Eva Malmström

Bio: Eva Malmström is an academic researcher from Royal Institute of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Polymerization & Polymer. The author has an hindex of 59, co-authored 239 publications receiving 11855 citations. Previous affiliations of Eva Malmström include University of Massachusetts Amherst & IBM.

Controlled Synthesis of Polymer Brushes by “Living” Free Radical Polymerization Techniques

Abstract: The preparation of a wide variety of unique polymer brush structures can be accomplished by “living” free radical polymerization of vinyl monomers from surface-tethered alkoxyamines or from tethered α-halo esters in the presence of (PPh3)2NiBr2. The use of a “living” free radical process permits the molecular weight and polydispersity of the covalently attached polymer chains to be accurately controlled while also allowing the formation of block copolymers by the sequential growth of monomers from the surface. These block and random copolymer brushes have been used to control surface properties.

Hyperbranched aliphatic polyesters

Abstract: Hyperbranched, aliphatic polyesters of theoretically calculated molar masses 1200-44 300 were synthesized in the molten state from 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid (repeating unit of AB(x) type ...

Atom transfer radical polymerization from cellulose fibers at ambient temperature.

Abstract: Cellulose fibers have been successfully grafted with poly(methyl acrylate) using atom transfer radical polymerization, mediated by Me6-TREN and Cu(I)Br at ambient temperature The initially hydroph

Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition.

Abstract: The Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of organic azides and alkynes has gained considerable attention in recent years due to the introduction in 2001 of Cu(1) catalysis by Tornoe and Meldal, leading to a major improvement in both rate and regioselectivity of the reaction, as realized independently by the Meldal and the Sharpless laboratories. The great success of the Cu(1) catalyzed reaction is rooted in the fact that it is a virtually quantitative, very robust, insensitive, general, and orthogonal ligation reaction, suitable for even biomolecular ligation and in vivo tagging or as a polymerization reaction for synthesis of long linear polymers. The triazole formed is essentially chemically inert to reactive conditions, e.g. oxidation, reduction, and hydrolysis, and has an intermediate polarity with a dipolar moment of ∼5 D. The basis for the unique properties and rate enhancement for triazole formation under Cu(1) catalysis should be found in the high ∆G of the reaction in combination with the low character of polarity of the dipole of the noncatalyzed thermal reaction, which leads to a considerable activation barrier. In order to understand the reaction in detail, it therefore seems important to spend a moment to consider the structural and mechanistic aspects of the catalysis. The reaction is quite insensitive to reaction conditions as long as Cu(1) is present and may be performed in an aqueous or organic environment both in solution and on solid support.

Nanocelluloses: A New Family of Nature-Based Materials

Abstract: Cellulose fibrils with widths in the nanometer range are nature-based materials with unique and potentially useful features. Most importantly, these novel nanocelluloses open up the strongly expanding fields of sustainable materials and nanocomposites, as well as medical and life-science devices, to the natural polymer cellulose. The nanodimensions of the structural elements result in a high surface area and hence the powerful interaction of these celluloses with surrounding species, such as water, organic and polymeric compounds, nanoparticles, and living cells. This Review assembles the current knowledge on the isolation of microfibrillated cellulose from wood and its application in nanocomposites; the preparation of nanocrystalline cellulose and its use as a reinforcing agent; and the biofabrication of bacterial nanocellulose, as well as its evaluation as a biomaterial for medical implants.

Thiol–Ene Click Chemistry

Abstract: Following Sharpless' visionary characterization of several idealized reactions as click reactions, the materials science and synthetic chemistry communities have pursued numerous routes toward the identification and implementation of these click reactions. Herein, we review the radical-mediated thiol-ene reaction as one such click reaction. This reaction has all the desirable features of a click reaction, being highly efficient, simple to execute with no side products and proceeding rapidly to high yield. Further, the thiol-ene reaction is most frequently photoinitiated, particularly for photopolymerizations resulting in highly uniform polymer networks, promoting unique capabilities related to spatial and temporal control of the click reaction. The reaction mechanism and its implementation in various synthetic methodologies, biofunctionalization, surface and polymer modification, and polymerization are all reviewed.