Advances in Polymer Brushes

 

 

2005 Fall National ACS Meeting

Washington, DC

 

August 28-September 1, 2005

 

Sponsored by Polymer Chemistry Division

 

Call for Papers

 

 

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 ?chemical gates?.

 

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 (M¸nchen), Michael Kilbey (Clemson), Igor Luzinov (Clemson), Sergiy Minko (Clarkson), Yukio Nagasaki (Tokyo University of Science), Tim Patten (UC – Davis), Lynn Penn (University of Kentucky), J¸rgen R¸he (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

wjbritt@uakron.edu

 

Stephen G. Boyes

School of Polymers and High Performance Materials

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0076

601-266-5193

stephen.boyes@usm.edu

 

Daniel Dyer

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Southern Illinois University

Carbondale, IL 62901-4409

618-453-2897

ddyer@chem.siu.edu