Materials World Network: Ordering Transitions of Liquid Crystals in Contact with Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Films

威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校获得的材料世界网络奖是美国威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的Nicholas Abbott教授和澳大利亚墨尔本大学的Frank Caruso教授的联合研究和教育项目。该奖项由材料研究部的固体化学项目和国际科学与工程办公室的东亚和太平洋项目共同资助。该研究基于美国科学家先前的观察，即液晶中的合作有序转变可以耦合到热致液晶和不混相水相之间界面上的表面活性剂，脂质和蛋白质的组装，从而提供了一种动态放大这些界面事件的新方法。该研究的科学目标是基于这样一个命题，即多层聚电解质薄膜（PEMS）提供了一种通用而简便的方法来控制水-液晶界面的纳米结构和化学功能。关于液晶和聚合物的界面特性的基本问题将被研究，包括关于它们的动态特性和这些材料之间的顺序耦合的问题。此外，该奖项将促进威斯康星大学和墨尔本大学之间的研究生和年轻研究人员的交流。由于这两个校区都在纳米科学和工程领域进行了大量的研究，该项目也为两个在纳米科学和工程领域工作的国际研究人员社区提供了一座桥梁。本资助申请中提出的主题是美国团队在表征界面附近液晶有序方面的专业知识和澳大利亚研究团队在制备和表征聚电解质多层材料方法方面的深入和详细知识的自然交叉点。有了这个奖项，在了解多层聚电解质薄膜的渗透性方面将取得重大进展，这对于合理开发传感器、分离或药物输送系统中需要选择性传输分子的技术至关重要。本提案中描述的研究将为美国研究生和更广泛的学术界提供优秀的教育机会。通过这些交流，他们还将有难得的机会体验美国以外的科学文化和实践。

This Materials World Network award to University of Wisconsin-Madison is a joint research and education program between Professor Nicholas Abbott at University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA and Professor Frank Caruso at University of Melbourne, Australia. This award is co-funded by the Solid State Chemistry Program in the Division of Materials Research, and the East Asia and Pacific Program in the Office of International Science and Engineering. The research builds from prior observations made by the US scientist that cooperative ordering transitions in liquid crystals can be coupled to the assembly of surfactants, lipids, and proteins at interfaces between thermotropic liquid crystals and immiscible aqueous phases, thus providing a novel means by which to dynamically amplify these interfacial events into optical signals. The scientific goals of the research are motivated by the proposition that multilayer films of polyelectrolytes (PEMS) offer a general and facile method to control the nanometer-scale structure and chemical functionality of aqueous-liquid crystals interfaces. Fundamental questions regarding the interfacial properties of liquid crystals and polymers will be investigated, including questions regarding their dynamic properties and the coupling of order between these materials. In addition, this award will facilitate exchanges of graduate students and young researchers between University of Wisconsin and University of Melbourne. As both campuses host substantial research on nanoscale science and engineering, this project also provides a bridge between two international communities of researchers working in the field of nanoscale science and engineering. The topic proposed in this grant application lies at the natural intersection of the expertise of the US team in characterizing the ordering of liquid crystals near interfaces and the Australian research teams deep and detailed knowledge of methods used to prepare and characterize polyelectrolyte multilayers. With this award, significant advances would be made in understanding the permeability of multilayer polyelectrolytes films that are essential for the rational development of technologies requiring selective transport of molecules in sensors, separations or drug delivery systems. The research described in this proposal will provide outstanding educational opportunities for US graduate students and the broader academic community at US. Through these exchanges, they will also have the unusual opportunity to experience scientific cultures and practices outside of the United States.