Adv Polym Sci DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_230 © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013 Structure Formation of Polymeric Building Blocks: Complex Polymer Architectures Kurt Binder, Hans-Ju ¨rgen Butt, George Floudas, Holger Frey, Hsiao-Ping Hsu, Katharina Landfester, Ute Kolb, Angelika Ku ¨ hnle, Michael Maskos, Klaus Mu ¨ llen, Wolfgang Paul, Manfred Schmidt, Hans Wolfgang Spiess, and Peter Virnau Abstract This chapter describes macromolecules with a complex structure, their defined aggregation in solution, their adsorption to surfaces, and their possible aggre- gation on surfaces. The term “complex structure” implies that the macromolecules show different, distinct structural elements or building blocks on a supra-atomic length scale. Key to understanding the complex structure of macromolecules, their aggrega- tion, and adsorption to surfaces are intra- and intermolecular interactions such as van der Waals, electrostatic, π–π interactions, and hydrogen bonds. Keywords Biopolymers  Conformation  Copolymers  Cylindrical brush  Dendrimer  Liquid crystal  NMR spectroscopy  Organic electronics  Polyelec- trolyte  Polymer  Self-assembly K. Binder, H.-P. Hsu, and P. Virnau Institute of Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55099, Germany H.-J. Butt (*), K. Landfester, K. Mu ¨llen, and H.W. Spiess Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz 55128, Germany e-mail: butt@mpip-mainz.mpg.de G. Floudas Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece H. Frey Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55099, Germany U. Kolb, A. Ku ¨hnle, and M. Schmidt Institute for Physical Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55099, Germany M. Maskos Institute for Physical Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55099, Germany Institut fu ¨r Mikrotechnik Mainz IMM, Carl-Zeiss-Strasse 18-20, Mainz 55129, Germany W. Paul Institute for Physics, Martin Luther Universita ¨t, Halle 06120, Germany