Polyolefin Miscibility: Using Novel Chain Level Experiments to Create Miscible Blends

技术总结。杰弗里·l·怀特教授的研究小组对聚烯烃混合物中复杂相行为的基本起源有了新的见解。利用先进的固态核磁共振实验和链级分辨率，他的研究首次确定了多重聚烯烃共混物中熵驱动的混相。然而，链和组成单体结构之间的直接联系以及大分子混合所需的正构型熵尚未确定，特别是对于最具商业意义的聚烯烃混合物。在下一个资助期内，White教授及其同事将使用最新开发的先进磁共振方法，结合聚合物合成和热分析，对固体聚合物共混物进行研究，以确定在各种聚丙烯、聚乙烯及其共聚物混合物中创建可混溶共混物所需的结构参数。总的来说，这种聚合物代表了最具经济价值的大分子类别。非技术总结。杰弗里·怀特教授和他的研究小组已经采取了一项长期战略，以了解如何创造具有经济应用吸引力的重要聚合物材料。通过先进的实验，揭示了复杂有机材料最重要的基本方面，他展示了理想的新材料是如何从它们的单个成分中形成稳定的结构的。这类有机聚合物，被称为聚烯烃，对美国经济非常有价值，只有通过创造新材料才能获得新的市场和应用。怀特教授和他的研究小组利用在实验室学到的技术，以及过去的工业经验，教育小学生和他们的老师科学对社会的好处。具体来说，怀特博士创造了一种新的教学工具，称为“I-PROD”，以吸引年轻学生从事科学和工程职业，并帮助解决未来国内技术竞争力的问题，正如最近的美国竞争计划所强调的那样。

Technical Summary. Professor Jeffery L. White's research group has developed new insights into the fundamental origins of complex phase behaviors in mixtures of polyolefins. Using advanced solid-state NMR experiments with chain-level resolution, his research first identified entropically-driven miscibility in multiple polyolefin blends. However, the direct connections between chain and constituent monomer structure and required positive configurational entropies of mixing in macromolecules have not been established, particularly for mixtures of polyolefins that are most commercially relevant. During the next funding period, Professor White and coworkers will use recently-developed advanced magnetic resonance methods on solid polymer blends, in concert with polymer synthesis and thermal analysis, to identify the structural parameters needed to create miscible blends in various mixtures of polypropylenes, polyethylenes, and their copolymers. Collectively, such polymers represent the most economically valuable class of macromolecules.Non-Technical Summary. Professor Jeffery White and his research group have adopted a long-term strategy to understand how to create important polymer materials whose properties are attractive for economic applications. Using advanced experiments that unravel the most important fundamental aspects of complex organic materials, he has demonstrated how desirable new materials actually form stable structures from their individual components. This class of organic polymers, known as polyolefins, is extremely valuable to the U.S. economy, with new markets and applications accessible only through creation of new materials. Professor White and his research group use the techniques learned in the laboratory, as well as past industrial experiences, to educate elementary school students and their teachers on the benefits of science to society. Specifically, Dr. White has created a novel new teaching tool, called "I-PROD", to interest young students in pursuing science and engineering careers and help address future domestic competitiveness in technology, as highlighted in the recent American Competitive Initiative.