The main purpose of this thesis is the systematic, experimental investigation of how a soft interlayer affects the impact response and energy dissipation mechanisms of all-polymer multi-laminates. An instrumented, intermediate impact velocity experimental setup with strain rates on the order of 100 s-1, is used to assess the impact mechanics of three-layered samples consisting of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) front, polymer interlayer or adhesive, and polycarbonate (PC) back layer. Instrumentation of the gas gun is achieved with a shock accelerometer measuring contact force and optical displacement sensors recording deflection. Previous impact research utilizing instrumented gas guns by Levy and Goldsmith, and Delfosse et al. have measured contact force, but did not record simultaneous out-of-plane displacement. Signals acquired are temporally aligned allowing for insight into the response of the multi-laminate during impact, which is inaccessible with typical gas guns. Impact testing is completed on bonded and unbonded sample configurations, with two thermoplastic polyurethane and four polyacrylate interlayers. Quantitative metrics from force and displacement signals, along with post-impact damage observations, are used to compare impact performance between configurations and impact velocities (12 and 22 m/s). In general, the presence and bonding of an interlayer increases impact resistance by mitigating and localizing the impact load. The interlayers are characterized at various strain rates in tension, compression, and shear adhesion. In tension, all interlayers display rate dependence, non-linearity, and hysteretic behavior showing varying degrees of increasing energy dissipation with strain rate. Several trends between sample fracture and energy absorption mechanisms, quasi-static and low rate interlayer response, and metric results are established and discussed. / Master of Science

Šio darbo tikslas - nustatyti fizikinių veiksnių įtaką emulsijos su poliakrilo rūgšties polimeru Pemulen TR-1 stabilumui. Tyrimo objektas - vandeninis tirpalas, kuriame disperguotas polimerinis emulsiklis Pemulen TR-1; tiesioginio tipo emulsija, pagaminta su polimeriniu emulsikliu Pemulen TR-1. Tyrimo uždaviniai: ištirti vandeninės dispersijos koncentracijų (0,2-0,6%) ir lipofilinės fazės (10-50%) įtaką pH reikšmei; neutralizatorių (natrio šarmo ir trietanolamino) įtaką emulsijos lašelių dydžiui ir klampai; polimero Pemulen TR-1 koncentracijos įtaką emulsijų fiziniam stabilumui atliekant centrifugavimo testą ir šaldymo-šildymo ciklą; poliakrilo rūgšties polimero Pemulen TR-1 klampos pokyčio priklausomybę nuo emulsijos pH reikšmės; polimerinio emulsiklio ir nejonogeninės paviršiui aktyvios medžiagos įtaką emulsijos lašelių dydžiui ir klampai; įvertinti PAM įtaką emulsijos stabilumui; įvertinti polioksietilen(20)-sorbitano trioleato įtaka emulsijos tiksotropinėms savybėms. Ištyrus vandeninės polimerinės dispersijos pH reikšmes pastebėta, kad polimero koncentracijai pakitus nuo mažiausios (0,2%) iki didžiausios (0.6%), pH reikšmė sumažėjo apie 11% (p<0,05). Lipofilinės fazės koncentracijos pokytis neturi reikšmingos įtakos pH reikšmei. Nustatyta, kad didėjant polimerinio emulsiklio koncentracijai, atitinkamai didėja vandeninės polimerinės dispersijos klampa. Ištyrus emulsijas viskozimetriniu metodu pastebėta, kad neutralizuotos 18% NaOH tirpalu pasižymi didesne klampa, nei... