Amphiphilic polymer solutions under confinement: the interplay and competition of entropic, enthalpic and hydrodynamic interactions; computer simulation study.
Project supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Zuzana Limpouchová
The copolymer behavior in a physically confined environment is influenced not only by the competition of entropy to enthalpy of chains as in homogenous solutions, but also by the interaction with walls, spatial restriction and a consequent confinement-induced entropy loss. These effects offer opportunities for the design of novel nanostructures useful for advanced applications. Further, the detailed knowledge of the conformational and self-assembling behavior is necessary also for correct interpretation of results of separation and characterization techniques (size exclusion and interaction chromatography) which assume the flow of polymer solution through microporous media. Their interpretation requires the understanding of the competition and cooperation of thermodynamic and hydrodynamic effects on the conformational and sorption behavior of copolymers confined in pores.
As the interplay and feedback of the above mentioned effects have not been studied in all details yet, we propose the simulation project aimed at the conformational behavior and self-assembly of complex polymer system in confined space.
PhD project supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Zuzana Limpouchová
