Structure and Dynamics of Macromolecules

The fast developments in the synthetic chemistry during the last decades enabled the preparation of a large variety of macromolecules with controlled topology and functionality. We focus on understanding the relation between molecular architecture, composition and processing on one hand and the morphology and physical properties of the macromolecular materials on the other. Such understanding is not only of fundamental interest but will also help to design new materials for various applications. Specific research topics include:

Mobility in polymer networks: Kaloian Koynov, Hans-Jürgen Butt

Krzysztof Piechocki, Kaloian Koynov, Justyna Piechocka, Kordian Chamerski, Jacek Filipecki, Paulin Maczugowska, Marcin Kozanecki: Small molecule diffusion in poly-(olygo ethylene glycol methacrylate) based hydrogels studied by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Polymer, 2022, 244, 124628 (doi 10.1016/j.polymer.2022.124628)

Sascha Schmitt, Galit Renzer, Jennifer Benrath, Andreas Best, Shuai Jiang, Katharina Landfester, Hans-Juergen Butt, Roberto Simonutti, Daniel Crespy, Kaloian Koynov: Monitoring the Formation of Polymer Nanoparticles with Fluorescent Molecular Rotors. Macromolecules, 2022, 55, 7284-7293 (doi 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01132)

Montis C, Koynov K, Best A, Baglioni M, Butt H-J, Berti D, Baglioni P: Surfactants mediate the dewetting of acrylic polymer films commonly applied to works of art. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2019, 11, 27288-27296 (doi 10.1021/acsami.9b04912)

Imbibition and crystalliztion of soft matter in confinement: George Floudas

Tu, C.-H.; Veith, L.; Butt, H.-J.; Floudas, G.: Ionic Conductivity of a Solid Polymer Electrolyte Confined in Nanopores. Macromolecules 55 (4), pp. 1332 - 1341 (2022) doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.1c02490

Chien Hua Tu, Jiajia Zhou, Masao Doi, Hans-Jürgen Butt, and George Floudas, "Interfacial Interactions During In Situ Polymer Imbibition in Nanopores," Physical Review Letters 125 (12), 127802 (2020). doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.127802

Macromolecular complexes, drug nanocarriers: Kaloian Koynov, Hans-Jürgen Butt

Sascha Schmitt, Lutz Nuhn, Matthias Barz, Hans-Juergen Butt, Kaloian Koynov: Shining Light on Polymeric Drug Nanocarriers with Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy. Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 2022, 43, 2100892 (doi 10.1002/marc.202100892)

Mierczynska-Vasilev A, Bindon K, Gawel R, Smith P, Vasilev K, Butt HJ, Koynov K: Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to unravel the interactions between macromolecules in wine. Food Chemistry, 2021, 352, 129343 (doi 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129343)

Photo-responsive polymer materials: Si Wu

Chen, M.; Gong, N.; Sun, W.; Han, J.; Liu, Y.; Zhang, S.; Zheng, A.; Butt, H.-J.; Liang, X.; Wu, S.: Red‐Light‐Responsive Metallopolymer Nanocarriers with Conjugated and Encapsulated Drugs for Phototherapy Against Multidrug‐Resistant Tumors. Small, 2201672 (2022) doi.org/10.1002/smll.202201672

Yazhi Liu, Shuofeng Liang, Chenrui Yuan, Andreas Best, Michael Kappl, Kaloian Koynov, Hans-Jürgen Butt, and Si Wu, "Fabrication of Anticounterfeiting Nanocomposites with Multiple Security Features via Integration of a Photoresponsive Polymer and Upconverting Nanoparticles," Advanced Functional Materials 31 (37), 2103908 (2021). doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202103908

Dynamics in ultrathin polymer films: Kaloian Koynov, Werner Steffen, George Floudas, Rüdiger Berger

Li XM, Silge S, Saal A, Kircher G, Koynov K, Berger R, Butt HJ: Adaptation of a Styrene-Acrylic Acid Copolymer Surface to Water. Langmuir, 2021, 37, 1571-1577 (doi 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c03226)

Hesami M, Steffen W, Butt HJ, Floudas G, Koynov K: Molecular Probe Diffusion in Thin Polymer Films: Evidence for a Layer with Enhanced Mobility Far above the Glass Temperature. ACS Macro Letters, 2018, 7, 425-430 (doi 10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00103)

Macromolecules with complex architecture: George Floudas, Hans-Jürgen Butt

Galanos, E.; Steube, M.; Butt, H.-J.; Frey, H.; Floudas, G.: Ordering kinetics of a tapered copolymer based on isoprene and styrene. The Journal of Chemical Physics 156 (13), 134904 (2022) doi.org/10.1063/5.0086753

Galanos, E.; Wahlen, C.; Butt, H.-J.; Frey, H.; Floudas, G.: Phase Diagram of Tapered Copolymers Based on Isoprene and Styrene. Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, 2200033 (2022) doi.org/10.1002/macp.202200033