Supramolecular Systems and Self-Assembling Processes

The general focus of centre of Supramolecular Systems and Self-Assembling Processes (SUPRAMOL) is to study and exploit self-association processes and supramolecular structures in polymer systems in solutions, dispersions and bulk. Many processes in nature depend on self-association and self-ordering as a result of intermolecular attractive and repulsive forces. This area of research is multidisciplinary and exploits knowledge in physical chemistry, experimental physical methods of studying self-association (“why does it work”), extensive chemical and synthetic background (“how to make it”), and practical aspects of polymer self-association (“how can it be useful”).

More specifically, the scientific focus of centre SUPRAMOL is oriented to two fundamental questions and challenges of polymer self-association: 1) “How does structure of polymer materials influence their self-association and properties in the nano-world in relation to external stimuli?” and 2) “How can self-association be exploited for designing functional polymeric nanostructures whose preparation is difficult by other means?”

Research in the first area is focused on responsive and multiresponsive systems, where the external stimulus is a change in temperature and pH, or a change in redox potential or in concentration of metal ions. From the chemical point of view, the main interest is devoted to controlled radical polymerization, poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazolines) and polyesters as well as to hybrid copolymers polysaccharide-synthetic polymer. In particular, we focus on inhibiting the creation of amyloids and bacterial biofilms and on non-biofouling hydrophilic polymer brushes.