Multi-functionalized side-chain supramolecular polymers: a methodology towards tunable functional materials

Abstract

"Multi-functionalized Side-chain Supramolecular Polymers:A Methodology Towards Tunable Functional Materials".

Even as we see a significant growth in the field of side-chain supramolecular polymers in the last ten years, systems employing multiple non-covalent interactions have been scarcely studied. Non-covalent multi-functionalization provides unique advantages such as rapid optimization via reversible functionalization as well as for the tuning of materials properties by exploiting the differences in the nature of these reversible interactions.

This thesis involves the design principles, synthesis & methodology of side-chain multi-functionalized polymers. The combination of the principles of a functionally tolerant & a controlled polymerization technique such as ROMP with multiple noncovalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding, metal coordination & Coulombic self-assembly has been used to synthesize multi-functionalized polymers. Furthermore, the orthogonality between hydrogen bonding, metal coordination & ionic self-assembly in random/block copolymers has been studied in detail.

In order to validate the viability of this multi-functionalization methodology towards materials design non-covalent crosslinking of polymers was used as a potential application. Three classes of crosslinked networks have been studied: complementary multiple-hydrogen bonded networks, multiple-metal crosslinked networks, & multi-functionalized hydrogen bonded & metal coordinated networks.

By using non-covalent multi-functionalization, important materials properties & its responsiveness towards chemical agents have been tuned & controlled to yield novel materials which would be difficult to be obtained via traditional covalent techniques or by using single non-covalent interactions.