NSF-EC Cooperative Activity in Materials Research: Dynamics of Nanostructured Systems

该奖项是为了表彰乔万·米约维奇教授(JM，纽约理工大学)和Jose‘Kenny教授(JK，意大利佩鲁贾大学)在NSF-欧洲委员会(EC)材料研究合作活动的支持下进行的一项合作研究。这项拟议的研究是在纳米技术领域进行的，这是一个新兴领域，目前正受到全世界的极大关注。米约维奇教授和肯尼教授在过去15年里进行了广泛而多产的合作，他们非常有资格进行拟议中的研究。智力价值：动力学研究涉及聚合物中不同运动的分子起源、长度尺度和时间尺度，通常在一个应用领域，如电气或机械。由此产生的知识很重要；(1)从根本上说--因为它为新兴的理论和计算研究提供了指导；(2)在实践上--因为它有助于优化材料的加工和性能。为了实现这一目标，建议对一系列聚合物功能化纳米粒子、纳米管和纳米网络的动力学进行系统的研究。这标志着首次提出这种系统的努力，并将提供这类完整的数据集。挑战是重新审视传统的加工-结构-性能关系，并开发新的原理来创造可控(纳米)长度的结构，从而产生具有独特(不寻常)性能的新材料。更广泛的影响：拟议研究的更广泛影响将源于对功能化纳米颗粒和纳米管如何影响动力学的基础了解的发展，进而影响纳米复合材料和纳米网络的加工和性能。预计这一基本理解将与许多其他系统直接相关。树枝状大分子就是一个例子，它的链被拴在功能化的纳米颗粒上，但人们对它们的动力学知之甚少。我们还预计，我们的发现将对生物聚合物领域产生重大影响；DNA、蛋白质和膜。有各种与生物相关的问题的例子，从基因治疗，用于创建DNA芯片的多核苷酸拴系，和蛋白质折叠，到螺旋DNA中的环和“十字形”(连接)，在这些地方，动力学被认为发挥了重要作用，并且根据我们的研究结果，可能会出现新的见解。最后，跨学科环境下的研究生教育与国际交流相结合，有利于培养具有独特背景的博士。拟议的工作还将通过在理工学院YES(青年工程和科学)暑期计划的支持下，容纳(在国际和平协会的实验室中)来自纽约市高中的一些代表性不足的少数族裔学生并参与研究，来促进种族多样性。我们的工作成果将通过在国际会议上的陈述和一流期刊上的出版物在科学界广泛传播。此外，在提案获得批准后，将立即创建一个有吸引力的互动网站并进行广告宣传。

This award is for a collaborative study between the groups of Professor Jovan Mijovic (JM, Polytechnic University, New York) and Professor Jose' Kenny (JK, University of Perugia, Italy), under the aegis of the NSF-European Commission (EC) Cooperative Activity in Materials Research. The proposed study is in the area of nanotechnology, an emerging field that is currently receiving enormous attention worldwide. Professors Mijovic and Kenny have had extensive and prolific collaboration over the past 15 year and are eminently qualified to conduct the proposed research. Intellectual Merit: A study of dynamics addresses issues that deal with the molecular origin, the length scales and the time scales of different motions in polymers, typically under an applied field, such as electric or mechanical. The resulting knowledge is important; (1) fundamentally - because it provides guidance for the emerging theoretical and computational studies, and (2) practically - because it helps optimize processing and properties of materials. Towards that goal, it is proposed to conduct a systematic investigation of the dynamics of a series of polymer-functionalized nanoparticles, nanotubes and nanonetworks. This marks the first time that such systematic effort is proposed and that the set of complete data of this kind will be provided. The challenge is to revisit the conventional processing-structure-property correlations and develop new principles for creating structures of controlled (nano) length scales that would result in novel materials with distinct (unusual) properties. Broader Impact: The broader impact of the proposed research will result from the development of fundamental understanding how the functionalized nanoparticles and nanotubes affect the dynamics and, in turn, the processing and the properties of nanocomposites and nanonetworks. It is anticipated that this fundamental understanding will be directly relevant to a host of other systems. One example is dendritic macromolecules, where chains are tethered to functionalized nanopartciles, yet little is known about their dynamics. We also anticipate that our findings will have a significant impact in the field of biopolymers; DNAs, proteins and membranes. There are various examples of bio-related issues, ranging from gene therapy, polynucleotide tethering used to create DNA chips, and protein folding, to loops and "cruciforms" (junctions) in coiled DNA, where dynamics are thought to play an important role and where new insights could emerge based on the results of our study. Finally, the graduate education in an interdisciplinary environment coupled with international exchange is conducive to producing PhDs with a unique background. The proposed work will also contribute to the enhancement of ethnic diversity by accommodating (in the PI's lab) and involving in research a number of under-represented minority students from New York City high schools under the aegis of the YES (Youth in Engineering and Science) summer program at Polytechnic. The results of our work will be broadly disseminated within the scientific community through presentations at international meetings and publications in first-tier journals. In addition, an attractive, interactive website will be created and advertised immediately following the approval of the proposal.