Theory of Reacting Polymer Systems

9816374O‘Shaughnessys将对自由基聚合反应动力学和聚合物界面化学吸附进行理论研究。这一更新建议的目的有两个：将早期关于自由基聚合的稳态模型的工作扩展到非稳态动力学，以及研究多官能团链从稀溶液和熔体到功能化固体表面的化学吸附。自由基聚合的反应动力学是由自由基形成和终止过程之间的竞争驱动的，而自由基终止过程又由产物高聚物链的静力学和动力学驱动。拟议的研究将与哥伦比亚大学由NSF化学部支持的跨学科实验自由基聚合相协调，并与纽约州立大学石溪分校MRSEC进行的聚合物化学吸附计划相协调。%反应聚合物系统具有非常重要的技术意义，对化学、微电子、汽车和航空航天工业中的许多聚合物合成和加工应用至关重要。它们在生物学中也扮演着重要的角色，因为生物体中的许多化学过程都涉及将活性物种结合到复杂的大分子中。这项研究的目的是提高我们对自由基聚合和界面化学吸附两个领域中聚合物反应动力学的理解和预测能力。这种对化学反应速率的更好的理解应该会增强我们通过改进的合成和加工技术来定制聚合物性能的能力。

9816374O'ShaughnessyTheoretical research will be conducted on the reaction dynamics of free radical polymerization and chemisorption at polymer interfaces. The object of this renewal proposal is twofold: extend earlier work on steady-state models of free-radical polymerization to non-steady state dynamics, and study chemisorption of multifunctionalized polymer chains onto functionalized solid surfaces from dilute solutions and from melts. The reaction dynamics of free radical polymerization is driven by the competition between radical formation and radical termination processes, which are in turn driven by the statics and dynamics of the product polymer chains. The proposed research will be coordinated with an interdisciplinary experimental free-radical polymerization at Columbia supported by the NSF Chemistry Division, and with a program in polymer chemisorption conducted at the SUNY Stony Brook MRSEC.%%%Reacting polymer systems are of great technological importance, being central to many applications of polymer synthesis and processing in the chemical, microelectronics, automotive, and aerospace industries. They also play a major role in biology, because many chemical processes in living organisms involve reactive species incorporated into complex macromolecules. The object of this research is to advance our understanding and ability to predict the reaction kinetics of polymers in the two areas of free-radical polymerization and interfacial chemisorption. This improved understanding of chemical reaction rates should enhance our ability to tailor polymer properties by improved synthesis and processing techniques.***