Functional Organic Polymers and (Nano-)Composites

The main goal in this research area is the preparation of functionalized and well defined organic polymers and the preparation of nanocomposites consisting of inorganic nanoparticles and polymers. We are interested in the preparation of polymers with special optical and electrooptical properties, like birefringence, fluorescence, electroluminescence, and with defined structures, i.e. liquid crystal polymers, narrow polydispersity, block co-polymers. We exploit the possibility of combinations of different functionalities in one polymer by preparation of statistical copolymers as well as block copolymers. In this latter case we investigate the self assembling morphologies of defined block copolymers in solution and in bulk. The major synthesis procedure in our laboratory is ring opening metathesis polymerisation. In combination with nanosized inorganic particles, we prepare so called nanocomposite materials. In this context we are interested in the interactions of the above described functional polymers with inorganic nanofillers, like Al2O3 or SiO2, but also in the interaction of semiconducting materials, like TiO2 or CdSe. A further topic is the investigation of electroactive nanocomposite materials, consisting of semiconducting polymers and semiconducting nanoparticles.