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Thesis goal - to investigate influence of variuos factors to stability of emulsion with hydrophilic polymer of poly acrylic acid Pemulen TR-1. Thesis object – polymeric dispersion of Pemulen TR-1; emulsion (o/w) made with polymeric emulsifier Pemulen TR-1. Thesis objectives: to study influence of concentration of water dispersion and lipophilic phase on pH value; influence of neutralizers (sodium hydroxide and trolamine) to size of emulsion droplets and viscosity; influence of polymer concentration to physical stability of emulsion during centrifugation test and heating-cooling cycle; viscosity change dependance of poly acrylic acid polymer on the emulsion pH range; influence on size of emulsion droplets and viscosity by polymeric emulsifier and non ionic to surface active agent; to evaluate surface active agnet influence on emulsifier‘s stability; to evaluate polioxietilen(20)- sorbitan trioleate influence on emulsifier‘s tixotropic features. After investigating pH meanings of water polymeric dispersion it was noticed, that increasing concentration of polymer (0.2%-0.6%) pH value dicreases (aproximately 11 %, p<0.05). Exploring influence of concentration of lipophilic phase on pH meaning it was stated that its change does not have important influence on pH value. It was noticed, that increasing concentration of polymer emulsifier viscosity of water polymeric dispersion increases accordingly. After reserching viscosity of emulsion the results were as follows that... [to full text]

Os cimentos de fosfato de cálcio (CFCs) têm atraído grande interesse para uso em ortopedia e odontologia como substitutos para partes danificadas do sistema esquelético, mostrando boa biocompatibilidade e osteointegração, permitindo sua utilização como enxerto ósseo. As características que determinam os CFCs biomateriais atrativos para a reconstituição ou remodelação óssea, são a facilidade de manipulação e moldagem, sem ter de dar forma prévia ao implante, adaptando-se totalmente à forma da cavidade óssea. Diversos estudos, têm mostrado que a adição de aditivos poliméricos tem uma forte influência sobre as propriedades do cimento. A baixa resistência mecânica é o principal obstáculo a uma maior utilização de CFC como material de implante. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as propriedades de um cimento com base em α-fosfato tricálcico (α -TCP ), adicionado de PVA (poli (álcool vinílico)) (10%, 8%, 6%), hidrogel de PVA (10%,8%,6%) reticulado com ácido cítrico (10%), hidrogel de alginato de sódio (2%) e poliacrilato de amônia (1%), todos em massa, foram adicionados ao pó de α -TCP sintetizado. As amostras foram moldadas e avaliadas quanto à densidade, porosidade, teste ―in vitro‖ (Simulated Body Fluid), fases cristalinas e propriedades mecânicas. Os resultados mostram o aumento das propriedades mecânicas do cimento, quando adicionado destes polímeros. A reticulação dos hidrogéis de PVA com ácido cítrico foi eficiente.O hidrogel de PVA, o hidrogel de alginato de sódio e o poliacrilato de amônia agiram como redutor de líquido. / The calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) have great interest for use in orthopedics and dentistry as replacements for damaged parts of the skeletal system, showing good biocompatibility and osseointegration, allowing its use as a bone graft. The characteristics that determine CPCs attractive biomaterials for bone remodeling or rebuilding, is ease of handling and molding, without having to shape prior to implantation, adapting itself fully to the shape of the bone cavity. Several studies in literature have shown that the addition of polymeric additives has a strong influence on the mechanical properties of cement. The low mechanical strength is the main impediment to a broader use of calcium phosphate bone cement as implant material. The aim of this work was evaluate the strength of a CPC based on α-tricalcium phosphate, with polymeric additions. CPC was synthesized and PVA (poli (vinyl alcohol)) (10%, 8%, 6%), sodium alginate hydrogel (2%) and ammonium polyacrylate (1%), all by weight, were added to the powder. Specimens were molded and evaluated for density, porosity, in vitro test (Simulated Body Fluid), crystalline phases and mechanical properties. The results show the increase of the mechanical properties of cement when added of polymeric additives. The crosslinking of PVA hydrogels with citric acid was effective. The PVA hydrogel, the hydrogel sodium alginate and ammonium polyacrylate acted as a reducing liquid.

