Selective Aqueous-phase Adhesion by Molecularly Engineered Materials

该奖项的研究目标是确定氢键在水中定向分子识别的机制，并将这些基元安装到已知的聚合物支架上。这项研究将为在合成或生物衍生支架的背景下考虑水环境中的氢键提供定量的基础。该奖项的这一基本组成部分为将选择性氢键基团纳入不同的聚合物骨架奠定了基础。预计在天然和合成聚合物上使用选择性识别基团将导致增强功能。氢键引导的选择性杂多相互作用具有很大的潜在用途，特别是在表面涂层方面。总体而言，这项工作追溯了从分子性质研究到化学响应性、生物相容性和生物可降解材料的生产的一条弧线。如果成功，可以在水中选择性地进行表面粘合，不需要氧化或光固化，使其作为一种分子尼龙搭扣广泛应用，这将只允许指定的涂层表面粘合。这将在许多工业和生物医学应用中有用，例如作为缝合替代品的海洋环境涂层或生物兼容表面粘合剂，以及用于药物输送和组织工程的水凝胶。这项研究连接了合成化学、材料科学、工程和生物医学研究，并将促进研究生和本科生新的跨学科教育体验。学生还将接触到开发新材料应用的实际方面。分子识别概念的简单动手实验方法适合纳入教学实验室。预计开发一种增强合成和生物聚合物功能的通用方法将对农业和涂料工业产生革命性影响，并带来显著的经济和环境效益。

The research objective of this award is to determine the mechanism of hydrogen-bonding directed molecular recognition in water and the installation of such motifs onto known polymeric scaffolds. This study will provide a quantitative basis for consideration of hydrogen bonds in aqueous environment in the context of a synthetic or bio-derived scaffold. This fundamental component of the award lays the groundwork for incorporation of selective hydrogen bonding groups onto different polymeric backbones. It is anticipated that the use of selective recognition groups on natural and synthetic polymers will lead to enhanced function. Selective heteropolymeric interaction guided by hydrogen-bonding has great potential utility, especially in the context of surface coatings. Overall, this work traces an arc from study of molecular properties to the production of chemically-responsive, biocompatible and biodegradable materials.If successful, selective surface adhesion would be possible in water, with no oxidative or photocuring required, making it widely applicable as a ?molecular Velcro?, which would allow only designated coated surfaces to adhere. This would be useful in a number of industrial ad biomedical applications, such as in marine environment coatings or biocompatible surface adhesives as suture alternatives, and hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering. This research bridges synthetic chemistry, materials science, engineering and biomedical research and will facilitate new cross-disciplinary educational experiences for graduate and undergraduate students. Students will also be exposed to the practical aspects of developing a new materials application. The simple hands-on experimental approach to molecular recognition concepts is amenable to incorporation into instructional labs. It is anticipated that development of a general methodology to enhance the synthetic and biopolymer function will have a transformative impact on both the agricultural and coatings industry with significant economic and environmental benefit.