| Utilizing Supramolecular Chemistry to Access Stimuli-Responsive Materials |
| Utilizing non-covalent interactions to access controlled molecular assemblies as well as to influence communication between different components is a critical concept in most biological processes and natural biomaterials. Transferring this approach to designed synthetic polymer systems potentially opens the door to materials that exhibit unusual structural, mechanical and functional properties. The reversible nature of the non-covalent bond allows, when molecules are designed correctly, to access thermodynamically stable, complex self-assembled architectures, as well as opening the door to a new generation of adaptive, stimuli-responsive materials. As such the designed utilization of supramolecular chemistry in the field of polymer science has seen a dramatic growth in the last decade. We have been interested in the potential of such systems to access new material platforms and have developed a range of new mechanically stable, supramolecular polymer films that change their properties in response to a given stimulus, such as temperature, light or specific chemicals. Such supramolecular materials have been targeted toward applications that range from new implantable adaptive nanocomposites and healable plastics to sensors for chemical warfare agents and thermally responsive hydrogels. Our latest result in this area will be discussed. Selected Refs: Kumpfer, J.; Jin, J.; Rowan, S.J. Stimuli-responsive europium-containing metallo-supramolecular polymers J. Mater. Chem. 2010, 20, 145-151. Buerkle, L.E., Li, Z., Jamieson, A.M.; Rowan, S.J. Tailoring the Properties of Guanosine-Based Supramolecular Hydrogels Langmuir 2009, 25, 8833-8840. Kumar, A.M.S.; Sivakova, S.; Fox, J.D.; Green, J.E.; Marchant, R.E.; Rowan, S.J. Molecular Engineering of New Supramolecular Scaffold Coatings that Can Reduce Static Platelet Adhesion J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 1466-1476. Capadona, J.R.; Shanmuganathan, K.; Tyler D.J.; Rowan S.J.; Weder, C. Stimuli-Responsive Polymer Nanocomposites Inspired by the Sea Cucumber Dermis Science 2008, 319, 1370-1374. Knapton, D.; Burnworth, M.; Rowan, S.J.; Weder C. Fluorescent Organometallic Sensors for the Detection of Chemical Warfare Agent Mimics Angew. Chem. Int Ed. 2006, 45, 5825-5829. Review Fox, J.D.; Rowan, S.J. Supramolecular Polymerizations and Main-Chain Supramolecular Polymers Macromolecules, 2009, 42, 6823-6835. 2100 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, OH 44106-7202, USA stuart.rowan@case.edu |