Supervisor:
Matti Knaapila (matti.knaapila@fysik.dtu.dk) building 307/264, tel. 93511340
The project involves a structural study of water filled polymer networks, so called hydrogels using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The project is a collaborative effort between NEXMAP section at DTU Physics, Bacticon ApS, Budapest Neutron Centre and Forschugnszentrum Jülich.
Bacticon ApS develops polymer and hydrogel materials for medical applications. In one application, silicone rubber is expanded by supercritical CO2 in the presence of other monomers which become incorporated into the rubber and are subsequently polymerized such that the overall system becomes hydrophilic networks of two polymers. This material allows incorporation of water soluble smaller molecules within the network, which is not possible without the second polymer. Fig. 1 shows a real space illustration of one overall network simulated against the SANS data. Fig. 2 shows a rigid body model of polymers within this network.
We have recently performed a series SANS experiments of this system and the task is to form appropriate models for data interpretation. Besides modelling work, it is also possible to join forthcoming experiments in Budapest or elsewhere. There is a good possibility for an authorship in a scientific publication.
Figure 1
Figure 2