SusChEM: Collaborative Research: Identification of the critical length scales and chemistries responsible for the anti-fouling properties of heterogeneous surfaces

在这个由美国国家科学基金会化学部环境化学科学项目资助的项目中，卡内基梅隆大学的Meagan S. Mauter教授和塔夫茨大学的Ayse Asatekin教授描述了具有自组装化学异质性的污染物粘附在表面上的基本机制。这项研究导致了一种新型的抗污表面，可以在高污染环境（如废水回收）中节省能源和使用膜脱盐。这些基本见解还为生物医学和海洋应用中的污染预防方法提供了信息。这项工作包括聚合物合成、胶体力和沉积实验，以及建模来评估区域大小、区域疏水性/亲水性对比和区域化学在确定污染物吸附中的相对重要性。合成并表征了一系列长度为1 ~ 10nm的表面非均质共聚物薄膜。材料的性质被用来模拟胶体在这些非均质表面上的附着效率，使用三个日益复杂的模型。这些模型是通过胶体力显微镜和基于质量的沉积测量验证的，使用石英晶体微天平进行耗散监测。最后，本项目探讨了纳米图案对胶体释放的作用，作为剪切速度的函数。参与这项研究的两名研究生和几名本科生获得了跨学科的知识和技能，并通过出版物和演讲传播他们的工作。Meagan S. Mauter教授和Ayse Asatekin教授都积极倡导扩大女性在STEM领域的参与，并将这一研究纳入他们的教学中，其中包括环境政策、聚合物科学和分离等课程。

In this project funded by the Environmental Chemical Sciences Program in the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation, Professors Meagan S. Mauter of Carnegie Mellon University and Ayse Asatekin of Tufts University characterize the fundamental mechanisms of foulant adhesion to surfaces with self-assembled chemical heterogeneity. This research leads to a novel class of fouling resistant surfaces that enable energy savings and the use of membrane desalination in highly fouling environments, such as wastewater reclamation. The fundamental insights also inform approaches to fouling prevention in biomedical and marine applications. This work involves polymer synthesis, colloidal force and deposition experiments, and modeling to evaluate the relative importance of domain size, domain hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity contrast, and domain chemistry in determining foulant adsorption. A library of copolymer films with surface heterogeneity on the length scale of 1 to 10 nm are synthesized and characterized. The material properties are used to model the attachment efficiency of colloids to these heterogeneous surfaces using three models of increasing complexity. These models are validated using colloidal force microscopy and mass-based deposition measurements using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. Finally, this project explores the role of nanopatterning on colloidal release as a function of shear velocity. Two graduate and several undergraduate students involved in this research gain interdisciplinary knowledge and skills, and disseminate their work through publications and presentations. Both Professors Meagan S. Mauter and Ayse Asatekin are active advocates of broadening the participation of women in STEM fields, and incorporate this research into their teaching, which covers classes on environmental policy, polymer science, and separations.