CAREER: Controlling Molecular Assembly and Optical Properties of Organic Thin Films by Rational Design

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9876027Tam-ChangThe aim of this project is to further an understanding of the relationships between molecular structure, intermolecular interactions, molecular order, and the properties of solid-state organic materials by focusing on the structure-order-property relationships in systems to include amphiphilic perylenebis(dicarboximide)s in the lyotropic phase and in thin films. Optical properties such as transmittance, polarizing efficiency, dichroic ratio and fluorescence emission of thin films will be studied using techniques such as fluorescence spectroscopy and polarization microscopy. In addition, the highly tailored surfaces obtained by self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiolates on gold will be used as models of interfaces to study the dependence of molecular orientation and order on the interfacial properties of substrates. Educational goals include providing students with research opportunities in organic materials, and implementing changes in the existing curriculum by revising the content of undergraduate courses to introduce solid state organic materials chemistry issues, offering a graduate Special Topics course in solid-state organic chemistry, mentoring graduate students (especially minorities and women), and collaborating with junior college faculty to implement materials chemistry topics into the general chemistry curriculum.%%%New classes of organic materials that are highly relevant to developing technologies are rapidly emerging. These include fullerenes and nanotubes, organic superconductors, photoconducting materials, liquid crystals and organic light emitting diode materials. Training students through a well integrated teaching and research program prepares them to compete effectively in an important job market by teaching them to play a leading role in the development and application of solid state organic materials.***