Phase Equilibria and Thermodynamic Properties of Biological Polymers.

The research activities aim towards developing methods for predicting a range of thermodynamic properties based on fundamental chemistry. Earlier experience has shown that in the molecular structure there is a key to many properties, and that information about larger molecules can often be retrieved from studies of smaller systems.
1. Thermodynamic properties of carbohydres using QSPR (Quantitative Structure Property Relationships). In QSPR modelling the physical or thermodynamic property of interest is correlated to a series of structural properties. Presently the project is concerned with small organic substances which contain similar functional groups as saccharides, like alkanes, alcohols and polyols.
2. Measurements and modelling of phase equilibria of oligo- and polysaccharides in aqueous solution. Molecular interactions will be studied with experiments and molecular modelling in order to gain a better understanding of how these substances behave in an aqueous environment.