PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF NETWORK POLYMER COMPOSITIONS

摘要

A method of forming a polymeric composition comprising the steps of: contactinga monomeric mixture with a gelator to form a mixture; allowing the gelatorto self-assemble within the monomeric mixture to realise the gelating properties of the gelator; and initiating polymerisationof the mixture to form a polymeric composition having a network of gelators embedded therein; wherein the gelatorcomprises gelator components comprising two head groups linked by a spacer molecule, wherein the head groups compromise a multiplicity of hydrogen-bondable species to provide a multiplicity of hydrogen bonding interactions, and/or the head groups are selected so as to provide stabilising interactions such as pi-stacking. A polymeric composition comprising a network of gelator embedded therein is also provided.