CAREER: Interfacial Assembly of Soft Layered Materials

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TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Driven by both the scientific curiosity and the technical importance of soft layered materials such as graphene oxide (GO) a single atomic layered, oxygenated carbon sheet, this CAREER proposal, co-funded by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry (SSMC)/Division of Materials Research (DMR) and Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI)/Chemistry (CHE) programs aims to explore the soft material characteristics of GO-based materials with a focus on their assembly behaviors. GO can be viewed as an unconventional type of soft material possessing characteristics of polymer, colloid, membrane and amphiphile. Assembly should be a critical component in the structure-property relationship of such materials. Studying their interaction and assembly can reveal interesting fundamental material behaviors and help to design better synthesis and processing strategies. The overall goals of this proposal are to advance the fundamental understanding of this unconventional type of soft material, develop new structural modification methodologies, design advantageous material processing strategies, invent new characterization techniques, and create new functional material systems by controlled assembly of the single sheets.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: If successful, discoveries from this proposal could lead to new materials and technologies for electronics, cleaner energy and better environment, all are central to the national interest. To maximize and expedite the societal impact, the PI will establish partnership with small businesses to transfer discoveries to industry. Results will be broadly disseminated, especially to teachers of younger students through educational journals, and to the general public using the Web2.0 communication and information sharing techniques. By integrating science and art or popular culture, research results will be interpreted in formats understandable and useful for nonscientists. Participation of underrepresented minority groups in research will be motivated through the success of the PI's current minority students, and will be broadened beyond Northwestern through the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP). New courses in the areas of soft materials and chemistry will be developed to enrich the department's curricula.