Bottlebrush Polymers Integrating Rigid Backbones, Biocompatible Side Chains, and Crystallizable Grafts for Next-Generation Biomedical Applic

The proposed research focuses on the systematic investigation of bottlebrush copolymers with norbornene backbones and polyethylene glycol (PEG) side chains, some of which are extended by poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) blocks. The molecular weight of the PEG side chains will be kept constant, while the number of lactide repeat units grafted to PEG will be systematically varied across eight bottlebrush architectures. This design introduces precise variations in both molecular weight and grafting density, enabling unprecedented insight into how side-chain composition and density affect crystallization, solvent swelling, and morphological behavior. Bottlebrush copolymers represent an emerging class of soft materials with exceptional structural tunability compared to traditional linear or star-shaped polymers. To date, little is known about how PEG–PLLA bottlebrushes organize in bulk and thin films under variable thermal and solvent conditions, rendering this research highly innovative.