Tuning Aqueous Micellar Gels and Nanoparticle-Containing Hybrid Micellar Gels of Thermosensitive Hydrophilic Block Copolymers

调节热敏亲水性嵌段共聚物的水性胶束凝胶和含纳米颗粒的混合胶束凝胶

• 批准号: 1206385
• 负责人: Bin Zhao
• 金额: $ 36.17万
• 依托单位: University of Tennessee Knoxville
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-07-01 至 2017-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1206385&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Tuning; Aqueous; Micellar; Gels; Nanoparticle

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Aqueous micellar gels of stimuli-responsive hydrophilic block copolymers have attracted growing interest in recent years due to the intriguing in situ sol-gel transitions induced by environmental triggers. These physical gels have great potential in many technological applications. This project is aimed at developing strategies to tune structures and properties of aqueous micellar gels of doubly thermosensitive block copolymers and of aqueous hybrid micellar gels of thermosensitive block copolymers and nanoparticles. A series of well-defined multi-responsive hydrophilic block copolymers and polymer brush-grafted nanoparticles ("hairy nanoparticles") will be synthesized by using "living"/controlled radical polymerization techniques. The responsive properties of these block copolymers and hairy nanoparticles in aqueous solutions will be examined. The sol-gel phase diagrams of thermosensitive block copolymers in low/moderate concentration ranges in the absence and presence of hairy nanoparticles will be determined, and the gel structures will be elucidated. A wide range of characterization techniques will be employed in this research, including light scattering, rheometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, small angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, and electron microscopy. The knowledge gained from this research will provide a basis for the design of a new class of multi-responsive block copolymer micellar gels and hybrid micellar gels with tunable structures and properties for technological applications. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This project involves creating special categories of water-soluble gels that form micelles and nanoparticles. These new materials will be designed to respond to a variety of external stimuli and could have potential applications for sustained and triggered release of substances. Moreover, this research project provides a solid platform for training graduate and undergraduate students to synthesize and characterize a variety of new molecules and nanostructures by a broad range of techniques and to design stimuli-responsive soft and hybrid materials. Students will have an opportunity to gain a deep understanding of relationships among synthesis, structures, and properties. The PI will continue his effort to develop and enrich a laboratory component for the introductory polymer chemistry course in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The PI will also be active in helping science teaching in K-12 education. He and his graduate students will work with local high school teachers and students in his laboratory through summer programs to develop laboratory experiments for their chemistry classes.

技术综述：由于环境诱因引起的原位溶胶-凝胶转变，刺激响应型亲水嵌段共聚物的水胶束凝胶近年来引起了人们越来越大的兴趣。这些物理凝胶在许多技术应用中具有巨大的潜力。本项目旨在开发调整双温敏嵌段共聚物的水性胶束凝胶和热敏嵌段共聚物和纳米颗粒的水性杂化胶束凝胶的结构和性能的策略。通过“活性”/可控自由基聚合技术，将合成一系列具有多响应性的亲水嵌段共聚物和聚合物刷接枝纳米粒子(“毛状纳米粒子”)。这些嵌段共聚物和毛发纳米颗粒在水溶液中的响应特性将被检测。在无毛纳米粒子和有毛发纳米粒子存在的情况下，测定了低/中浓度范围内热敏嵌段共聚物的溶胶-凝胶相图，并阐明了凝胶结构。这项研究将使用广泛的表征技术，包括光散射、流变学、荧光光谱、小角X射线散射、差示扫描量热法和电子显微镜。这些研究成果将为设计一类结构和性能可调的新型多响应型嵌段共聚胶束凝胶和杂化胶束凝胶提供技术应用的基础。非技术概述：该项目涉及创造形成胶束和纳米颗粒的特殊类别的水溶性凝胶。这些新材料将被设计成对各种外部刺激做出反应，并可能在物质的持续和触发释放方面具有潜在的应用。此外，该研究项目为培养研究生和本科生通过广泛的技术合成和表征各种新的分子和纳米结构以及设计对刺激响应的软材料和杂化材料提供了坚实的平台。学生将有机会深入了解合成、结构和性质之间的关系。PI将继续努力开发和丰富田纳西大学诺克斯维尔分校化学系聚合物化学入门课程的实验室组件。国际和平协会还将积极帮助K-12教育中的科学教学。他和他的研究生将在他的实验室里通过暑期项目与当地高中教师和学生合作，为他们的化学课开发实验室实验。