U.S.-Japan Cooperative Science: Investigating Surface Initiated Polymerization of Amino Acid Derivatives by Ion Assisted Deposition: Polymer and Film Characterization

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9980398AdvinculaThis award supports a three year collaborative research project between Professor Rigoberto Advincula of the University of Alabama and Professor Hiroaki Usui of the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in Japan. The researchers will be investigating surface initiated polymerization of amino acid derivatives by ion assisted deposition: polymer and film characterization. Ion-Assisted deposition (IAD) is a novel extension of the vacuum evaporation method. Recently there has been growing interest in polypeptide films on solid substrates. IAD offers the potential for aligning dipoles during synthesis, holding much promise for the creation of tethered polypeptide chains having controlled orientation. An important question is whether the orientation parameters affect primarily the deposition of the polymerization process. Polymers usually do not evaporate easily, so the researchers will explore the fundamental differences between polymers produced by three different methods: 1) direct evaporation of simple polymers, 2) step-growth polymerization and 3) addition polymerization. The project brings together the efforts of two laboratories that have complementary expertise and research capabilities. The U.S researchers are experts in the mechanism of polymerization, polydispersity, microstructure and film characteristics. Their Japanese collaborator is a pioneer in the use of the vacuum evaporation method for fabrication of polymeric ultrathin films. Polymer ultrathin films have important applications in microelectronics, electro-optics and biotechnology. The project advances international human resources through the participation of a several graduate students including underrepresented groups. Through the exchange of ideas and technology, this project will broaden our base of basic knowledge and promote international understanding and cooperation. Results of the research will be published in international scientific journals and also presented at scientific meetings in the U.S. and abroad.