Soft Materials Research Center

*非技术摘要*SMRC软材料研究中心的研究由两个跨学科研究小组组成：液晶前沿(LCF)和点击核酸(CNA)。LCF的研究方向是新型软材料的创造、理解、开发和应用，液晶有序是一个潜在的主题。这个IRG以令人兴奋的新方式扩展了LC科学的视野和应用，进化出了活性、功能性和响应性的材料。液晶显示器的这些特性，包括液晶显示电光，将在新的结构表现形式和软材料的应用中寻求。CNA IRG提出了一个令人兴奋的新领域，它使用广泛可访问的硫醇-烯点击化学，这一化学家族以其强劲、清洁的反应而闻名，以连接核酸，从而开发被称为CNAs的合成DNA类似物。CNA的一个优点是它们比天然核酸具有更大范围的化学性质。SMRC开展并继续开展国家认可的旨在提高科学素养和成就的教育推广活动。其中包括CU的材料科学，已有约80,000名CO学生参加的K-12巡回科学课程；促进未被充分代表的少数族裔学生从高中过渡到本科成功的路径计划，以及与未被充分代表的少数族裔服务的本科机构的合作伙伴关系，这些机构正在向STEM研究生过渡。该中心催生了活跃的博尔德/丹佛的液晶相关初创公司和衍生公司的工业活动，许多公司雇用了中心毕业生，取得的成就包括LC-on-Si(LCOS)微显示器的商业化。*技术摘要*液晶前沿(LCF)和点击核酸(CNA)IRGS将材料设计、合成、建模和物理研究融为一体，形成一个无缝的网络，推动和促进新材料的发展。LCF研究中特别感兴趣的是利用手性和极性相互作用的新的LC结构主题，如螺旋向列和螺旋纳米丝相；胶体板和胶棒的新型LC相，包括铁磁向列相；LC与拓扑复杂胶体的相互作用；用于电解液和有机光伏的纳米孔LC聚合物；用于生物检测的活性界面LC；色性LC混合物；以及纳米DNA的分级自组装。IRG2，即CNA IRG，将利用CNA提供的机会，通过一种合成方法，专注于为CNA开发高度可扩展的合成工艺，扩大基本字母表，并控制主链和侧链，以适应分子兼容性。CNA的自组装推力将强调在纳米模板和纳米颗粒组织、嵌段共聚物和水凝胶等应用中利用CNA提供的增强的可编程性和设计灵活性。SMRC开展并继续开展国家认可的旨在提高科学素养和成就的教育推广活动。该中心催生了活跃的博尔德/丹佛的LC相关初创公司和衍生公司的工业活动，许多公司雇用了Center毕业生，取得的成就包括LC-on-Si(LCOS)微显示器的商业化。

****Nontechnical abstract****The research of the Soft Materials Research Center, SMRC is organized into two Interdisciplinary Research Groups: Liquid Crystal Frontiers (LCF), and Click Nucleic Acids (CNA). LCF research is directed toward the creation, understanding, development, and application of novel soft materials, with liquid crystal ordering as an underlying theme. This IRG expands the horizons and application of LC science in exciting new ways, evolving materials that are active, functional, and responsive. These attributes, long appreciated in LCs, including LC display electro-optics, will be sought in new structural manifestations and applications of soft materials. The CNA IRG proposes an exciting new area that uses broadly accessible thiol-ene click chemistries, a family of chemistries know for their robust, clean reactions, to link nucleic acids thus developing synthetic analogs of DNA called CNAs. An advantage of CNAs is that they have a greater range of chemical properties than those exhibited by natural nucleic acids. The SMRC operates and continues to develop nationally recognized education outreach activities directed toward the enhancement of science literacy and achievement. These include Materials Science from CU, K-12 traveling science classes that have reached ~80,000 CO students; Pathways Programs which facilitate the passage of under-represented minority students from high school to undergraduate success, and partnerships with under-represented minority-serving undergraduate institutions transitioning undergraduate students toward STEM graduate careers. The Center has nucleated a vibrant Boulder/Denver industrial activity of LC-related start-up and spin-off companies, many employing Center graduates, with achievements that include commercialization of LC-On-Si (LCOS) microdisplays.****Technical abstract****The Liquid Crystal Frontiers (LCF), and Click Nucleic Acids (CNA) IRGs meld materials design, synthesis, modeling, and physical study into a seamless web that drives and facilitates the evolution of new materials. Of particular interest in LCF research are new LC structural themes that exploit the interplay of chirality and polarity, such as the heliconical nematic and helical nanofilament phases; novel LC phases of colloidal plates and rods including ferromagnetic nematics; LC interaction with topologically complex colloids; nanoporous LC polymers for electrolytes and organic photovoltaics; active interfacial LCs for biodetection; chromonic LC mixtures; and hierarchical self-assembly of nanoDNA. IRG2, the CNA IRG, will pursue the opportunities presented by CNA with a synthetic approach that focuses on the development of highly scalable synthetic processes for CNAs, on expansion of the base alphabets, and on control of the backbone and side chains to tailor molecular compatibility. The CNA self-assembly thrust will emphasize taking advantage of the enhanced programmability and design flexibility afforded by CNAs, in applications including nanotemplating and nanopatterning, nanoparticle organization, block copolymers, and hydrogels. The SMRC operates and continues to develop nationally recognized education outreach activities directed toward the enhancement of science literacy and achievement. The Center has nucleated a vibrant Boulder/Denver industrial activity of LC-related start-up and spin-off companies, many employing Center graduates, with achievements that include commercialization of LC-On-Si (LCOS) microdisplays.