Correlations of Properties of Polymers, Gels, and Reversible Ionic Liquids at Different Length and Time Scales from Structural Data and Thermally or Photo Induced Dynamic Processes

通过这个奖项，有机化学和高分子化学项目支持乔治敦大学的理查德·G·韦斯教授的工作。这项研究将涉及各向异性材料微环境中的静态和动态分子相互作用的多学科研究。收集相关数据需要不同的分析技术。在选定的温度和压力范围内收集的信息将用于在分子和宏观层面上建立变化之间的关联。协调研究的一个主要目标是全面了解材料如何对一系列不同的外部扰动做出内部反应，材料如何影响内部探针分子，以及材料可以在多大程度上影响嵌入的客体分子的性质。这项研究的更广泛影响包括培训年轻科学家，包括本科生和代表不足的群体和来自发展中国家的科学家。PI已经与几个发展中国家的科学家建立了合作关系，并将把这些合作作为学生教育的一部分，让他们了解科学是如何在欠发达环境中进行的，以及美国在帮助发展方面面临的挑战。此外，学生将接触到非常广泛的多学科研究，并将有机会参加科学会议和展示他们的研究成果。尽管这项研究的方法将强调“基础”发现，但开发新材料将具有实际意义和潜力，并计划展示用于工业目的的潜在用途。

With this award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program supports the work of Professor Richard G. Weiss of Georgetown University. This research will involve a multidisciplinary investigation of static and dynamic molecular interactions in micro-environments of anisotropic materials. Diverse analytical techniques will be required to collect the pertinent data. Information collected over selected temperature and pressure ranges will be used to establish correlations between changes at the molecular and macro levels. A primary objective of the coordinated studies is to obtain comprehensive pictures of how the materials respond internally to a range of different externally-applied perturbations, how the materials affect internal probe molecules, and to what extent the materials can be employed to influence the properties of embedded guest molecules.The broader impacts of this research include the training of young scientists, including undergraduates and those in underrepresented groups and from developing countries. The PI has established collaborations with scientists in several developing countries and will use them as part of the students' education about how science is performed in less developed environments and the challenges that face the U.S. to help development. Further, the students will be exposed to a very broad spectrum of multidisciplinary research and will be given opportunities to attend scientific conferences and to present their research results. Although the approach to the research will stress 'fundamental' discoveries, there will be practical implications and potential for developing new materials and demonstrations of potential utility for industrial purposes are planned.