U.S.-Germany Dissertation Enhancement: Supramolecular Structures Based on Photo-Reactive Cationic Surfactants and Polyelectrolytes

基于光反应性阳离子表面活性剂和聚电解质的超分子结构离子液体的变革影响已经从简单的“绿色”发展到“绿色”。溶剂作为挥发性有机溶剂的替代品，从电活性装置到高效催化剂等商业上可行的技术。离子液体已经成为未来技术的一个平台，离子液体现在是机电换能器和高性能替代能源膜的组成部分。源自离子液体前体的大分子使得前所未有的带电单元和反离子被引入无数的电活性装置中。一个多学科的研究团队对于从根本上理解未来含有离子液体的技术的结构-性能-性能关系至关重要。离子液体多样的化学结构为新的大分子结构提供了一个扩展的工具箱。结构表征将停留在传统学术学科的边界，需要从水阻尺寸色谱和溶液流变学到固体形态的各种策略的专业知识。弗吉尼亚理工大学的Timothy E. Long教授和Matthew Hunley先生与德国Universität Bayreuth的Axel H.E. m<e:1> ller教授的研究小组合作，将独特地汇集回答这些基本问题所需的合成和表征专业知识。博士论文强化项目将集中于光反应性阳离子聚电解质和可聚合性阳离子两亲体的合成和初步表征。光反应性阳离子聚电解质和两亲体被提议形成适合功能应用的超分子组件，如圆柱形？管状？胶束和离子通道。大分子拓扑结构对聚电解质和两亲性离子液体聚合物形成功能纳米级支架的能力的影响也将被研究。弗吉尼亚理工大学和Universität拜罗伊特之间的合作将国际知名科学家与世界一流的表征设施和专业知识联系在一起，而这在一所大学是找不到的。它将资助美国研究生马修·亨利（Matthew Hunley）在拜罗伊特（Bayreuth）与阿克塞尔·米<e:1>勒（Axel m<s:1> ller）领导的团队进行一个学期的研究。此次合作是两个国际研究小组之间的桥梁，促进了跨文化互动和思想交流，并促进了两个小组之间的长期研究合作。这些研究将提供基础的科学知识，而综合的社会影响将集中在更智能、更环保上。用于电子和生物医学应用的机电设备和高性能膜。

U.S-Germany Dissertation Enhancement: Supramolecular Structures Based on Photo-Reactive Cationic Surfactants and Polyelectrolytes0824923The transformative impact of ionic liquids has evolved from simple ?green? solvents as replacements for volatile organic solvents to commercially viable technologies ranging from electro-active devices to efficient catalysts. Ionic liquids have emerged as a platform for future technologies, and ionic liquids are now integral components in electromechanical transducers and high-performance membranes for alternate energy. Macromolecules that are derived from ionic liquid precursors enable the introduction of unprecedented charged units and counterions into a myriad of electro-active devices. A multidisciplinary research team is critical to fundamentally understand the structure-property-performance relationships for future technologies containing ionic liquids. The diverse chemical structure of ionic liquids offers an expanded toolbox of building blocks for novel macromolecular architecture. Structural characterization will reside at the boundaries of traditional academic disciplines and requires expertise in diverse strategies ranging from aqueous size-exclusion chromatography and solution rheology to solid state morphology. Collaboration among Professor Timothy E. Long and Mr. Matthew Hunley at Virginia Tech with the research group of Professor Axel H.E. Müller at Universität Bayreuth in Germany will uniquely assemble the synthetic and characterization expertise required to answer these fundamental questions. The proposed Doctoral Dissertation Enhancement Project will focus on the synthesis and preliminary characterization of photo-reactive cationic polyelectrolytes and polymerizable cationic amphiphiles. Photo-reactive cationic polyelectrolytes and amphiphiles are proposed to form tailored supramolecular assemblies for functional applications, such as cylindrical ?tubular? micelles and ion channels. The influence of macromolecular topology on the ability of polyelectrolytes and amphiphilic ionic liquid polymers to form functional nanometer-scale scaffolds will also be investigated.This collaboration between Virginia Tech and the Universität Bayreuth connects internationally-renowned scientists and world-class characterization facilities and expertise not found at a single university. It will fund Matthew Hunley, a U.S. graduate student, to spend one semester in Bayreuth conducting research with the team led by Axel Müller. The collaboration bridges the two international groups to enable cross-cultural interaction and idea exchange, as well as fosters long-term research collaborations between the two groups. The studies will provide fundamental scientific knowledge, and integrated societal impact will focus on smarter, ?greener? electromechanical devices and high-performance membranes for electronic and biomedical applications.