Patrickios C. (ed.) Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks: Synthesis, Properties, Modelling and Applications

The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2020. — 388 p. — ISBN: 978-1-78801-370-3. — (Polymer Chemistry Series No. 33)
Amphiphilic polymer co-networks (APCNs) are a type of polymeric hydrogel, their hydrophobic polymer segments and hydrophilic components produce less aqueous swelling, giving better mechanical properties than conventional hydrogels. This new class of polymers is attracting increasing attention, resulting in further basic research on the system, as well as new applications.
This book focuses on new developments in the field of APCNs, and is organised in four sections: synthesis, properties, applications and modelling. Co-network architectures included in the book chapters are mainly those deriving from hydrophobic macro-cross-linkers, representing the classical approach; however, more modern designs are also presented. Properties of interest discussed include aqueous swelling, thermophysical and mechanical properties, self-assembly, electrical actuation, and protein adsorption. Applications described in the book chapters include the use of co-networks as soft contact lenses, scaffolds for drug delivery and tissue engineering, matrices for heterogeneous biocatalysis, and membranes of controllable permeability. Finally, an important theory chapter on the modelling of the self-assembly of APCNs is also included.
The book is suitable for graduate students and researchers interested in hydrogels, polymer networks, polymer chemistry, block copolymers, self-assembly and nanomaterials, as well as their applications in contact lenses, drug delivery, tissue engineering, membranes and biocatalysis.Thirty Years of Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks
Poly(N-vinylimidazole)-based Nanostructured Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks
Designing Multi-component Biodegradable/Biocompatible Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks for Biomedical Applications
Cleavable Dimethacrylate-end-linked Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks Prepared Using Degradable, Hemiacetal Ester Group-containing Bifunctional Initiators
Structural Studies on PEO-b-PPO-based Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks
Structure and Physical Properties of Amphiphilic Polymer Co-network Hydrogels with Controlled Structures
Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks From Telechelic Macromonomers Using Thiol–Norbornene Chemistry
Bimodal Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks: Interfacial Phenomena and Applications
Ultra-stretchable and Multi-responsive Tough Hydrogels Crosslinked by Triblock Copolymer Micelles
Double-network Hydrogels Comprising an Ionic Amphiphilic Polymer First Co-network
Theoretical Approaches to Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks
Silicone Hydrogel Soft Contact Lenses: An Industrial Application of Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks
New Approaches Towards the Design of Tough Amphiphilic Polymeric Co-networks
Biocatalytically-active Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks
Functional Membranes Based on Amphiphilic Polymer Co-networks