Os cimentos de fosfato de cálcio (CFCs) têm atraído grande interesse para uso em ortopedia e odontologia como substitutos para partes danificadas do sistema esquelético, mostrando boa biocompatibilidade e osteointegração, permitindo sua utilização como enxerto ósseo. As características que determinam os CFCs biomateriais atrativos para a reconstituição ou remodelação óssea, são a facilidade de manipulação e moldagem, sem ter de dar forma prévia ao implante, adaptando-se totalmente à forma da cavidade óssea. Diversos estudos, têm mostrado que a adição de aditivos poliméricos tem uma forte influência sobre as propriedades do cimento. A baixa resistência mecânica é o principal obstáculo a uma maior utilização de CFC como material de implante. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as propriedades de um cimento com base em α-fosfato tricálcico (α -TCP ), adicionado de PVA (poli (álcool vinílico)) (10%, 8%, 6%), hidrogel de PVA (10%,8%,6%) reticulado com ácido cítrico (10%), hidrogel de alginato de sódio (2%) e poliacrilato de amônia (1%), todos em massa, foram adicionados ao pó de α -TCP sintetizado. As amostras foram moldadas e avaliadas quanto à densidade, porosidade, teste ―in vitro‖ (Simulated Body Fluid), fases cristalinas e propriedades mecânicas. Os resultados mostram o aumento das propriedades mecânicas do cimento, quando adicionado destes polímeros. A reticulação dos hidrogéis de PVA com ácido cítrico foi eficiente.O hidrogel de PVA, o hidrogel de alginato de sódio e o poliacrilato de amônia agiram como redutor de líquido. / The calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) have great interest for use in orthopedics and dentistry as replacements for damaged parts of the skeletal system, showing good biocompatibility and osseointegration, allowing its use as a bone graft. The characteristics that determine CPCs attractive biomaterials for bone remodeling or rebuilding, is ease of handling and molding, without having to shape prior to implantation, adapting itself fully to the shape of the bone cavity. Several studies in literature have shown that the addition of polymeric additives has a strong influence on the mechanical properties of cement. The low mechanical strength is the main impediment to a broader use of calcium phosphate bone cement as implant material. The aim of this work was evaluate the strength of a CPC based on α-tricalcium phosphate, with polymeric additions. CPC was synthesized and PVA (poli (vinyl alcohol)) (10%, 8%, 6%), sodium alginate hydrogel (2%) and ammonium polyacrylate (1%), all by weight, were added to the powder. Specimens were molded and evaluated for density, porosity, in vitro test (Simulated Body Fluid), crystalline phases and mechanical properties. The results show the increase of the mechanical properties of cement when added of polymeric additives. The crosslinking of PVA hydrogels with citric acid was effective. The PVA hydrogel, the hydrogel sodium alginate and ammonium polyacrylate acted as a reducing liquid.

Os cimentos de fosfato de cálcio (CFCs) têm atraído grande interesse para uso em ortopedia e odontologia como substitutos para partes danificadas do sistema esquelético, mostrando boa biocompatibilidade e osteointegração, permitindo sua utilização como enxerto ósseo. As características que determinam os CFCs biomateriais atrativos para a reconstituição ou remodelação óssea, são a facilidade de manipulação e moldagem, sem ter de dar forma prévia ao implante, adaptando-se totalmente à forma da cavidade óssea. Diversos estudos, têm mostrado que a adição de aditivos poliméricos tem uma forte influência sobre as propriedades do cimento. A baixa resistência mecânica é o principal obstáculo a uma maior utilização de CFC como material de implante. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as propriedades de um cimento com base em α-fosfato tricálcico (α -TCP ), adicionado de PVA (poli (álcool vinílico)) (10%, 8%, 6%), hidrogel de PVA (10%,8%,6%) reticulado com ácido cítrico (10%), hidrogel de alginato de sódio (2%) e poliacrilato de amônia (1%), todos em massa, foram adicionados ao pó de α -TCP sintetizado. As amostras foram moldadas e avaliadas quanto à densidade, porosidade, teste ―in vitro‖ (Simulated Body Fluid), fases cristalinas e propriedades mecânicas. Os resultados mostram o aumento das propriedades mecânicas do cimento, quando adicionado destes polímeros. A reticulação dos hidrogéis de PVA com ácido cítrico foi eficiente.O hidrogel de PVA, o hidrogel de alginato de sódio e o poliacrilato de amônia agiram como redutor de líquido. / The calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) have great interest for use in orthopedics and dentistry as replacements for damaged parts of the skeletal system, showing good biocompatibility and osseointegration, allowing its use as a bone graft. The characteristics that determine CPCs attractive biomaterials for bone remodeling or rebuilding, is ease of handling and molding, without having to shape prior to implantation, adapting itself fully to the shape of the bone cavity. Several studies in literature have shown that the addition of polymeric additives has a strong influence on the mechanical properties of cement. The low mechanical strength is the main impediment to a broader use of calcium phosphate bone cement as implant material. The aim of this work was evaluate the strength of a CPC based on α-tricalcium phosphate, with polymeric additions. CPC was synthesized and PVA (poli (vinyl alcohol)) (10%, 8%, 6%), sodium alginate hydrogel (2%) and ammonium polyacrylate (1%), all by weight, were added to the powder. Specimens were molded and evaluated for density, porosity, in vitro test (Simulated Body Fluid), crystalline phases and mechanical properties. The results show the increase of the mechanical properties of cement when added of polymeric additives. The crosslinking of PVA hydrogels with citric acid was effective. The PVA hydrogel, the hydrogel sodium alginate and ammonium polyacrylate acted as a reducing liquid.

