CAREER: Organic Nanoparticles

这项研究的重点是研究有机纳米颗粒的制备，使用一种被称为“溶剂转移”的沉淀方法。该计划将涉及纳米颗粒成核和生长的基本方面的研究，特别是在过饱和溶液中扩散的作用以及与溶液结晶的联系。为了开发稳定和从溶剂中分离的方法，将确定颗粒生长的机制。有机纳米粒子将被用于许多创新应用，如具有窄尺寸分布的聚合物纳米粒子，纳米复合发光二极管和纳米级电子元件。该计划通过研究参与和在线光学参考书的开发，与光学和材料的本科培训相结合。这本参考书将有几个创新的特点，包括分布式的作者身份和本科生在创作和修订材料和提供多层次内容时主动学习的使用。一个重要的本科参与有机纳米粒子的研究也计划，随着一个新的工业物理研究生课程的进一步发展。这个研究项目的主要目标是更好地理解有机分子的聚集和自组装的基本过程。许多新的光学表征方法将被用于实现这一目标，包括荧光相关光谱学，它观察小群体甚至单个分子的光学发射，以及微制造混合细胞中的扩散测量。这些类型的有机纳米颗粒有许多潜在的应用，从新型光学材料到生物相容性药物配方。将探索几个应用：具有良好控制尺寸和形状的聚合物分散体，用于光学显示的纳米颗粒复合材料，以及使用有机纳米颗粒链的纳米电子学。该计划通过参与研究和开发一本新颖的在线光学参考书，与光学和材料的本科培训相结合。这本参考书将有几个创新的特点，包括分布式的作者身份和本科生在创作和修订材料和提供多层次内容时主动学习的使用

The focus of this research is the study of organic nanoparticles prepared using an arrested precipitation method called "solvent shifting." This plan will involve study of fundamental aspects of the nucleation and growth of the nanoparticles, especially the role of diffusion in supersaturated solutions and the connection to solution crystallization. Mechanisms of the particle growth will be determined in order to develop methods of stabilization and separation from the solvent. Organic nanoparticles will be used in a number of innovative applications such as polymer nanoparticles with narrow size distributions, nanocomposite light emitting diodes, and nanoscale electronic components. The plan is integrated with undergraduate training in optics and materials, both through research participation and the development of an online optics reference book. This reference book will have several innovative features, including distributed authorship and the use of active learning by undergraduates in the creation and revision of the material and the delivery of multiple levels of content. A significant undergraduate participation in the organic nanoparticle research is also planned, along with further development of a novel graduate program in industrial physics. %%%The main goal of this research project is to gain a better understanding of the underlying processes of aggregation and self-assembly of organic molecules. A number of novel optical characterization methods will be used to do this, including fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, which looks at optical emission from small groups of, or even single molecules, and diffusion measurements in microfabricated mixing cells. There are many potential applications for these types of organic nanoparticles, ranging from novel optical materials to biocompatible drug formulations. Several applications will be explored: polymer dispersions with well-controlled sizes and shapes, composites of nanoparticles for optical displays, and nano-electronics using chains of organic nanoparticles. The plan is integrated with undergraduate training in optics and materials, both through research participation and the development of a novel online optics reference book. This reference book will have several innovative features, including distributed authorship and the use of active learning by undergraduates in the creation and revision of the material and the delivery of multiple levels of content.***