CAREER: Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy to Study Structure and Dynamics at Polymeric Surfaces and Interfaces

9984996吉诺瓦拉这个职业计划的教育目标是发展聚合物讲座系列，组织科学博览会，并鼓励高中暑期研究项目，以激发我们对科学的兴趣，我们的高中项目现有的，包括任何材料或聚合物领域的正式培训。这项建议旨在提高中学对聚合物研究项目的认识，并鼓励高中生在聚合物科学及其相关领域接受高等教育。这项建议的研究目标是对含有疏水侧链的官能化聚合物的表面和界面有一个基本的了解。目前，分子在聚合物表面的排列和流动性对表面张力、粘附力、摩擦力和接触角滞后等性能的影响尚不清楚。这项研究采用了一种非线性光学技术，该技术对聚合物表面和界面上的非破坏性探针化学和局部取向信息表现出极高的灵敏度。将研究烷基侧链(聚乙烯N-烷基氨基甲酸酯)的长度对表面分子堆积、表面转变温度、表面重构和表面层流动性的影响。这将使研究人员能够在分子水平上了解热力学表面能、界面迁移率以及粘着和摩擦机制之间的复杂相互作用。官能化聚合物被用于制造更好的粘合剂、半透膜、生物材料和液晶显示器。拟议的研究将提供这些领域的基本信息，并将使美国工业保持其在世界市场的技术优势。此外，对高中生兴趣的培养和研究生的培训将为这个竞争激烈的全球市场提供必要的熟练劳动力。

9984996 DhinojwalaThe educational goal of this CAREER proposal is to develop a polymer lecture series, organize science fairs, and encourage high school summer research projects to stimulate an interest in science in our high school programs exist that include any formal training in the area of materials or polymers. This proposal is targeted toward increasing the awareness of polymer research programs in secondary schools and encouraging high school students to pursue higher education in the area of polymer science and its related fields. The research goal of this proposal is to develop a fundamental understanding on surfaces and interfaces of functionalized polymers containing hydrophobic side chains. At present, it is unclear how molecular alignment and mobility of molecules at polymer surfaces influence properties such as surface tension, adhesion, friction, and contact angle hysteresis. This research employs a nonlinear optical technique that shows excellent sensitivity to non-destructively probe chemical and local orientational information at polymeric surfaces and interfaces. The influence of the length of alkyl side chains (polyvinyl N-alkyl carbamates) on molecular packing at surfaces, surface transition temperatures, surface restructuring, and the mobility of the surface layer will be studied. This will enable the researchers to understand the complex interplay between thermodynamic surface energy, mobility at the interface, and the mechanism of adhesion and friction at a molecular level.Functionalized polymers are used to make better adhesives, semi-permeable membranes, bio-materials, and liquid crystal displays. The proposed research will provide fundamental information in these areas and will allow US industries to maintain their technological edge in the world market. Furthermore, the development of interest in high school students and training of graduate students will provide the skilled work force necessary for this competitive global market.