Research

Research in LEPCom is mainly devoted to the design, construction and analysis of interfaces containing polymers that are present in many important multicomponent materials. This subject has been studied in many different systems and applications as listed below:

Composites with "smart" interfaces

• Creating novel interfacial structure by controlling the deposition and grafting of polymers onto or from impenetrable surfaces
• Design of multitask interfaces
• Modeling of the thermo-mechanical behavior of composites
• Study of the phenomena related to polymers confined within interfaces
• Interfacial degradation during the exposition of multicomponent systems to wet environment

Biomaterials

• Bioactive composites
• Tissue engineering
• Polymers and composites for dental applications
• In vitro and in vivo tests of polymer biomaterials
• Drug delivery systems based on polymers
• Biosensor and artificial muscles derived from polymers

Nanocomposites

• Synthesis, structure and properties of nanocomposites derived from block copolymers and nanoparticles obtained from organo-metallic precursors
• Processing of nanocomposites by combining nanometric minerals and polymers
• Preparation and characterization of nanofibers by electrospinning.

Interface engineering

• Physical simulation of the interactions between polymers and rigid surfaces
• Study of the interaction across interfaces using modified AFM tips
• Investigation of the polymer conformation at the interfaces
• Adhesion between biological macromolecules and the surface of synthetic biomaterials