La photopolymérisation est une technologie qui gagne de plus en plus d’importance de par ses nombreuses applications et ses énormes avantages par rapport à la polymérisation thermique tels que le respect de l’environnement, des coûts économiques maitrisés car la technologie est mise en œuvre à température ambiante et ne requiert qu’une faible consommation d'énergie. De plus, elle n'utilise pas ou très peu de solvants, d'où la réduction d’émission de produits polluants. Le processus de polymérisation photochimique présente également l’avantage d’être très rapide : en effet les réactions de photopolymérisation sont souvent rapides voire même quasi instantanées. De plus le procédé de polymérisation devient photolatent : la polymérisation impliquant les formulations actives seulement en présence de lumière, la réaction peut être déclenchée « quasi à la demande ». Ce processus chimique nécessite des composants nommés « photoamorceurs », lesquels absorbent la lumière et produisent le démarrage de la réaction de polymérisation. En particulier, le développement de systèmes photoamorceurs capables d’absorber de la lumière visible a un intérêt croissant pour différentes applications industrielles, notamment l’holographie. Dans la cadre de cette thèse, des diverses systèmes photoamorceurs contenant un colorant et un ou deux co-amorceurs, qui après réaction avec les états excités des colorants génèrent les radicaux actifs, ont été étudiés, depuis leurs propriétés photophysiques fondamentales et moléculaires, jusqu’aux applications et performances pour la polymérisation des résines acrylates. Cette thèse est articulée autour de six chapitres. Dans le premier chapitre une introduction et une étude bibliographique des différents systèmes photoamorceurs développés ces dernières années sont présentées et comparés. Les chapitres deux et trois sont consacrés à l’étude des propriétés photochimiques et photophysiques réalisés sur des photoamorceurs absorbant de la lumière ultraviolette et visible respectivement. Les techniques utilisés dans ces chapitres incluent, mais ne sont pas limités à, la spectroscopie d’absorption UV-Vis stationnaire, la fluorescence, la photolyse éclaire (LFP), la fluorescence résolue en temps par comptage de photon unique (TC-SPC), la spectroscopie ultrarapide nanoseconde et femtoseconde, la spectroscopie de résonance paramagnétique électronique (EPR), entre autres. Le chapitre deux porte sur l’étude de la photophysique d’un colorant de type cyanine : l’astrazone Orange R (AO R). La photophysique de ce colorant n’est pas connue et une étude exhaustive a été menée avec des spectroscopies ultra rapides (femtoseconde) ainsi que par modélisation moléculaire. Malgré sa photophysique compliquée ce colorant, fonctionne comme un photoamorceur très efficace dans la région bleue du spectre électromagnétique. Les chapitres suivants forment une deuxième partie de la thèse dédiée à l’étude des mécanismes d’amorçage de photopolymérisation, dont le chapitre quatre aborde le cas d’irradiation le plus « traditionnel », qui est l’irradiation en mode continu (ou CW). Est ensuite abordé l’étude de la polymérisation sous irradiation pulsée ultra-courte : dans cette partie la source d’irradiation continue classique est remplacée par un laser Nd :Yag qui produit des impulsions lumineuses d’une durée de quelques 9-10 nanosecondes. Cette polymérisation avec laser pulsé ou PLP est très originale et sera étudiée par spectroscopie infrarouge à transformée de Fourier résolue en temps (RT-FTIR). Dans le chapitre trois, donc, on retrouve les études réalisés avec différents types de systèmes photoamorceurs visibles. Ainsi, les propriétés des colorants capables d’absorber de la lumière visible à différentes longueurs d’onde ont été étudiées dans des systèmes photoamorceurs à deux et trois composants. / Photopolymerization is a technology that is gaining more and more importance due to its numerous applications and its advantages compared to thermic polymerization. This chemical process requires compounds called photoinitiators, which absorb light and produce the initiation of the radical polymerization. The development of photoinitiating systems (PIS) which are able to absorb visible light have an increasing interest due to its industrial applications, such as holographic recording. During this thesis, many PIS were studied, from its photophysical properties to its application in acrylate polymerization. There are many different types of photoinitiators. The most classical ones are Type I PI, which are molecules that overcome homolytic cleavage from their excited state, generating initiating radicals immediately after photon absorption. Type II PI, in contrast, are composed by two molecules: one that absorbs the photon, and other that will react with the excited state of the first via electron transfer or hydrogen transfer, generating radicals that will be able to initiate polymerization. In last place, there are the most efficient Photocyclic Initiating Systems (PCIS) whose mechanism is more complicated and will be widely discussed within these pages. A state of the art of the PIS available up to date is made in the first chapter. Given the importance of the properties