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

这一建议的重点是由分子和介观自组装形成的新型微观结构，具有高度有序，定义良好的对称性，以及强各向异性的光学和介电性质。这些独特的属性，结合其通用的制造和加工，强大的热稳定性和机械稳定性，以及对外部领域的响应性，将导致有趣的物理现象和令人兴奋的新应用。EM工业公司和肯特州立大学的NSF ALCOM中心正在制造各种反应性介生化合物，以创建和研究具有潜在高科技兴趣的新型电学、光学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综合教育和研究计划。该教育计划将通过互动实践模块、本科实验室和课程开发以及本科生的研究机会，将目标对准K-12。对反应性介质的兴趣正在扩大，因为它们在新兴的液晶技术中的重要作用，以及丰富的物理现象，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观结构，包括固体棒和球体、空心管、“纱线球”和环形，具有很高的技术价值，可能对光学器件非常有用，并可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.***