Collaborative Research: Exotic Block Copolymer Nanoparticles through Hierarchical Solution Construction

技术概要：该项目是特拉华州大学和德克萨斯州A M大学之间的合作，旨在建立新的实验范式，用于构建新颖的异国情调的纳米粒子。 将开发协议，通过微调动力学与热力学控制的逐步迭代以及在所需阶段应用化学改性来指导嵌段共聚物溶液行为。 此外，一个新的工具箱的嵌段共聚物功能将制定解决方案建设的纳米粒子。新的嵌段共聚物化学将允许a）壳交联，B）核交联，c）壳降解，d）核降解，e）从聚合物纳米颗粒的壳显示配体官能度，f）在动力学控制的组装过程中延伸到作为与多酸分子络合的亲水性嵌段的聚碱，和g）由于动力学控制的分级组装，一旦被捕获在纳米颗粒的内部区域内，用于相分离的新的疏水嵌段。 新的溶剂混合途径将用于开发动力学控制的组装过程，用于将两种或更多种不同的嵌段共聚物捕获到相同的纳米颗粒中，用于局部相分离和多室颗粒构造。 所得的多室颗粒然后可以经历额外的组装和/或合成步骤，在一个分层的建设过程中走向任意的，不对称的结构和未来的functions.NON-TECHNICAL摘要：这项研究将开发的能力，科学家创造纳米粒子的结构和功能前所未有的复杂性。 自然界中有很多复杂的纳米结构，它们显示出华丽的形状和功能，既有益（例如细胞内的微管，细胞膜）又有害（例如病毒）。 合成大聚合物分子的新方法，结合迫使这些分子在一起产生纳米结构的新方法，将被寻求和结合，以制造非凡的合成纳米结构。 通过努力，制造这些纳米材料的构造方法将像平版印刷术在制造现代电子产品的微处理器和存储器中一样常规。 理想情况下，最终的纳米结构将是任意的结构和有用的光刻生产的设备在未来。 谁执行这个跨学科研究的学生将获得纳米材料科学和聚合物化学的广泛和深入的知识。 所有参与的学生将通过K-12活动向大学预科学生传播这些知识，这些活动利用研究开发有趣，有趣的主题，以促进他们对科学和技术的兴趣。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This project is a collaboration between the University of Delaware and Texas A&M which aims to establish new experimental paradigms for the construction of novel, exotic nanoparticles. Protocols will be developed that direct block copolymer solution behavior through fine-tuning stagewise iterations of kinetic vs. thermodynamic control and the application of chemical modifications at desired stages. In addition, a new toolbox of block copolymer functionality will be formulated for solution construction of nanoparticles. New block copolymer chemistries will allow a) shell crosslinking, b) core crosslinking, c) shell degradation, d) core degradation, e) display of ligand functionality from shell of polymer nanoparticle, f) extension to polybases as hydrophilic blocks for complexation with multiacid molecules during kinetically controlled assembly, and g) new hydrophobic blocks for phase separation once trapped within internal domains of the nanoparticles due to kinetically controlled hierarchical assembly. New solvent mixing pathways will be used to develop kinetically-controlled assembly processes for trapping two or more different block copolymers into the same nanoparticle for local phase separation and multicompartment particle construction. Resultant multicompartment particles can then undergo additional assembly and/or synthetic steps in a hierarchical construction process towards arbitrary, asymmetric structure and future function.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This research will develop the ability of scientists to create particles on the nanoscale with unprecedented complexity in structure and function. Nature contains plenty of examples of complex nanostructures that display ornate shape and function, both beneficial (e.g. microtubules within cells, cell membranes) and deleterious (e.g. viruses). New methods of synthesizing large polymer molecules, combined with new methods for forcing these molecules together to produce nanostructures, will be sought and combined to make extraordinary synthetic nanostructures. With effort, the construction method to make these nanomaterials will be as routine as lithography is in making microprocessors and memories for modern electronics. Ideally, the final nanostructures will be as arbitrary in structure and useful as lithographically produced devices in the future. The students who perform this interdisciplinary research will gain a broad and deep knowledge of nanomaterials science and polymer chemistry. All students involved will spread this knowledge to pre-college students through K-12 activities that use the research to develop fun, interesting topics to promote their interest in science and technology.