NSF-CGP Fellowship: Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Swollen Polymer Networks

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9600333 Schlick This award supports the collaboration between Shulamith Schlick of the Department of Chemistry, University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) and Isao Ando of the Department of Polymer Chemistry, Tokyo Institute of Technology (TIT). Project funding will allow Dr. Schlick to spend four months in residence at TIT, in order to study swollen polymer networks by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, and to assess the effect of network structure on gel heterogeneities and response to meahanical and electric stimuli. Dr. Ando and co-workers at TIT have solved the difficulties inherent in MRI of solid state-like samples, by imaging the highly mobile solvent (especially water) molecules present in swollen polymer networks. The images obtained from the solvent molecules can then be interpreted in terms of network properties. Dr. Schlick has developed electron spin resonance imaging in two dimensions (2D ESRI), for imaging of polymeric materials and polymer-supported catalytic systems. This method has been used recently to measure the translational diffusion of small and polymeric tracers in hydrogels that have excellent biological tolerance and good mechanical properties, and that are especially useful for the production of contact lenses. This proposal will therefore combine the expertise of scientists in two countries, Japan and US, in the field of non- destructive evaluation of materials by magnetic resonance imaging techniques. The familiarity of the US scientist with polymeric systems and ESRI, together with the expertise of the Japanese group in polymer physics and MRI, are considered key elements for the success of the collaborative research plan. ***