SGER: Surface Roughness at the Nanomolecular Level

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ABSTRACTCTS-990992A. Ulman Polytechnic U.Model surfaces with molecularly controlled random roughness will be investigated, all based on the self-assembly of rigid thiols on gold surfaces with large atomically flat areas. The wetting properties of these molecularly rough surfaces will be studied using simple polymeric liquids; the adsorption of liquid crystalline molecules and of polymers to these surfaces will also be investigated.The research is aimed at answering the following questions: (1) Can model surfaces be prepared wit molecularly designed roughness using self-assembly of rigid thiols of different molecular lengths? (2) Does critical molecular roughness exists, beyond which the wetting by simple and polymeric liquids is affected? (3) How does the wetting of rough surfaces by a polymeric liquid depend on molecular weight? (4) What is the relation between surface tension and surface roughness and how do they affect wetting? (5) How does adsorption depend on molecular roughness? (6) Can enthalpy be used as the driving force for engineering polymer surfaces using interactions with molecularly roughness surfaces?A foundation will be established to start answering these questions in this one-year exploratory research program.