Efficient removal of particles from topologically-complex surfaces is of significant import for a range of applications (e.g., explosive residue removal in security arenas). Here, we synthesize next-generation polymeric particle removal swabs with tuned structural features to elucidate the influence of the polymer microstructure on the removal of trace particles from surfaces. Specifically, microstructured free-standing films of the conducting polymer polypyrrole (PPy) were synthesized through template-assisted electropolymerization techniques. The removal of polystyrene microspheres from representative aluminum surfaces of varying roughness was evaluated as a function of the PPy microstructure. PPy-based microstructured swabs displayed increased particle trapping properties relative to non-textured PPy-based swabs and current commercial swabs. This increased effectiveness occurred from the more intimate particle-swab contact, leading to increased van der Waals interactions for the microstructured swabs. Therefore, this effort provides critical design rules for the production of microstructured conducting polymer materials for their application toward advanced particle removal technologies. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016, 54, 1968–1974

Tailor-made polymers containing specific chemical functionalities have ushered in a number of emerging fields in polymer science. In most of these next-generation applications the focus of the community has centered upon closed-shell macromolecules. Conversely, macromolecules containing stable radical sites have been less studied despite the promise of this evolving class of polymers. In particular, radical-containing macromolecules have shown great potential in magnetic, energy storage, and biomedical applications. Here, the progress regarding the syntheses of open-shell containing polymers are reviewed in two distinct subclasses. In the first, the syntheses of radical polymers (i.e., materials composed of non-conjugated macromolecular backbones and with open-shell units present on the polymer pendant sites) are described. In the second, polyradical (i.e., macromolecules containing stabilized radical sites either within the macromolecular backbone or those containing radical sites that are stabilized through a large degree of conjugation) synthetic schemes are presented. Thus, the state-of-the-art in open-shell macromolecular syntheses will be reported and future means by which to advance the current archetype will be discussed. By detailing the synthetic pathways possible for, and the inherent synthetic limitations of, the creation of these functional polymers, the community will be able to extend the bounds of the radical-containing macromolecular paradigm. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 1875–1894

Nanoporous membranes based on self-assembled block polymer precursors are an emerging class of promising separation, purification, and sensing devices due to the ability of researchers to control the nanostructure and chemistry of these multifunctional materials and devices. In fact, modern polymer chemistry provides techniques for the facile, controlled synthesis of the block polymers that constitute these devices. These designer macromolecules, in turn, can then self-assemble into functional nanostructures depending upon the chemical identity of the synthesized block polymers and the thin film fabrication methods employed. After fabrication, these nanoporous membranes offer a highly tunable platform for applications that require high throughput, high surface area, homogeneous pore size, and varying material properties. And, with these readily tunable chemical and structural properties, block polymer membranes will allow for significant improvements in myriad applications. In this Review, we summarize the key advances, with a specific emphasis on the previous 5 years of work, that have allowed block polymer-based membranes to reach their current level of technology. Furthermore, we project how these state-of-art, self-assembled block polymer membrane technologies can be utilized in present-day and future application arenas. In this way, we aim to demonstrate that the rigorous work performed on block polymer-based membranes has laid a strong foundation that will allow these macromolecular systems to: (1) be major avenues of fundamental scientific research and (2) be parlayed into transferable technologies for the betterment of society in the imminent future. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41683.

Developing stable, readily-synthesized, and solution-processable transparent conducting polymers for interfacial modifying layers in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices has become of great importance. Here, the radical polymer, poly(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy methacrylate (PTMA), is shown to not affect the absorption of the well-studied poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) active layer when incorporated into inverted OPV devices, as it is highly transparent in the visible spectrum due to the non-conjugated nature of the PTMA backbone. The inclusion of this radical polymer as an anode-modifying layer enhanced the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current density values over devices that did not contain an anodic modifier. Importantly, devices fabricated with the PTMA interlayer had performance metrics that were time-independent over the entire course of multiples days of testing after exposing the OPV devices to ambient conditions. Furthermore, these high performance values were independent of the metal used as the top electrode contact in the inverted OPV devices. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015, 53, 311–316