Highly Branched Rigid/Flexible Molecules and their Assembly on One-Dimensional Nanostructures

技术概述：该提案的智力价值在于理解高度支化大分子组装的基本原理，重点是共轭支化主链。 PI将探索如何利用具有不同架构，电子结构和承载多种功能的分支分子来定制无机纳米粒子之间的相互作用，以便将其引导组装成有组织的组装体。 作为第一步，PI将探索新的共轭棒（苯氧基苯甲酸酯），无论是装饰有分支的端/侧柔性段或分支出一个单一的核心。 另一方面，高度支化的柔性分子将由多臂星星嵌段共聚物表示，其中心核被疏水-疏水嵌段改性。 在以下研究的框架中，PI将尝试将具有适当对称性和末端官能团的支链分子组装到无机纳米颗粒的高度弯曲表面上（例如，银纳米线和金纳米棒）以产生具有定制的分支壳的混合纳米结构，其可用于设计基于电/光的传感纳米材料。 几个重要的问题将在该项目的过程中得到解决：形状持久的棒状和分支共轭核和灵活的树枝化分支的化学组成如何影响它们组装成有组织的结构的能力？ 共轭分子的支化如何影响其表面组装的电子和光学性质？非技术性总结：该项目将介绍具有独特光学、电子和机械性能的新纳米材料组件，并促进格鲁吉亚理工学院PI小组与美国研究人员之间的伙伴关系，希腊、韩国和乌克兰：格鲁吉亚理工学院、帕特雷大学（希腊）、延世大学（韩国）和高分子化学研究所（乌克兰）。 这种与国际和国内研究小组的合作为研究生带来了宝贵的经验。 通过这种外部合作，拟议的项目将使博士学位。学生成为成熟的，国际知名的研究人员熟悉尖端的基础和应用研究。 此外，PI将进一步集中努力，通过招收妇女和少数民族学生来增加攻读科学和工程高级学位的学生人数，这是他一直积极从事的一个领域。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The intellectual merit of this proposal is in understanding of fundamental principles of assembly of highly branched macromolecules with emphasis on conjugated branched backbones. The PI will explore how branched molecules with different architectures, electronic structures, and bearing multiple functionalities can be utilized for tailoring interactions among inorganic nanoparticles for their guided assembly into organized assemblies. As a first step, the PI will explore novel conjugated rods (phenyloxybenzoates) either decorated with branched end/side flexible segments or branching out from a single core. On the other hand, highly branched flexible molecules will be represented by multiarmed star block-copolymers with a central core modified with hydrophilic-hydrophobic blocks. In the framework of the following studies, the PI will attempt to assemble branched molecules with proper symmetry and terminal functionalities onto highly-curved surfaces of inorganic nanoparticles (e.g., silver nanowires and gold nanorods) to create hybrid nanostructures with tailored branched shells which can be utilized to design of electro/optical-based sensing nanomaterials. Several important questions will be addressed in the course of the project: How does the chemical composition of shape-persistent rod-like and branched conjugated cores and flexible dendronized branches affect their ability to assemble into organized structures? How does the branching of conjugated molecules affect electronic and optical properties of their surface assemblies?NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This project will introduce new nanomaterials assemblies with unique optical, electronic, and mechanical properties and foster a partnership between the PI's group at Georgia Tech and researchers from the U.S., Greece, Korea, and Ukraine: Georgia Tech, Patras U (Greece), Yonsei U (Korea), and the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (Ukraine). This collaboration with international and domestic research groups brings invaluable experience for graduate students. Through this external collaboration, the proposed project will enable Ph.D. students to become mature, internationally aware researchers familiar with cutting-edge basic and applied research. Moreover, the PI will further focus his efforts to increase the number of students pursuing advanced degrees in science and engineering by working on recruiting women and minority students, an area in which he has been active.