Prof. Richard Spontak, from North Carolina State University, was our guest in February 2016. He told us about his research on fundamental aspects and promising attributes of midblock-sulfonated block ionomers. Here is Richard Spontak together with prof. Magnus Norgren at FSCN.

Prof. Richard Spontak is working at the Departments of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering at NC State University. He gave us an interesting guest seminar about his research.

Block copolymers continue to capture the attention of the academic and industrial worlds due largely to their fascinating ability to spontaneously self-assemble into a wide variety of "soft" nanostructures that are ideally suited for a broad range of diverse nanotechnologies. The development of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), such as triblock copolymers with glassy endblocks and a rubbery midblock, also endows these materials with elastic network-forming characteristics, and selective solvation of the rubbery midblock results in thermoplastic elastomer gels (TPEGs) with remarkable mechanical properties for dielectric elastomers, shape-memory systems, and flextronics.