Strategies exploiting functions and self-assembly properties of bioconjugates for polymer and materials sciences

Controlling interactions in synthetic polymers as precisely as in proteins would have a strong impact on polymer science. Advanced structural and functional control can lead to rational design of integrated nano- and microstructures. To achieve this, properties of monomer sequence-defined peptides were exploited. Through their incorporation as monodisperse segments into synthetic polymers we learned in recent years how to program the structure formation of polymers, to adjust and exploit interactions in such polymers, to control inorganic-organic interfaces in fiber composites and induce structure in biomacromolecules like DNA for biomedical applications. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.