| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/R74383/01 |
| Title: |
Controlling network/brush interactions to achieve switchable adhesion |
| Principal Investigator: |
Geoghegan, Professor M |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Physics and Astronomy |
| Organisation: |
University of Sheffield |
| Scheme: |
Fast Stream |
| Starts: |
01 June 2002 |
Ends: |
31 May 2005 |
Value (£): |
62,788
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Characterisation |
Materials Synthesis & Growth |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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It is planned to create an interface with reversible adhesion using a polyelectrolyte gel and a polyelecrotyte brush. Polyelectrolyte gels and brushes have the property that, under good solvent conditions, they will swell or stretch, but, when the solves is poor, they will collapse in order to exclude solvent. By tailoring the chemical nature of the brush and network, it should be possible to ensure that they collapse together under poor solvent conditions. In this case they will entangle, forming a strong interface. However, if the pH value is charged such ;hat the solvent improves, the brush and network will swell, and disentangle. The interface will become weak. As a result, the system has he unusual property of switchable adhesion. We plan to use random copolymers of poty (methacrylic acid) and poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) to create the gel and brush layer and the system will be studied using fluorescence techniques, neutron reflectometry, ellipsometry and mechanical testing. As well as the switchable adhesion, in situ measurements of the kinetics of the interpenetration should be also possible using fluorescence tea-niques and neutron reflectometry.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.shef.ac.uk |