Condensed Matter Physics Seminar

Nano- and Micro-World of Block Copolymers - From Self-assembly to Nanomechanical Devices

Guojun Liu
Canada Research Chair, Queen's Department of Chemistry

Time
Wed. February 1, 2006     10:30 AM     Stirling 501

Abstract

Block copolymers are made by chemically joining different polymers in a head-to-tail fashion. Despite the covalent linkage of the different polymer blocks, they remain incompatible and segregate from one another under most conditions to yield patterned mesophasic block-segregated structures. We have developed methods to chemically process these block-segregated copolymers to yield "permanent" and "sculptured" nanoobjects of various architectural complexities. These nanoobjects produced possess interesting properties and can be further assembled to yield crude nanomechanical devices. Reviewed in my talk are the preparation, property, and application of nano- and micro-structures derived from block copolymers.

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