U.S.-Chile Cooperative Research: Ellipsometric Studies of Alkane Selective Adsorption

这个美洲项目奖将支持哥伦比亚密苏里大学Haskell Taub博士和智利圣地亚哥天主教大学Ulrich Volkmann博士之间的合作研究项目，以进行烷选择性吸附的椭偏研究。聚合物科学中的一个基本问题是关于聚合物如何从多组分流体混合物中吸附到固体表面上。本研究的目的是利用模型系统来阐明一种分子在固体界面上优先从溶液中吸附的选择性吸附机制。最近的扫描隧道显微镜（STM）研究揭示了石墨基面上长烷烃单层的晶体结构以及分子堆积的定性特征。然而，他们还没有回答与它们的选择性吸附有关的基本结构和动力学问题。拟议的研究将解决这些问题。对这种选择性吸附的微观理解将极大地影响与涂层、粘附和润滑相关的技术。两位研究人员之间的合作将提供一个独特的机会，将互补的实验技术应用于研究。Volkmann教授是世界上使用椭偏技术研究物理吸附膜结构和生长的专家之一，而Taub博士则带来了他在中子散射技术应用方面的专业知识。＊＊＊

9605227 Tau` This Americas Program award will support a collaborative research project between Dr. Haskell Taub, University of Missouri, Columbia, and Dr. Ulrich Volkmann, Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Santiago, Chile, to conduct ellipsometric studies of alkane selective adsorption. A fundamental problem in polymer science concerns how a polymer species adsorbs from a multicomponent fluid mixture onto a solid surface. The goal of the research is to use model systems to elucidate the mechanism of selective adsorption in which one molecular species preferentially adsorbs from solution at a solid interface. Recent scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies have revealed crystalline structures for long-alkane monolayers on the graphite basal-plane surface as well as qualitative features of the molecular packing. They have not, however, answered basic structural and dynamical questions related to their selective adsorption. The proposed research will address these questions. A microscopic understanding of this selective adsorption could impact greatly on technologies related to coatings, adhesion, and lubrication. The collaboration between the two researchers will provide a unique opportunity to apply complementary experimental techniques to the studies. Professor Volkmann is one of the world's experts in the use of ellipsometric techniques to investigate the structure and growth of physisorbed films, while Dr. Taub brings his expertise in the application of neutron scattering techniques. ***