Ultra-soft PDMS-based magnetoactive elastomers as dynamic cell culture substrata.

Mechanical cues such as extracellular matrix stiffness and movement have a major impact on cell differentiation and function. To replicate these biological features in vitro, soft substrata with tunable elasticity and the possibility for controlled surface translocation are desirable. Here we report on the use of ultra-soft (Young's modulus <100 kPa) PDMS-based magnetoactive elastomers (MAE) as suitable cell culture substrata.

Conjugated polymers containing diketopyrrolopyrrole units in the main chain.

Research activities in the field of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based polymers are reviewed. Synthetic pathways to monomers and polymers, and the characteristic properties of the polymers are described. Potential applications in the field of organic electronic materials such as light emitting diodes, organic solar cells and organic field effect transistors are discussed.

Supramolecular sequential assembly of polymer thin films based on dimeric, dendrimeric, and polymeric Schiff-base ligands and metal ions.

New metal-Schiff-base coordination polymer films were prepared using multiple sequential adsorption of metal ions and salen-based ligand molecules. As the ligands, bis-bidentate 5,5'-methylene-bis(N-methylsalicylidenamine) (MBSA), tetra-bidentate N,N',N' ',N' ''-tetrasalicylidene-polyamidoamine (TSPA), and multi-bidentate poly(N-salicylidenevinylamine) (PSVA) were used. The metal ions were Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), and Ce(IV).