Title : One is enough: Influencing Polymer Properties with a Single Chromophoric Unit

Speaker : Prof. Patrick Theato (WCU C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological, Engineering, SNU)

Date and Time : December 8 (Thu) 3:30 pm.

Place: Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, D-122

Abstract
Designing a polymer usually involves the incorporation of multiple functional units into a polymer chain, which mutually determine the polymer properties. By combining various functional units, a myriad of polymer properties can be fine-tuned. Classical polymer chemistry teaches us that a single functional group -- in particular the end-group of a polymer chain -- does not contribute to the polymer properties, as is indeed true in most cases. However, nature tells us a different story. The photoisomerization of a single retinal molecule inside a large polymeric complex called rhodopsin is the mechanism for the highly sensitive ocular system found in vertebrate photoreceptors. Recently, the idea of stimulating a single chromophore on a polymer chain and amplifying its effect through the polymer chain has motivated the evolution of new exciting research areas in polymer science. To attain such high synthetic precision, it is crucial to choose not only an appropriate chromophoric unit that shows reversible or irreversible changes, but also synthetic routes that enable the attachment of a single dye to one polymer chain. Different synthetic examples will be discussed.

- References
1) P. Theato, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 50, 5804？5806 (2011).
2) F.D. Jochum, L. zur Borg, P.J. Roth, P Theato, Macromolecules, 42, 7854？7862 (2009).
3) H. Zhao, W. Gu, E. Sterner, T.P. Russell, E.B. Coughlin, P. Theato, Macromolecules 44, 6433？6440 (2011).

Biography
Patrick Theato studied chemistry at the University of Mainz and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and obtained his Ph.D. degree under the supervision of Prof. R. Zentel at the University of Mainz in 2001. Shortly after, he was awarded a Feodor Lynen Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from the Humboldt Foundation and joined the group of Prof. D.Y. Yoon at Seoul National University (Korea), where he worked as a postdoctoral fellow, followed by a short research stay at Stanford University with Prof C.W. Frank. In 2003, he joined the University of Mainz as a young faculty and completed his Habilitation in 2007. From 2009 to 2011 he held a joint appointment with the School of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Seoul National University within the WCU program. In 2011 he accepted a prize senior lectureship at the University of Sheffield, UK. Shortly after he moved to University of Hamburg, Germany, where he is currently an associate professor for polymer chemistry. His current research interests include the defined synthesis of reactive polymers, design of multi stimuli-responsive polymers, versatile functionalization of interfaces, hybrid polymers, polymers for electronics, templating of polymers, and light responsive polymers.

Contact: Prof. Jan Lagerwall (031-888-9165, janlagerwall@snu.ac.kr)