Advances in Polymer Brushes
2005 Fall National ACS Meeting
Washington, DC
August 28-September 1, 2005
Modification of surfaces using thin polymer films has been the focus of a growing number of studies. Surface modification plays a vital role in determining the composition and behavior of surfaces and directly influences the application of these systems. In recent years, research into surface modifications using polymer brushes has intensified. Polymer brushes refer to an assembly of polymer chains that are tethered by one end to a surface or interface. Tethering of the chains in close proximity to each other forces the chains to stretch away from the surface so as to avoid overlapping. Due to the considerable attention polymer brushes have attracted, there have been numerous studies to develop new materials and examine the structure and novel properties of these systems. Such studies have lead to the application of polymer brushes in a broad range of fields, including colloid stabilization, tailoring surface properties, microfluidics, and ³chemical gates².
This timely
symposium will provide an update on the growing field of polymer brushes. The
primary focus will be on new developments in synthesis and characterization. Application areas for polymer brushes include
colloidal stabilization, microfluidics, microelectronics, adhesion and
tribology. Confirmed speakers include: Rigoberto Advincula (University of Houston), Gregory
Baker (Michigan
State), Donald Brooks (University of British Columbia), Merlin
Bruening (Michigan
State), Kenneth Carter (UMass), Warren Ford (Oklahoma State), Curtis
Frank (Stanford), Jan
Genzer (NCSU), Craig
Hawker (UC Santa
Barbara), Wilhelm Huck (Cambridge), Rainer Jordan (München), Michael
Kilbey (Clemson), Igor
Luzinov (Clemson), Sergiy
Minko (Clarkson), Yukio
Nagasaki (Tokyo
University of Science), Tim Patten (UC – Davis), Lynn Penn (University of Kentucky), Jürgen
Rühe (Frieburg), Vladimir
Tsukruk (Iowa
State), Stefan Zauscher (Duke), and Bin Zhao (University of Tennessee).
In addition to
invited lectures, we are seeking participants for a poster session. The
deadline for submission of abstracts/preprints is April 25 2005. For further information on this symposium, contact
any of the organizers.
Symposium Organizers:
William J. Brittain
Department of Polymer Science
University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-3909
330-972-5147
Stephen G. Boyes
School of Polymers and High Performance Materials
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0076
601-266-5193
Daniel Dyer
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901-4409
618-453-2897