Development of Novel Properties in Block Copolymer Systems

该提案描述了一项旨在开发用于技术应用的新型大分子材料的研究计划。第一个领域是传统的：形态学和力学性能；第二种是全新的：嵌段共聚物光子带隙（PBG）材料。这两个领域都主要依赖于利用组合物、分子结构和精心加工将嵌段共聚物组织成有序的微畴形态的能力。定制自组装成新的微域结构，如ABA三块中的双陀螺三连续结构，是理解玻璃连续（聚苯乙烯端块）和橡胶连续（聚异戊二烯中间块）系统的微域结构如何随着变形的增加而演变并在释放施加的载荷后基本恢复的示例。对ABC三聚体的持续探索，包括线性和密臂星，无疑将揭示更多新的微畴结构。目的是全面了解周期性微畴的组成，成分数量和链结构如何控制材料间划分表面的合成结构。在第二个领域，将探索一个新的领域，通过将嵌段共聚物材料及其有趣的拓扑连接微域与高介电对比度纳米颗粒结合使用来创建新的光子带隙材料，这对嵌段共聚物材料及其有趣的拓扑连接微域具有潜在的巨大意义。PBG材料是一种具有巨大潜力的新型材料，可以彻底改变电学和所有光学应用。到目前为止，这个新领域已经率先使用微光刻技术来绘制周期性介电结构。通过将纳米颗粒隔离到适当高Mw嵌段共聚物的组分之一中，可以产生具有优异介电对比度和适当长度尺度的结构，以控制紫外线和可见光的流动。这两个项目是在聚合物基结构的技术应用领域。除了基础科学和新技术，研究生和本科生都将在这些令人兴奋的项目重点领域接受多学科培训。＊＊＊

9807591 Thomas This proposal describes a research program aimed at developing novel macromolecular materials for technological applications. The first area is traditional: morphology and mechanical properties; and the second is completely new: block copolymer photonic band gap (PBG) materials. Both areas depend critically on the ability to organize block copolymers into well ordered microdomain morphologies using composition, molecular architecture, and careful processing. Tailored self assembly into new microdomain structures such as the double gyroid tricontinuous structure in ABA triblocks is exemplary for understanding how the microdomain structure of a glassy continuous (polystyrene end blocks) and a rubber continuous (polyisoprene mid block) system evolves with increasing deformation and substantially recovers upon release of the applied load. The continued exploration of ABC terpolymers, both linear and miktoarm stars, will undoubtedly reveal additional new microdomain structures. The object is to gain an overall understanding of how composition, number of components and chain architecture govern the resultant structure of the intermaterial dividing surface of the periodic microdomains. In the second area, a new field will be explored, of potentially huge significance for block copolymer materials and their interesting topologically connected microdomains by using them in combination with high dielectric contrast nanoparticles to create novel photonic band gap materials. PBG materials are a new class of materials with enormous potential to revolutionize electroptical and all optical applications. Up to the present, this new field has been pioneered using microlithography to pattern periodic dielectric structures. By sequestering nanoparticles into one of the components of an appropriately high Mw block copolymer, structures with excellent dielectric contrast and appropriate length scale can b produced to control the flow of U.V. and visible li ght. %%% These two projects are in the areas of polymer-based structures for technological applications. In addition to the basic science and new technology, both graduate students and undergraduate students will be exposed to multidisciplinary training in these exciting project thrust areas. ***