This paper briefly reports the research work conducted in our laboratory in
recent years on preparation of novel polymer materials through intermacrom
olecular complexation. A new polymer solid electrolyte poly (methyl methacr
ylate-methacrylic acid) [P(MMAMAA)]/poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO)/A(2)-LiClO4
was developed by employing both intermacromolecular complexation through h
ydrogen bonding and plasticization, which has enhanced ambient ionic conduc
tivity up to 8.31x10(-5) S cm(-1) and fairly good mechanical and film-formi
ng properties, and has potential application in solid state batteries, elec
trical displaying devices. A new polymer microcomposite poly (acrylonitrile
-acrylamide-acrylic acid) [P(AN-AM-AA)]/poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) reinforc
ed by the twin molecular chain microfibrils formed through intermacromolecu
lar complexation of P(AN-AM-AA) with PVA through hydrogen bonding was devel
oped, which exhibits much better mechanical properties than its constituent
s and could be used to manufacture PVA based complexed fibers with higher m
odulus and better dyeability. Also, a new polymer flooding agent poly (acry
lamide-acrylic acid) [P(AM-AA)]/poly (acrylamide-dimethyldiallylammonium ch
loride) [P(AM-DMDAAC)] was developed by employing intermacromolecular compl
exation of the oppositely charged polyions through Coulomb forces, which sh
ows much higher viscosity and better resistance to temperature, shear rate
and salt than its constituents, and has potential application in enhanced o
il recovery. All these encouraging results demonstrate that as a supramolec
ular strategy, intermacromolecular complexation really offers a new route t
o tailor the specific architecture of polymers using macromolecules with co
mplementary structure as building block and to develop novel polymer materi
als with high performance. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserv
ed.