Inter-American Materials Collaboration: Mexico/United States

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This Inter-American Materials Collaboration brings together groups led by Curtis Frank, Stanford University, and Craig Hawker, IBM-Almaden, at the Center for Polymer Interfaces and Macromolecular Assemblies (CPIMA) in the US, and A. Licea-Claverie, Instituto Tecnologico de Tijuana (ITT), and J. Cornejo-Bravo, Universidad Autonoma de Baja California (BAJA), in Mexico. The project aims to develop new synthetic approaches and characterization techniques for the preparation and study of well-defined smart materials. Living free radical polymerization techniques are developed as a platform for the synthesis of polymers with controlled structure and architecture that respond to two different stimuli: temperature and pH. Structural features, such as the separation of the responsive units via the formation of block copolymers, and the nature of the chain architectures (linear, grafted, stars, and networks) are explored in detail. Furthermore, the reversible temperature- or pH-driven formation of supramolecular structures in solution from the linear, grafted, and star architectures are studied. A more fundamental challenge is to understand the relationships among structure, property, and function for these stimuli-responsive materials. Based on this understanding, the controlled release of drugs and other small molecules from gels, stars, polymer-drug complexes, or supramolecular structures (e.g. polymeric micelles) is examined. A vigorous and interdisciplinary teaching and outreach program is a critical feature of this project and significantly extends the collaborative relationships built on these scientific foundations. Educational and teaching expertise in polymer chemistry and materials research that has been developed in CPIMA is transferred to both ITT and BAJA, while the exposure of undergraduates, graduates, and post-doctoral scholars to research at all three institutions establishes a unique collaborative environment. In addition, exposure of undergraduates and graduates to a combined international academic-academic and industrial-academic setting provides an invigorating research experience. This award is supported by the Division of Materials Research, the Office of International Science and Engineering, and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences.