- and Microstructural Materials are the consequence of the early research focused on basic relations in the polymerization processes of cyclic monomers, which began in the 1990s
The study of the cationic polymerization of glycidol and the detailed analysis of the chain structure of the obtained hyperbranched polymers allowed us to determine the contribution of the active chain end (ACE) and activated monomer (AM) mechanisms in this process and made it possible, to some extent, to control the degree of branching of the resulting macromolecules
Later studies on the synthesis of linear glycidol polymers via controlled anionic polymerization of glycidol with a protected hydroxyl group under homogeneous conditions were the beginning of the development of methods for the synthesis of linear functional polymers and block copolymers based upon this monomer
Summary
The present state of knowledge and current investigations of macromolecules with varied topology carried out in the Laboratory of Nano- and Microstructural Materials are the consequence of the early research focused on basic relations in the polymerization processes of cyclic monomers, which began in the 1990s. The study of the cationic polymerization of glycidol and the detailed analysis of the chain structure of the obtained hyperbranched polymers allowed us to determine the contribution of the active chain end (ACE) and activated monomer (AM) mechanisms in this process and made it possible, to some extent, to control the degree of branching of the resulting macromolecules. A research apparatus based on static and dynamic light scattering, with which the laboratory is equipped and which is necessary for the determination of molar masses of polymers and nanoparticles, allowed for precise characterization of even complex polymer structures and for studies on polymer organization in solution. Andrzej Dworak and continued by his team are essential for understanding the principles of synthesis of polymers with desired properties by the control of the polymerization process These studies are crucial for designing polymers for different applications.
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