EAGER: SusChEM: Investigating the Structure-Property Relationships of Sugar-Derived Block Copolymers

非技术概述：这项提议的目的是设计和研究从糖衍生的自然资源中获得的具有特殊分子结构和性质的新材料。这样的性质将包括在水溶液中可调的温度响应行为。这些材料将由连接在一起的不同类型的聚合物(“嵌段共聚物”)组成，其两个组分可以具有不同的分子结构、分子长度、化学结构等。所有这些参数对这些分子的自组装和所得到材料的结构-性能关系的影响将被研究。这一研究工作的主要成果可能导致通过利用高度丰富的自然资源来进行聚合物设计、合成和自组装的新范式。此外，该项目还主要侧重于教育和外联活动。研究团队将与华盛顿大学学校合作研究所合作，为圣路易斯社区中代表不足和贫困的学生开展外联和教育活动。技术摘要：该项目的长期研究目标是使设计和合成高性能和可再生聚合物材料的技术成为可能，这些材料利用木质纤维细胞壁糖解聚产生的各种糖。从木质纤维素中获得的糖是一种丰富的可再生原料，有可能减少对石油资源的依赖。为此，PI将设计和合成可再生的糖基嵌段共聚物(BCP)，在水溶液中表现出可调的温度响应行为。具体目标将包括通过控制聚合从设计单体、糖衍生单体和立体特定单体开发可定制的BCP；然后研究与设计用于可调节和温度响应性溶液应用的溶液组装的两亲性BCP相关的自组装和结构-性能关系。待探索的设计参数包括：侧链的拓扑结构(即线性和支链糖衍生物)；侧链的化学结构(即疏水性和亲水性)；嵌段体积分数和组成；以及总分子量。该项目与一个强有力的教育和宣传部分相结合，旨在扩大代表不足群体的参与。

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The aim of this proposal is to design and study novel materials from sugar-derived natural resources that would have special molecular architectures and properties. Such properties would include tunable, temperature-responsive behavior in water solutions. The materials will consist of different types of polymers linked together ("block copolymers") whose two components can have different molecular architectures, molecular lengths, chemical structures, etc. The effects of all these parameters will be investigated on the self-assembly of these molecules and on the structure-property relationships of the resulting materials. The major outcomes of this research effort may lead to new paradigms for polymer design, synthesis, and self-assembly through the use of highly abundant natural resources. Additionally, the project includes a major focus on educational and outreach activities. The team of investigators will collaborate with the Institute for School Partnership of Washington University to develop outreach and education activities for underrepresented and underprivileged students in the St. Louis community.TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The long-term research goal of this project is to enable technologies for the design and synthesis of high-performance and renewable polymeric materials that exploit various sugars produced by lignocellulosic cell-wall carbohydrate depolymerization. Sugars obtained from lignocellulose represent an abundant and renewable feedstock that potentially could reduce reliance on petroleum-based resources. To this end, the PIs will design and synthesize renewable sugar-derived block copolymers (BCP) that exhibit tunable temperature-responsive behavior in aqueous solution. Specific aims will involve developing tailorable BCPs from designer, sugar-derived, and stereo-specific monomers through controlled polymerization; then examining the self-assembly and structure-property relationships associated with the design of solution-assembled amphiphilic BCPs for tunable and temperature-responsive solution applications. Design parameters to be explored include: pendant topological structure (i.e., linear vs. branched sugar derivative); pendant chemical structure (i.e., hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity); block volume fractions and compositions; and overall molecular weight. The project is integrated with a strong educational and outreach component aimed at broadening participation of underrepresented groups.