Developing the Foundation for Novel Light-Responsive Materials: Tuning Physical Properties of Conjugated Polymer Systems by Illumination

开发新型光响应材料的基础：通过照明调节共轭聚合物系统的物理性能

• 批准号: 1409034
• 负责人: Mark Dadmun
• 金额: $ 37.2万
• 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: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-07-01 至 2018-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1409034&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Developing; Foundation; Novel; Light; Responsive

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Stimuli-responsive materials alter their structure or properties according to changes in their environment. This research program will examine novel stimuli-responsive polymers whose function and properties can be controlled by exposure to light. This is promising because light can be applied remotely without physical contact, its intensity can be tuned with great fidelity, and it can be used to pattern the materials for specific uses. Unfortunately, there are only a few compounds that can be introduced into polymers that are light responsive. This research program will provide the foundation to develop a broad range of new light-responsive materials based on polymer moleculaes that can be electrically active. This increase in available light-sensitive and -patternable polymers will offer the opportunity for new applications using controlled illumination and significantly extend the practicality of light-responsive materials. Workforce development and training of the next generation of scientists and engineers prepared to tackle the grand challenges in materials research will be realized through this integrated research-and-education program and also by engaging public high-school students in hands-on research over summer periods, providing exceptional preparation for college. Further impact will result from the completion of experiments at the neutron facilities at national laboratories (ORNL and NIST) where the students participating in this project will acquire hands-on experience in a multi-user facility. This project will also further develop the sustainable research infrastructure in Tennessee and will be implemented to enhance the participation of underrepresented groups in research.TECHNICAL SUMMARYThe overarching goal of this research program is to develop a fundamental understanding of the mechanism by which photon absorption by conjugated polymers (CP) alters their macroscopic physical properties in order to provide guidelines by which this phenomenon can be controlled and exploited to realize new stimuli-responsive materials with targeted properties. The completion of this research program will provide a comprehensive understanding of how photon absorption by a conjugated polymer alters its configuration, morphology, dynamics and thermodynamics in blends and solutions. Correlation of local electronic and structural changes to the macroscopic dynamic response of the blends in the presence and absence of light will probe the fundamental processes that hierarchically guide the change in macroscopic behavior of conjugated polymer blends as a result of photon absorption. Examination of both CP solutions and blends will provide guidelines to control this functional response on a molecular level and offer a fundamental understanding of the structural and electro-optical processes that control this phenomenon. The experimental protocol, analysis, and interpretation are also designed to be applicable to a broad range of conjugated polymers and CP/non-CP blends. Neutron scattering will be used as a primary tool to determine the structure, depth profile, and phase behavior of the CP blends and solutions of interest. The use of neutrons simplifies the variation in experimental conditions from the presence to the absence of light, as the illumination of the sample with a floodlit beam of light will not impact the detection of the scattered neutrons, unlike a similar light scattering experiment.This suite of experimental results will then be interpreted to elucidate guidelines to enable the rational design and control of novel light-responsive materials with targeted properties. This research program will therefore provide a fundamental understanding of the mechanism by which local photon absorption translates over multiple length scales to a variation in macroscopic physical properties with the goal of providing strategies by which this unexpected phenomenon can be manipulated and directed to produce new light-responsive materials.

刺激响应材料根据其环境的变化改变其结构或性质。 该研究计划将研究新型刺激响应聚合物，其功能和特性可以通过暴露于光来控制。 这是有希望的，因为光可以在没有物理接触的情况下远程应用，其强度可以非常逼真地调节，并且可以用于为特定用途图案化材料。不幸的是，只有少数化合物可以引入到光响应的聚合物中。 这项研究计划将为开发基于聚合物分子的广泛的新型光响应材料提供基础，这些材料可以是电活性的。 这种可用的光敏和可图案化聚合物的增加将为使用受控照明的新应用提供机会，并显着扩展光响应材料的实用性。劳动力开发和下一代科学家和工程师的培训准备应对材料研究的重大挑战将通过这个综合研究和教育计划实现，并通过让公立高中学生在暑期进行实践研究，为大学提供特殊的准备。在国家实验室（ORNL和NIST）的中子设施完成实验将产生进一步的影响，参加该项目的学生将在多用户设施中获得实践经验。该项目还将进一步发展田纳西州的可持续研究基础设施，并将实施，以提高参与研究的代表性不足的群体。改变它们的宏观物理性质，以便提供可以控制和利用这种现象的指导方针，以实现具有目标性质的新的刺激响应材料。该研究计划的完成将提供对共轭聚合物的光子吸收如何改变其在共混物和溶液中的构型，形态，动力学和热力学的全面理解。 局部电子和结构的变化的相关性的宏观动态响应的共混物在光的存在和不存在下，将探测的基本过程，分层指导的宏观行为的共轭聚合物共混物的光子吸收的结果的变化。 CP解决方案和混合物的检查将提供指导方针，以控制这种功能性反应的分子水平上，并提供控制这种现象的结构和电光过程的基本理解。 实验协议，分析和解释也被设计为适用于广泛的共轭聚合物和CP/非CP共混物。 中子散射将被用作主要工具，以确定结构，深度分布，和相行为的CP共混物和解决方案的利益。 中子的使用简化了从有光到无光的实验条件的变化，因为用泛光光束照射样品不会影响散射中子的检测，与类似的光散射实验不同。这套实验结果将被解释为阐明指导方针，以使新的光-具有目标特性的响应材料。 因此，这项研究计划将提供对局部光子吸收在多个长度尺度上转化为宏观物理性质变化的机制的基本理解，目的是提供策略，通过这些策略可以操纵和引导这种意想不到的现象，以产生新的光响应材料。