Conveners
From Polymers to Thermodynamics
- Aurel Radulescu (Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich Centre for Neutron Science at MLZ)
- Stéphane Longeville (CEA-LLB)
Switchable functional molecules capable of producing mechanical work constitute an active focus in nanotechnologies as they can be a source of components for molecular-based devices and materials. In particular, the dynamic nature of mechanically interlocked molecules allows their components to undergo relative internal movements, which can be exploited in translation and circumrotation. When...
The formation and disintegration pathways of polymeric nanoparticles are of key importance for their use for the transport and release of substances. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in aqueous solution forms nanoparticles (“mesoglobules”) above its cloud point, which depends on pressure. In the temperature-pressure frame, the coexistence line is an ellipse with a maximum at ~60 MPa and 35 °C....
Polymers are key elements in modern material science, and, since the first polymer synthesis in 1907, tremendous progress in polymer chemistry were made. Today, an endless assortment of polymers – whose properties are adapted to specific needs – is available. In many cases, a thin polymer film, the coating, is sufficient to impart desired properties to the material.
One of the most employed...
The role of Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in biology is increasingly recognised. Here we study two different cases in which LLPS occurs. First, actin remodelling has been found to involve LLPS, which likely acts to upregulate critical proteins and adjust their activity. Preliminary data indicates that cell membrane stiffness is a key factor in coacervation at the cell membrane. The...
