Synthesis and physico-chemical studies of supramolecular polymers based hydrogen bonds

• Grant number: 15/02536-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: March 13, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Edvaldo Sabadini
• Grantee: Bruno Giordano Alvarenga
• Supervisor: Laurent Bouteiller
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), France
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/04515-8 - Supramolecular polymers of bis-ureia in solution: balance of solute-solvent interaction, BP.DR

Abstract

Supramolecular polymers are chains of small molecules held together through reversible noncovalent interactions. The reversibility of interactions provide to these systems new properties as compared to those of usual covalent polymers, in special self-healing capacity, which providing it a new range of applications. In this context, Professor Laurent Bouteiller from Université Pierre et Marie Curie have developed a new type of supramolecular polymer that the main driving forces of self-assembly are due to the union of derivatives of aromatic ureas. These polymers show different supramolecular structures such as thin filaments, which are able to form viscous solutions, and very interesting long tubes that provide viscoelastic gels. Temperature, pH, solvent properties, beside molecular structures of unimers strongly influence the self-association processes responsible for the formation of these supramolecular polymers. Thereby, this project focuses on the macroscopic and microscopic investigation on these polymers in different environments by using several techniques: rheology, calorimetry, IR spectroscopy, circular dichroism, scattering tequiniques. In special Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) that has the possibility of using isotopes to improve the contrast difference between the supramolecular structures and solvent molecules. Furthermore, new supramolecular polymers that able to form chiral helices with a single helical twist and potential application in scaffold for asymmetrical catalysis will be synthetized and its Physico-chemical behaviour characterized. (AU)