of the molecules involved in the photoinitiating process, the studies of the photophysical properties of a Photoinitiator, the Astrazone Orange (AO), are shown. It was found that this molecule suffers an isomerization process from its excited state, which then comes slowly back to the more stable conformer. This process being viscosity-dependent makes AO a suitable photoinitiator for polymerization with visible light in highly viscous media. The last three chapters of this thesis are devoted to the study of a novel technique called Pulsed Laser Polymerization (PLP). This technique consists in the irradiation of the samples with a short duration pulsed laser, which allows the separation of the initiation steps of the polymerization reaction from the steps of propagation and termination. A simple Type I PI was used as a model to study the properties of this technique of polymerization. The monomer conversion was registered by RT-FTIR and analyzed. To a better understanding of these results, a mathematical model was developed. Thanks to it, it was possible to collect valuable information about propagation and termination rate constants (kp and kt, respectively), the variation of viscosity with conversion and other aspects relatives to PLP mechanism. Furthermore, the efficiency of many visible light PIS was studied by PLP. Their performance was compared and studied and contrasted with the classical continuous irradiation mode (CW). The characteristics that a PIS must have in order to show efficient polymerization in PLP mode were found and discussed. Finally, the effect of formulation viscosity in PLP and CW was analyzed by diluting the sample with different amounts of DMSO. In PLP, it was seen that the highest conversion is found for the most concentrated samples, while the opposite effect is noticed in CW. This result is attributed to the different conditions given by the difference in irradiation methods.

Content: Polyacrylate as film-forming materials has been widely used in leather finishing, but its compactness significantly obstructs the hygienic property of upper leather. Therefore, considerable efforts have been made to endow polyacrylate with required properties. In this study, we demonstrated a facile and rapid sonochemical process to synthesis the flower-like ZnO nanostructures. The related morphology and structure of product were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Meanwhile, flower-like ZnO were introduced into the polyacrylate matrix by physical blending method, whose morphology, latex stability, water vapor permeability and water resistance were measured. The results showed that flower-like ZnO assembled by ellipsoid-like nanorods with the length of about 600 nm was successfully fabricated. The sizes of flower-like ZnO were 1.2 μm. According to SEM images, flower-like ZnO evenly dispersed were observed in composite matrix. Compared with pure polyacrylate, polyacrylate/flower-like ZnO composites exhibited the superior stability. Meanwhile, its water vapor permeability and water resistancewere increased by 52.91% and 53.13%, severally. The reason for this is that ZnO with rough structure can increase voids in polyacrylate film and thus improving hygienic property of polyacrylate film. Additionally, the hydrophilic groups on surface of ZnO can product the crosslinking with polyacrylate chains, which contributed to the enhancement of water resistance. Thus, a promising coating with hygienic property and water resistance for leather finishing agent was approved. Take-Away: 1. Polyacrylate/flower-like ZnO composites exhibited excellent hygienic property. 2. This composite coating achieves simultaneous enhancement in water vapor permeability and water resistance. 3. The morphology of ZnO can effect the properties of polyacrylate.

The aim of this work was to develop a solid knowledge on formulation effects controlling offset ink-paper coating adhesion and to identify key factors of the coating and printing process affecting it. Focus lay on comprehending the impact of pigment dispersant on ink-paper coating adhesion and ultimately on the print quality of offset prints. The work covers laboratory studies, a pilot coating trial designed to produce coated material with a span in surface chemistry and structure, and an industrial offset printing trial. The lab scale studies quantified ink-paper coating adhesion failure during ink setting with a developed laboratory procedure based on the Ink-Surface Interaction Tester (ISIT) and image analysis. Additional polyacrylate dispersant resulted in slower ink setting and reduced ink-paper coating adhesion, with a dependence on its state of salt neutralisation and cation exchange, mainly in the presence of moisture/liquid water. The industrial printing trial on pilot coated papers was designed to study how these laboratory findings affected full scale offset print quality. These trials confirmed the dispersant-sensitive effect on ink-paper coating adhesion, especially at high water feeds. Evaluation of prints from the printing trial resulted in two fundamentally different types of ink adhesion failure being identified. The first type being traditional ink refusal, and the second type being a novel mechanism referred to as ink-lift-off adhesion failure. Ink-lift-off adhesion failure occurs when ink is initially deposited on the paper but then lifted off in a subsequent print unit. In this work, ink adhesion failure by this ink-lift-off mechanism was observed to occur more often than failure due to ink refusal. Print quality evaluation of the industrial prints suggested that water induced mottle was caused by a combination of ink-surface adhesion failure, creating white spots on the print, together with variation in ink layer thickness due to emulsified ink. / <p>QC 20161019</p>

