Polymer hybrid materials

Polymer structure-property relationship, polymer hybrid materials, polymer nanocomposites and nanofibers

 

Research Fields

Polymer science, solid-state morphology of complex polymers, polymer nanocomposites and polymer nanofibers

Research Highlights

  • Porous carbon nanofibers by electrospinning novel amphiphilic copolymers
  • Reversible, physically crosslinked thermoresponsive nanofiber hydrogels and films
  • Carbon nanocomposite nanofibers

Research Summary

Research in the Mallon group can be broadly characterised as investigations of the structure property-relationship in complex polymer materials including semi-crystalline polymers, multiphase copolymers, nano-structured polymers and nano-filled polymer composites. We are interested in the synthesis and development of these materials as well as in the application of advanced analytical approaches and techniques to characterise these materials. A recent focus has been on the synthesis of new amphiphilic copolymers that when processed into the nanofiber form, produce novel materials with designed, interesting and exploitable properties.

 

Applications of Research

  • Water treatment and the abatement of organic pollutants
  • Drug carrier systems
  • SMART polymer systems and sensing

Peter Mallon

Professor of Polymer Science
pemallon[at]sun.ac.za
+27 21 808 2971