CAREER: Investigations of Ordered Polymer Microstructures Formed by Molecular and Mesoscopic Self-Assembly

9875427 Crawford该提案的重点是通过分子和介观自组装形成的新型微结构，这些微结构具有高度的有序性、明确的对称性和强的各向异性光学和介电性质。 这些独特的属性，结合其多功能的制造和加工，强大的热和机械稳定性，以及对外部场的响应能力，将导致有趣的物理现象和令人兴奋的新应用。 EM Industries和肯特州立大学的NSF ALCOM中心正在提供各种反应性介晶化合物，以产生和研究具有潜在高技术兴趣的新型电、光和机械性能的微结构。 该项目的教育目标是在布朗大学建立一个良好的软凝聚态材料的教育和研究计划。 该教育计划将通过互动式实践模块、本科生实验室和课程开发以及为本科生提供研究机会，针对K-12拓展。反应性介晶的兴趣正在扩大，因为它们在新兴的液晶基技术中的重要作用和丰富的物理现象，使这些材料与其他应用领域高度相关。 例如，亚微米尺度上的各种有序微结构，包括实心棒和球体，中空管，“纱线球”和环形，具有很高的技术兴趣，并且可能对光学器件非常有用，并作为控制药物释放的新手段。

9875427CrawfordThis proposal focuses on novel microstructures formed by molecular and mesoscopic self-assembly that possess high degrees of order, well defined symmetry, and strong anisotropic optical and dielectric properties. These unique attributes, in conjunction with their versatile fabrication and processing, robust thermal and mechanical stability, and responsiveness to external fields, will result in interesting physical phenomena and exciting new applications. Various reactive mesogenic compounds are being made available by EM Industries and the NSF ALCOM Center at Kent State University to create and study microstructures exhibiting novel electrical, optical, and mechanical properties of potential high technological interest. The educational goal of this project is to establish a well integrated education and research program on soft condensed matter materials at Brown University. The educational program will target K-12 outreach through interactive hands-on modules, undergraduate laboratories and curriculum development, and research opportunities for undergraduates.%%%Interest in reactive mesogens is being expanded because of their important role in emerging liquid crystal based technologies and a richness in physical phenomena that makes these materials highly relevant to other applications areas. For example, diverse set of ordered microstructures on the submicrometer scale that includes solid rods and spheres, hollow tubes, 'yarn balls', and torroids are of high technological interest and may be extremely useful for optical devices and as a new means of controlled drug release.***