Polymer nanostructures derivatives

Polymer surfaces is a field of increasing interest to both basic and applied research (Eisenriegler, 1993). The aim of this section is to show that microhardness is directly related to surface free energy and, therefore, to the degree of polymer perfection at polymer surfaces and interfaces. Studies have revealed that the morphology (crystal thickness and size of the interlamellar regions) of the polymer nanostructure are the main factors determining the microhardness (Balta Calleja et al., 1997). (See also Section 4.2.3.) The hardness-derived parameter... 

Although there have been great advances in covalent functionalization of fullerenes to obtain surface-modified fullerene derivatives or fullerene polymers, the application of these compounds in composites still remains unexplored, basically because of the low availability of these compounds [132]. However, until now, modified fullerene derivatives have been used to prepare composites with different polymers, including acrylic [133,134] or vinyl polymers [135], polystyrene [136], polyethylene [137], and polyimide [138,139], amongst others. These composite materials have found applications especially in the field of optoelectronics [140] in which the most important applications of the fullerene-polymer composites have been in the field of photovoltaic and optical-limiting materials [141]. The methods to covalently functionalize fullerenes and their application for composites or hybrid materials are very well established and they have set the foundations that later were applied to the covalent functionalization of other carbon nanostructures including CNTs and graphene. 

Surface science has been one of the first beneficiaries of self-assembled nanostructures (in the form of SAMs). Self-assembly is a very general strategy for forming molecularly tailored interfaces, and, other than the few systems that have formed the basis for the majority of work in SAMs, almost none of the obvious opportunities to use self-assembly to build ordered, nanostructured interfaces have been examined. The preparation of more sophisticated structures based on molecules with complex stmctures, on self-assembled colloids, on multilayered polymers formed by electrostatic interactions between charged groups166,167, or on biologically derived structures is just beginning168-171. 

Because CDs are nontoxic, biodegradable, and bioabsorbable, they may be used in medical applications, as well as providing for the fabrication of more environmentally responsible polymer materials. In this report we have summarized almost exclusively our own recent studies employing the cyclic starch derivatives called cyclodextrins to both nanostructure and functionalize polymer materials. Lest the reader gets the erroneous impression that our studies have been carried out in isolation, we refer to a recent review [120], and a summary [121], describing related... 

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