Polymerization environment/cell design

The hydrodynamics of the electrochemical system and temperature are also important because these control the rate of transport of reactants and products to and from the electrochemical reaction zone. This, in turn, determines the polymerization efficiency. Hydrodynamics is also important in determining the form of the PPy produced. For example, using a flowthrough cell and appropriate chemical environments, stable colloidal dispersions rather than insoluble films can be produced (see Cell Design). 

The adhesion of the polymer to the electrode surface is another consideration. For example, the polymer can be generated at an electrode such as tantalum, where it will not deposit. In our laboratories38 we have used the fact that deposition of PPy onto tantalum is difficult in the design of an electrochemical slurry cell to coat silica particles. The polymer generated at the tantalum anode does not deposit there instead, it deposits on the more receptive (silica particle) surfaces in the electrochemical cell. This represents a unique polymerization process whereby the polymer is generated electrochemically in an environment that allows nonconductive substrates to be coated, resulting in unique composite structures. 

Once the cell has lost its compartment-forming structure which separated it from the environment, it can no longer maintain its internal medium and is thus killed. Substances inducing such a process may be called antitumour agents acting on a cellular level (3). Is there a chance to mimick such a process Criteria for the design of polymeric antitumour agents on a cellular level will be discussed. First attempts to realize this concept include the synthesis of simple, stable cell models. Recent results in the... 

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