HIGH-PERFORMANCE MATERIALS BASED ON CHEMICALLY MODIFIED
AND/OR NANOSTRUCTURED POLYMERS FOR INDUSTRY AND MEDICAL
APPLICATIONS
- MATPOLMOD -
Contract no: 177/20.07.2006
Project Financing: Budget – National Authority for Scientific Research
Programme: CEEX – Type of project: module 1: P-CD
Project budget: 1 391 900 lei (1 320 000 lei from the budget and 71 900 co-financing)
Project duration: 26 months
Contracting Authority: AMCSIT - POLITEHNICA
Contractor: University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest
Project Director: Prof.dr.eng. Corneliu CINCU
Thematic field S/T: 4.2 Materials
European Technological Platform: PT.4 Advanced engineering materials and technologies
1. PARTNERS IN THE PROJECT
ROLE
ORGANISATION NAME
CO
University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest - UPB
P1
National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry
Bucharest - ICECHIM
P2
National Institute of Materials Physics Bucharest – Magurele - NIMP
P3
National Institute of Research and Development for Microbiology and Immunology
“Cantacuzino” - INCDMIC
P4
“CAROL DAVILA” University of Medicine and Pharmacy - UMFC
P5
S.C. SERICAROM S.A. – Research Department – Bucharest - SERI
P6
S.C. INCERPLAST S.A. – Bucharest - INCERPLAST
2. SUMMARY
A major objective of this scientific research is the obtaining of performance polymeric
materials starting from the existent ones by micro and nanostructuring and/or guided physicochemical modification. Nanostructured materials of different shapes and chemical
compositions find spectacular applications in different activity domains: constructions,
electronics, military and aerospace industry, medicine and biology, advanced research
instruments. Guided chemical modification of some nanostructured block-copolymers with
significant industrial applications leads to the obtaining of new improved materials, more
reliable, which could be used in special fields of national importance.
Recent researches showed interesting properties of polymeric composites tailoring fullerene
nanoparticles. In many other applications, the contact surface of different types of materials
(interface) lays a key role, so its guided modification could improve the practical behaviour. It
is the case of implant biomaterials (where the substrate adherence, biocompatibility and
micro-organism development on the surface are still not solved and they are present in the
European research directions), of textile materials that come into direct contact with human
body of adhesives, dyes and pigments, road coverings etc.
Based on preliminary research studies, the research teams from this consortium propose
activities in the following directions: i) Obtaining of some nanostuctured copolymers with
guided chemical composition; ii) Obtaining of some polymeric nanocomposites with fullerene
particles content; characterisation and applicative perspectives; iii) Physico-chemical
modification in mass or surface modification of some polymeric materials to improve the
main properties in specific applications.
The project proposal comprises the above mentioned thematic areas as all the materials that
will be obtained by physico-chemical modification, are new and eliminate some problems for
use or contain a nanophase, which ensures some new and improved properties for the
material.
3. OBJECTIVES
The general objectives of the present project are:
- Obtaining of new performance polymeric materials with special properties to eliminate some
practical drawbacks or to be used in other domains;
- Accumulation of knowledge and results concerning the synthesis, properties and behaviour
of these materials for high-tech domains.
The specific objectives, detailed accordingly to the three research directions, are the
following:
3.a. - Set-up of a modern synthesis technology for new thermoplastic elastomers based on
styrene-butadiene copolymers with guided vinyl microstructure of polybutadiene block
(CoSB) by sequential anionic mechanism polymerisation technique combined with active
centres modification technique (with Lewis bases);
- Obtaining of copolymers and polyethylene-CoSB composites using modern synthesis
technologies;
- Obtaining of bitumen-CoSB composites with high exploitation performance.
3.b. - Establishing the optimum dispersion conditions of carbon nanoparticles (fullerene0in
ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. Characterisation of the obtained nanocomposites.
Study of the potential applications in high-tech domains for science and technology;
-
Obtaining
of
C60/poly(methyl
methacrylate)
(methyl
methacrylate
copolymers)
nanocomposites, characterisation and potential uses in medicine and biology;
- Obtaining C60/poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and HEMA copolymers nanocomposites,
C60/poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone and its copolymers nanocomposites, C60/natural proteins
(fibroin) nanocomposites. Physico-chemical characterisation and potential applications;
- Biocompatibility tests (in vitro, in vivo) for the materials with potential medical applications
(bone pathology, dentistry, surgery, neurology);
- Testing the mechanical resistance of some medical devices (dental prostheses) and
evaluation of the possible tension points.
3.c. - Establishing the optimum conditions for chemical modification of polymers with
medical interest (ultra high molecular weigh polyethylene, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(methyl
methacrylate) and its copolymers) in order to change some properties fro specific uses.
- Physico-chemical characterisation of the modified materials. High-tech applications
possibilities;
- Superficial chemical modification (by grafting) of fibroin with vinyl monomers to obtain
new materials with industrial and medical uses;
- Biological testing (biocompatibility, microbiologic problems). Bacterial adherence and
biofilms’ formation are very important phenomena from industrial, ecological and medical
point of view. The present study has as objective the investigation of the possibility of
improving the microbial anti-adhesive properties by chemical modification of the surface with
medical polymers. Partners P3 and P4 will study the effect of these modifications upon microorganisms problem, as they have the necessary devices and experience and they will establish
the strategy of an inter-disciplinary cooperation prosthetic-microbiology-chemistry. Partner
P3 will test the response of the cells coming in contact with the surface of the new materials.
The proposed objectives within this project are in good agreement with the objectives and
priorities of the programme (Annex 1), but also with the actual tendencies in European
research Frame Work (FP7).