FRG: Fullerene Nanotube Chemistry

这个重点研究小组提案的重点将发展富勒烯纳米管的分子科学。这些新材料因其材料特性和应用前景而受到欢迎。实现这一前景的唯一最大障碍是，目前缺乏将试管作为单个分子来操作的化学方法。单壁纳米管（swnts）是真正的分子实体，因为它们的结构高度完美，但像化学家操纵其他分子那样操纵它们的分子科学仍处于萌芽阶段。这些操作包括增溶、管端和管边的共价衍生化、按长度、电气类型和直径排序、组装、切割和合成特定螺旋度的管。这些任务构成了纳米管操作的基础，是实现swnt前景的核心技术。一个特别的目标将是开发各种策略，以溶解纳米管在各种溶剂，包括水，通过超分子途径。将设计swcnts与其他分子（例如聚合物或大环化合物）的结合，既可以溶解管，又可以在不形成任何共价附着的情况下组装管，从而充分保留其固有的材料特性。根据长度、类型和直径对纳米管进行分类，对于实现在分子电子学中使用纳米管作为导线的希望至关重要。粗分离长度和直径已经开始，但更清洁，可扩展的色谱和电泳方法是需要的。通过利用其不同的电和磁特性(例如：（利用电泳、电化学和电场或磁场梯度），以及它们的结构差异，选择性地按类型衍生化。一个巨大的挑战是合成给定电类型的电子管。该计划是利用一种特定类型的种子晶体（通过作为提议工作的一部分开发的方法分离），并在最后使用共价化学来组装催化剂以在那里生长。这一挑战将对其他几个目标提出要求，提供丰富的推动力，如果成功，将产生具有深远技术影响的非凡的新材料科学。这个重点研究小组的项目将对富勒烯纳米管分子科学的快速发展领域产生重大影响。该研究具有高度协同性、多学科性、高风险和高影响力，在分子电子学和高性能复合材料等领域具有显著的技术回报可能性。这个由国际知名专家组成的团队得到了多学科事务办公室、数学和物理科学局的材料研究司和化学司以及工程局的化学和运输系统司的共同支持。

The focus of this Focused Research Group proposal will develop the molecular science of fullerene nanotubes. These new materials have been hailed for their materials properties and the applications that these properties promise. The single greatest impediment to realizing this promise is the current poverty of chemical approaches for manipulating the tubes as individual molecules. Single-walled nanotubes (swnts) are truly molecular entities, owing to their high degree of structural perfection, but the molecular science of manipulating them in the sense that chemists manipulate other molecules is still quite embryonic. These manipulations include solubilization, covalent derivatization of tube ends and sides, sorting by length, electrical type, and diameter, assembly, cutting, and synthesis of tubes of specific helicity. These are the tasks that comprise the basis of nanotube manipulation, and are central technologies in the realization of the promise of swnt. One particular aim will be to develop a variety of strategies to solubilizing nanotubes in various solvents, including water, by supramolecular routes. Associations of swnts with other molecules will be designed - e.g., polymers or large macrocyclic compounds - both for solubilizing the tubes and for assembling them without making any covalent attachment to their sides, thus preserving fully their intrinsic materials properties. Sorting tubes by length, type, and diameter will be crucial to fulfilling hopes of using nanotubes as wires in molecular electronics. Crude separations by length and diameter have begun, but cleaner, scalable chromatographic and electrophoretic methods are needed. Sorting by electrical type will be approached by exploiting their different electrical and magnetic properties(e.g., using electrophoresis, electrochemistry, and electric or magnetic field gradients), as well as their structural differences to derivatize selectively by type. A grand challenge is to synthesize tubes of a given electrical type. The plan is to utilize seed crystals of a particular type, (separated by methods developed as part of the proposed work), and use covalent chemistry at the end to assemble a catalyst for growth there. This challenge will make demands on several of the other goals, providing both a rich driving force, and, if successful, a remarkable new materials science with far-reaching technological impact.%%%This Focused Research Group project will have a major impact in a fast-breaking area focused on the development of the molecular science of fullerene nanotubes. The research is highly synergistic, multidisciplinary, high-risk and high-impact, with a significant probability for technological payoff in areas that include molecular electronics and high performance composites. This team of intrnationally renown experts is being jointly supported by The Office of Mulitdisciplinary Affairs, The Division of Materials Research and The Chemistry Division of The Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate, and by the Division of Chemical and Transport Systems of The Engineering Directorate.