U.S.-U.K. Cooperative Research: Small Molecule Interfacial Segregation in Multi-Phase Thin Film Polymer Blends

9975486组成这个为期三年的奖项支持宾夕法尼亚大学的Russell Composto和英国谢菲尔德大学的Richard A.L.Jones在聚合物科学方面的美英合作研究。研究人员将在分子水平和多相体系中研究聚合物界面现象背后的热力学和动力学原理。低能正反冲光谱和中子反射率的互补技术将被用来测量小分子的界面过剩，以及小分子组成、链长和极性对界面性质的影响。聚合物界面在食品包装、防护涂层、粘合剂和生物兼容性等重要技术领域发挥着关键作用。这项研究将对优化多相薄膜聚合物共混物的表面、界面和本体性质有所帮助。这位美国研究人员将低能量正反冲光谱方面的专业知识带到了这次合作中。这一点得到了英国在中子反射率方面的专业知识的补充。该项目利用了目前在英国(卢瑟福-阿普尔顿实验室)和法国格勒诺布尔可获得的独特的实时中子源。

9975486CompostoThis three-year award supports US-UK collaborative research in polymer science between Russell Composto of the University of Pennsylvania and Richard A.L. Jones of the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom. The investigators will study the thermodynamic and kinetic principles underlying polymer interfacial phenomena at the molecular level and in multi-phase systems. Complementary techniques of low-energy forward recoil spectrometry and neutron reflectivity will be used to measure interfacial excess of small molecules, and the effect of small molecule composition, chain length and polarity on interfacial properties. Polymer interfaces play a critical role in technologically important areas including food packaging, protective coatings, adhesives, and biocompatibility. The proposed research will advance understanding for optimizing the surface, interface and bulk properties of multi-phase thin film polymer blends. The US investigator brings to this collaboration expertise in low-energy forward recoil spectrometry. This is complemented by British expertise in neutron reflectivity. The project takes advantage of unique, real time, neutron sources currently availability in the United Kingdom (Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory) and in Grenoble, France.