Conjugated Polymer-Quantum Rod Nanocomposites in Well-Defined Nanoscopic Geometries

将共轭聚合物直接与量子点或量子棒接触（即制备共轭聚合物-量子点（CP-QD）或共轭聚合物-量子棒（CP-QR）纳米复合材料）可以在CP和量子点或量子棒之间提供一个明确的界面，从而促进它们之间有效的电荷转移。然而，很少有研究集中在这种直接集成上，CP-QR纳米复合材料也从未被局限在纳米级的几何结构中。本研究的目的是探讨约束对CP-QR纳米复合材料光物理性质的影响。两种独特的策略将用于限制CP-QR纳米复合材料：(1)直接将纳米复合材料固定在高度有序的直圆柱形纳米孔（即纳米多孔氧化铝膜）的六边形阵列中；(2)在两个平行板之间限制和剪切纳米复合材料，使两个交叉的圆柱形支架覆盖云母片接触形成，薄膜厚度从分子薄到几百纳米不等。研究成果将用于提高纳米科学教育的总体水平。将开展综合教育活动，使包括K-12学生在内的一些听众了解纳米科学的新知识，从而提高对其重要性的普遍认识。拟议的研究是基于跨学科的努力，涉及聚合物化学，聚合物物理，纳米制造技术和光物理学。这项工作的智力价值体现在创新研究中，利用纳米级几何结构作为独特的物理环境来控制CPs的构象，从而调节从CPs到qr的电荷转移，并最终在纳米尺度上控制CP-QR纳米复合材料的光物理性质。具体研究目标为：(1)基于合理设计制备CP-QR纳米复合材料；(2)揭示了外纳米约束对CP-QR纳米复合材料光物理性质的影响（第一策略）；(3)建立从分子薄到数百纳米厚的CP-QR膜的约束和剪切链构象与光物理性质之间的相关性（第二策略）；(4)开发用于光电器件的CP-QR纳米复合材料。这些发现也将增强对其他局限在纳米尺度上的cp相关或qr相关纳米复合材料的理解。该研究成果有望为纳米材料科学的发展做出重大贡献。提议的工作的更广泛的影响包括在几个层面上加强纳米科学教育。女性本科生将被招募参加夏季纳米复合材料研究，从而加强一个代表性不足的群体对该项目的参与。还将为K-12教师开设夏季讲习班。高中实习生将为全国5 -8年级学生开发基于网络的高分子纳米材料课程计划。这项活动最终将使中小学生接触到纳米世界。该项目产生的知识可能会导致新型纳米光电器件的创造，这些器件对国家安全和国防工业以及民用应用至关重要，从而将基础科学发现转化为有益于社会的有用技术。

CBET-0824361LinPlacing conjugated polymers in direct contact with quantum dots or quantum rods (i.e., preparation of conjugated polymer-quantum dot (CP-QD) or conjugated polymer-quantum rod (CP-QR) nanocomposites) provides a well-defined interface between CP and QD or QR, thus facilitating an efficient charge transfer between them. However, few studies have centered on such direct integration, and CP-QR nanocomposites confined in nanoscopic geometries have never been explored. The objective of this proposal is to explore the effects of confinement on the photophysical properties of CP-QR nanocomposites. Two unique strategies will be used to confine CP-QR nanocomposites: (1) directly immobilizing nanocomposites in highly ordered hexagonal arrays of straight cylindrical nanopores (i.e., a nanoporous alumina membrane); and (2) confining and shearing nanocomposites between two parallel plates, formed by bringing two crossed cylindrical mounts covered with mica sheets into contact, to film thicknesses ranging from molecularly thin to several hundred nanometers. The research findings will be used to enhance the general level of nanoscience education. Integrated educational activities will be pursued to expose several audiences, including K-12 students, to new knowledge in nanoscience, thereby promoting general awareness of its importance. The proposed research is based on an interdisciplinary effort that involves polymer chemistry, polymer physics, nanofabrication techniques, and photophysics. The intellectual merit of the work is manifested in the innovative studies of exploiting nanoscopic geometries as unique physical environments to control the conformation of CPs, which in turn regulates the charge transfer from CPs to QRs and, ultimately, the photophysical properties of CP-QR nanocomposites at the nanoscale. Four specific research goals will be pursued: (1) prepare CP-QR nanocomposites based on rational design; (2) reveal the effect of external nanoscopic confinement on the photophysical properties of CP-QR nanocomposites (first strategy); (3) establish correlations between the confined-and-sheared chain conformation and photophysical properties of CP-QR films ranging from the molecularly thin to several hundred nanometers thick (second strategy); and (4) exploit CP-QR nanocomposites for use in optoelectronic devices. The findings will also enhance understanding of other CP-related or QR-related nanocomposites confined at the nanoscale. The outcomes from the research are expected to contribute significantly to the advancement of nanomaterials science. The broader impacts of the proposed work include stronger nanoscience education across several levels. Female undergraduate students will be recruited for summer nanocomposite research, thus strengthening the involvement of an underrepresented group in the project. Summer workshops for K-12 teachers will also be created. High school interns will develop Web-based lesson plans on polymeric nanomaterials for 5th-8th graders nationwide. This activity will ultimately expose elementary- and middle-school students to the nano-world. Knowledge generated by this project may lead to the creation of novel nano-optoelectronic devices that are extremely critical to national security and the defense industry as well as civilian applications, thereby transitioning fundamental scientific discoveries into useful technologies that benefit society.