Special Issue "Nano-Structures of Block Copolymers"

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Alexander Böker
DWI an der RWTH Aachen e.V., Lehrstuhl für Makromolekulare Materialien und Oberflächen, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 8, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Website: http://www.pc.rwth-aachen.de/index.php?id=359
E-Mail:
Interests: guided block copolymer assembly; orientation and phase behavior of block copolymers in electric fields; block copolymer/nanoparticle composites; self-assembly of nanoparticles at interfaces; Pickering-Emulsions; template directed nanoparticle assembly; pattern transfer

Dear Colleagues,

Block copolymers, their microphase separation as well as their resulting nanoscopic structures have been studied extensively over the past three decades both experimentally and theoretically. Despite considerable efforts and promising results, so far industrially relevant technologies based on block copolymer nanostructures have not yet been developed or at least did not make it to the final product.
This special issue is intended to give the reader an overview over recent cutting edge research and new developments in the field of block copolymer nanotechnology. Here, we would like to place emphasis on work dealing with ways to control and guide the self-assembly of block copolymer systems, the introduction of functionality, block copolymer-based templates, block copolymer hybrid systems, and novel morphologies arising from these hybrid materials. Finally, this issue should also give examples how block copolymer nanostructures can help to meet future requirements in fields like e.g. electronics, data storage as well as energy storage and conversion.

Prof. Dr. Alexander Böker
Guest Editor

Submission Information

All manuscripts should be submitted to polymers@mdpi.org with a copy to the Guest Editor. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed Open Access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. For the first couple of issues, to be published in 2009 and 2010, the Article Processing Charges (APC) will be waived for well-prepared manuscripts. English correction and/or formatting fees of 250 CHF (Swiss Francs) will be charged in certain cases for those articles accepted for publication that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections.

• functional block copolymers
• controlled self-assembly
• external/internal fields
• control of order
• hybrid materials
• block copolymer-based applications