NSF-CGP Science Fellowship Program: Control of Solute Permeability Across Membranes Made of Di/Triblock Copolyelectrolytes.

该奖项将为俄亥俄州托莱多大学化学工程系Sasidhar Varanasi教授提供为期15个月的NSF-CGP（全球合作伙伴关系中心）科学奖学金项目资助。Varanasi教授将与日本筑波国家材料与化学研究所（NIMC）有机材料部的Norihiko Minoura博士进行为期三个月的合作研究项目。研究将集中在控制溶质通过二嵌段/三嵌段共聚物电解质制成的膜。这将通过制造膜来实现，通过改变浸在膜上的溶液的pH值和/或离子强度，可以以可预测的方式调节膜对大布朗溶质的渗透性。这种能力，反过来，应该允许人们使膜高度选择性地分离两种溶质，这两种溶质的大小差异只有很小的程度。为了实现这一目标，将对两种膜进行完善。首先，将聚电解质吸附在非选择性微孔膜的孔隙中。第二种是使用溶剂将ABA型三嵌段共肽浇铸成薄膜。将微相分离制备的膜的性能特征与通过接枝共聚物到微孔膜中的膜进行比较，以确定哪种方法可以获得具有“可调”渗透性能的可靠且坚固的膜。研究结果在药物的自我调节释放和几种生物化学物质的合成等许多重要领域具有实际应用潜力。国家材料与化学研究所是一个一流的机构，在高分子材料研究方面取得了相当大的进展。Minoura博士是膜科学领域的知名专家，特别是在合成聚电解质膜方面。这种专业化加上Va ranasi教授在该领域的专业知识应该会提供良好的合作，未来很可能会在非正式的基础上继续合作。

9311941 Varanasi This award will support a fifteen month grant under the NSF-CGP (Center for Global Partnership) Science Fellowship Program for Professor Sasidhar Varanasi, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toledo, Ohio. Professor Varanasi will undertake a three month cooperative research project with Dr. Norihiko Minoura, Department of Organic Materials, National Institute of Materials and Chemical Research (NIMC) in Tsukuba, Japan. The research will focus on the control of solute permeability across membranes made of di/triblock copolyelectrolytes. This will be accomplished by fabricating membranes, the permeability of which to large Brownian solutes can be tuned in a predictable manner, via changing the pH and/or ionic strength of the solutions bathing the membrane. This ability, in turn, should allow one to make the membrane highly selective in separating two solutes the sizes of which differ only to a small extent. Two kinds of membranes will be perfected to achieve the goal. First, will be polyelectrolytes absorbed in the pores of non-selective microporous membranes. The second would be ABA type triblock copolypeptides cast into a film using a solvent. The performance characteristics of membranes made by microphase separation will be compared to those made via grafting copolymers into microporous membranes to determine which of the methods leads to reliable and robust membranes with "tunable" permeation properties. Results of the research have potential for practical applications in a variety of important fields such as self-regulated release of pharmaceutics and the synthesis of several biochemicals. The National Institute of Materials and Chemical Research is a first- rate facility that has made considerable progress in polymeric materials research. Dr. Minoura is a well-known expert in membrane science in general and in synthetic polyelectrolyte membranes in particular. This specialization coupled with Professor Va ranasi's expertise in the area should provide an excellent collaboration that most likely would continue on an informal basis in the future.