This thesis describes the synthesis, characterization, and application of new functional polymers intended to overcome current limitations in the area of thermoplastics, interfacial materials, and assemblies, as well as the development of polymers for preventing bacterial growth. This work was accomplished by considering the fundamentals of interfacial interactions, antifouling coatings, and the importance of chemical functionality in interfacial aggregation and segregation. The work presented in this thesis focused particularly on strategies to advance functional polymer materials using ring-opening polymerization, controlled free-radical polymerization, and ring-opening metathesis polymerization, as well as the use of functional polymer zwitterions at fluid-fluid interfaces.