International Collaboration in Chemistry: Mechanochemical Probes of Supramolecular Polymer Networks

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In this International Collaboration in Chemistry between US Investigators and their Counterparts Abroad (ICC) project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division and the Office of International Science and Engineering, Stephen Craig of Duke University will develop a molecular chemical strategy to characterize and understand the role of bond scission in the mechanical failure of polymers. This work includes an international collaboration with Prof. Rint Sijbesma of the Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands. Profs. Sijbesma's work will be funded by De Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO). The approach is to synthesize polymers that contain dioxetane groups as luminescent probes of chain scission and to characterize the solution phase chain scission and photoemission from the polymers using a recently developed ultrasound-based technique. Knowledge gained from these studies will then be applied to understanding the roles bond scission events play in the mechanism of the mechanical failure of bulk polymer samples as well as newer supramolecular polymer networks. The broader impacts involve training graduate and undergraduate students, adding an international dimension to the training and education of these students, enhancing infrastructure for research and education through establishing this bilateral international collaboration, incorporating research concepts from this work into a high school outreach activity, and broadly disseminating research results through presentations at conferences and publications.Plastics are found in many facets of everyday life, including food packaging, structural materials for automotive and aerospace transportation, and lightweight electronic devices. This work might lead to new design principles to make stronger plastics which could be used to manufacture high performance, lightweight products for a range of applications.