Magnetische Nanopartikel (MNP) wurden mit neuen Fettsäurederivaten modifiziert. Auf diese Art und Weise wurden wichtige biologische und organokatalytische Funktionen auf die Oberfläche von magnetischen Nanopartikeln aufgebracht. Das folgende Kapitel präsentiert eine Veränderung von mit Polydopamin (PDA) bedeckten magnetischen Nanopartikeln via CuAAC-Reaktion. Zum Beweis der Wirksamkeit dieser Methode wurden biologische Funktionen wie Biotin, Galaktose oder Dansyl an die magnetischen Nanopartikel über einen 1,2,3-Triazolring gebunden, ebenso Prolin als organokatalytische Einheit. Weiterhin wurde das unerwartete Verhalten von Polydopamin als Organokatalysator in Aldol- und Knoevenagel-Reaktionen gezeigt und untersucht. Für diese Reaktionen wurde ebenfalls das Recycling der mit PDA bedeckten Nanopartikel getestet. Desweiteren wurde gezeigt, daß PDA als reaktives Beschichtungsmaterial für oberflächeninitiierte Ringöffnungs-polymerisation von Lactid dienen kann. Somit kann Polymilchsäure (PLA) auf verschiedene Materialien, welche mit PDA beschichtet sind, aufgebracht werden – MNP, Kohlenstoff-beschichtete Eisennanopartikel, oder Aluminiumoxid. Das letzte Kapitel beschäftigt sich mit dem Einsatz von Polyacrylaten zur Funktionalisierung von MNP. Mit dieser Methode wurden Prolin-, Lysin- und Threoninderivate an die MNP gebunden. Die katalytische Aktivität dieser neuen Materialien wurde untersucht. / Magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) were modified with new fatty acid derivatives. In this way important biological and organocatalytic functions were introduced on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles. The following chapter is presenting a modification of polydopamine (PDA) coated magnetic nanoparticles via CuAAC reaction. As a proof of principle biological moieties like biotin, galactose, dansyl were bound to magnetic nanoparticles through a 1,2,3-triazole ring, as well as proline – an organocatalytic unit. Further unexpected behaviour of polydopamine as organocatalyst for aldol and Knoevenagel reaction was demonstrated. Recycling of MNP covered with PDA was tested for the aforementioned reactions. Furthermore, it has been proved that PDA may serve as reactive coating agent for surface initiated ring opening polymerization of lactide. As a result polylactic acid (PLA) can be introduced on different materials covered with PDA - MNP, carbon covered iron magnetic nanoparticles or aluminium oxide. The last chapter is describing the employment of polyacrylates for functionalization of MNP. Using this method proline, lysine and threonine derivatives are fixed to MNP. The catalytic activity of the newly prepared materials was investigated.

The thesis concerns polyelectrolyte gels in contact with oppositely charged proteins and surfactant micelles, and includes of four papers (I-IV). In paper I confocal Raman spectroscopy was introduced as a method to trace micelles and investigate the structure of gel-surfactant complexes, in phase separated gel spheres. In paper II, the binding of surfactants to microspheres (~50-100 µm) was investigated by means of a micromanipulator-assisted microscopy method. The two surfactants were found to display qualitative difference respect to degree of swelling, surfactant distribution in the gels, and the difference is discussed in terms of absence/presence of hydrophobic attraction to the polyelectrolyte gel network. Kinetics of volume change in gels were analyzed. Aggregation numbers of micelles in polystyrenesulfonate (PSS) solutions, obtained from fluorescence quenching measurements, are presented. In paper III, phase behaviour, protein assembly and diffusion, was studied in PSS gel microspheres. Interpretation of results was aided by measurements of osmotic swelling of individual gel networks, and by combining the results with studies of protein diffusion in macroscopic (cm-sized) gel spheres. Complexes formed were further analyzed with small angle x-ray spectroscopy. In paper IV phase behaviour of mixed ionic/nonionic surfactant micelles is investigated in cm-sized gel spheres. The coexistence of three phases, the formation of dense shells in the bulk of the gels and other phenomena are described for the first time, and the results are presented along with discussion on the charge-density of spherical micelles and of  network induced hysteresis effects in gels. The composition and microstructure of phases are investigated by confocal Raman spectroscopy and small-angle x-ray scattering respectively. The results are interpreted with aid of highly detailed theoretical model calculations.