Associating polymers contain functional groups that act as "stickers" and reversibly associate through soft interactions such as hydrogen bonding or Coulombic forces. These interactions are much weaker than true covalent bonds and can be influenced by factors such as pH, temperature, and solvent. While associating polymers are typically studied in solution, our emphasis is to understand their behavior in the melt and the gel state.
To date our studies have involved strong H-bonding interactions such as the ureidopyrimidinone groups. We are addressing the fundamental questions of how polymer-polymer miscibility is influenced by terminal H-bonding groups. We are also synthesizing well defined crosslinked elastomers bearing associating side groups. Resulting elastomers exhibit shape memory effects and unusual diffusion characteristics.
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