Copolymers future applications

More recently, we have extended the use of the condensation polymerization method to include many other combinations of alkyl and aryl groups in both homopolymers as well as copolymers. Future systematic studies of these materials should provide valuable information on the structure/property relationships which are applicable to this class of polymers. 

One of the first journal articles about block copolymer lithography, introduced by Park and coworkers from Princeton University in 1997, opened the door for future application of block copolymers in lithography (Park et al, 2008). In this pioneering work, a monolayer of poly (styrene-Z /6>cA -butadiene) (PS-Z -PB) was used in two different approaches to create positive-tone holes and negative-tone nanopillars on a silicon nitride substrate depending on the processing technique used on the PB block. 

In the last few years there have been new creative methods of preparation of novel hydrophilic polymers and hydrogels that may represent the future in drug delivery applications. The focus in these studies has been the development of polymeric structures with precise molecular architectures. Stupp et al. (1997) synthesized self-assembled triblock copolymer, nanostructures that may have very promising applications in controlled drug delivery. Novel biodegradable polymers, such as polyrotaxanes, have been developed that have particularly exciting molecular assemblies for drug delivery (Ooya and Yui, 1997). 

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