SEMINAR

Self-Organization in Synthetic Polymers: Opportunities for Modeling

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Southern Mississippi

ABSTRACT

To search for and create nonequlibrium self organization in synthetic polymeric systems we can apply two approaches. We can couple the polymerization process to another nonlinear system. The second approach is to exploit inherent nonlinearities in polymeric systems. We will consider several positive feedback mechanisms that occur in polymerization reactions with special emphasis on thermal autocatalysis and the gel effect in frontal polymerization. Beautifully regular spirals and bubble formations can be formed in frontal polymerization reactions that interfere with novel approaches to preparing materials. How these patterns emerge and how that knowledge can be used to prepare better materials will be discussed. Microgravity-based research in this area will also be considered and opportunities for modeling discussed.

WHERE: TEC 205

WHEN(day): Friday, October 6th, 2000

WHEN(time): 2:00pm

EVERYBODY IS INVITED