Polymer Institute
Topic
Organogels and hydrogels based on monomers from renewable resources.
PhD. program
Physical chemistry, Technology of polymer materials
Name of the supervisor
Mgr. Jozef Kollár, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology STU
Annotation
Use of monomers from renewable resources has attracted much attention in last years. The subject of this work is preparation and characterization of copolymers based on butyrolactone and oxazoline monomers in the presence of crosslinker. Difunctional acrylates, methacrylates or acrylamides will be used as a crosslinker. Influence of chemical composition, monomer and crosslinker concentration will be studied in relation with final mechanical properties of gels. Subsequent exchange of hydrophobic organogel to hydrophilic hydrogel will be performing via hydrolysis - ring-opening reaction of butyrolactone unit. Particular goal of this thesis will be study of swelling properties in various aqueous media. Great attention will be focused on characterization of gels by microscopic methods, thermal analysis as well as with cytotoxicity test. Mechanical properties of organogels and hydrogels will be performed via rheological measurements under compression mode and gels with appropriate properties will be investigated as material for environmental or biomedical applications.