POLYSOLVAT 16 at JCNS, Workshop 2026

Thermo-responsive microgels are colloidal particles, composed by polymer networks, that undergo a sudden change of volume at the so-called volume phase transition temperature (VPTT). This property is of considerable interest across a wide range of fields, and the ability to tune the VPTT is crucial for many applications. In this talk I will present two examples of investigations of microgels...

The effects of ionic liquids (ILs) on proteins are well known and widely studied for various applications [1]. Compared to conventional solvents, ILs exhibit several advantageous properties, as liquid state over a wide temperature range, excellent solvation ability, and high thermal stability. Biocompatible ionic liquids (Bio-Ils) retain these properties while maintaining manageable toxicity...

Aqueous suspension of non-ionic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgel particles was synthesized via free-radical precipitation polymerization. On the synthesized PNIPAM microgel particles, a dynamic light scattering experiment was performed, and hydrodynamic radii were determined to be roughly 240 and 125 nm for temperatures of 25C and 40C, respectively [1,2,3]. Dielectric relaxation...

Concentrated solutions and gels of block copolymer micelles demonstrate both the cohesive strength of solids and the diffusive transport characteristics of liquids, and are subject of theoretical and technological interest [1]. Special attention is devoted to polymers containing a stimuli-responsive "switching" block that imparts the system the ability to undergo sharp, reversible changes in...