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The field of metallo-supramolecular block copolymers has recently become an intensive research area, as the system combines the self-assembly behaviour of block copolymers and coordination chemistry. The main goal of this thesis is the design of new smart nanomaterials from metallo-supramolecular block copolymers containing a stimuli responsive junction based on metal-terpyridine complex. A hierarchical self-assembly of the block copolymer end-capped with a terpyridine ligand in diluted and concentrated regime is described. The addition of metal ions to the micellar solution led to the formation flower-like micelles, while in concentrated regime a micellar gel exhibiting self-healing properties was triggered. The last part describes the design of thin films prepared from metallo-supramolecular block copolymers containing two immiscible blocks tethered by a stimuli responsive junction based on Nickel(II) bis-terpyridine complex. Nanoporous thin films were subsequently obtained simply by cleaving the complex located at the junction.
About the author
Dr. Clément Mugemana is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Kaust Catalysis Center in Saudi Arabia, following his PhD in Polymer Sciences supervised by Prof. Jean-François Gohy at Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) in Belgium. His research interests spans the design of block copolymers, micelles, micellar catalysis, polymer gels and thin films.
