Nanostructure Synthesis using Reactive Block Copolymers

该提案中描述的职业发展计划侧重于两嵌段共聚物，这是一类杂化大分子，代表着一组极其有趣的自组装材料，具有广泛的应用。两嵌段共聚物是由两段不同化学结构的单体通过一个共价键连接而成的简单大分子。这一键防止了两个聚合物链段的大相分离，并根据单体的性质、链的相对分子质量和少数组分的体积分数而导致各种纳米组装的形成。虽然它们作为热塑性弹性体、压敏胶粘剂和增容剂的用途广泛，但直到最近，纳米组成的异质性才被用于制备其他纳米结构材料。利用有序嵌段共聚物模板制备纳米多孔材料的策略将被研究。这项研究的最终目标是制备含有定向纳米孔的聚合物整体，具有窄的孔径分布和极高的孔密度。从有序嵌段共聚物出发，提出了两种制备多孔材料的一般策略。一种利用带有可降解嵌段的嵌段共聚物，另一种利用一系列有趣的纳米材料的嵌段。这项建议中描述的工作依赖于聚合物合成、超分子自组装和表征以及有序嵌段共聚物的固态化学的结合。纳米尺度的结构科学和技术是许多研究计划的核心。本提案中描述的研究涉及将对设计和合成新纳米材料的纳米结构模板和支架的开发产生重大影响的一个领域。目标材料将在纳米结构支架、分离介质和光学器件方面具有显著的潜力。此外，该计划还包括关于融合研究和教育活动的一节。拟议的教育计划主要有两个方面。第一个重点是聚合物科学领域的研究生教育，第二个是以新生水平的本科教育和成人继续教育为中心。

The career development plan described in this proposal focuses on diblock copolymers, a class of hybrid macromolecules that represent an extremely interesting set of self-assembling materials with a wide variety of applications. Diblock copolymers are simple macromolecules consisting of two segments of chemically distinct monomers connected by one covalent bond. This one bond prevents macrophase separation of the two polymeric segments and leads to the formation of a variety of nanoscopic assemblies depending on the nature of the monomers, the molecular weight of the chain, and minority component volume fraction. While their uses as thermoplastic elastomers, pressure sensitive adhesives, and compatibilizing agents are wide spread, it has only been recently that the nanoscopic compositional heterogenties have been exploited for the preparation of other nanostructured materials. A strategy for the preparation of nanoporous materials using ordered block copolymers templates will be investigated. The ultimate of this research goal is the preparation of polymeric monoliths that contain aligned nanopores with a narrow pore size distribution and an extremely high pore density. Two general strategies for the preparation of porous materials starting from ordered block copolymers are presented. One utilized block copolymers with a degradable block and the other utilized block of an array of interesting nanomaterials. The work described in this proposal depends on the combination of polymer synthesis, supramolecular self-assembly and characterization, and solid-state chemistry of ordered block copolymers.%%%The science and technology of structures on the nanometer length scale is central to many research initiatives. The research described in this proposal addresses an area that will have significant impact on the development of nanostructured templates and scaffolds for the design and synthesis of new nanomaterials. The target materials will have remarkable potential as nanostructure scaffolds, separation media, and optical devices. Furthermore, this plan also includes a section on integration research and educational activities. There are two primary aspects the proposed educational plan. The first is focused on graduate education in the field of polymer science, and the second is centered around undergraduate education at the Freshman level and adult continuing education.