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CAREER: Vitrimer gels as a platform for homogenous and meso/nanostructured networks

职业：Vitrimer 凝胶作为均质和介观/纳米结构网络的平台

基本信息

批准号：
2144007
负责人：
Ralm Ricarte
金额：
$ 67.76万
依托单位：
Florida State University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
2022
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2022-08-01 至 2027-07-31
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2144007&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
CAREER Vitrimer gels platform homogenous

项目摘要

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:A vitrimer is a relatively new type of polymer that is insoluble yet still flows at high temperatures. These paradoxical traits – not found in any other type of polymer – enable vitrimers to be mechanically robust, chemically resistant, and also recyclable. While vitrimer research has mostly focused on dry bulk materials, vitrimer gels (where the material is swollen with a liquid solvent) are also predicted to have unique properties. Unlike conventional polymer gels, vitrimer gels are expected to have minimal structural defects. Increasing the interaction strength between the vitrimer and solvent is anticipated to induce the gel to assemble into a complex nanostructure. Such behavior invites the development of adaptable materials that switch properties on command, which are needed for creating safer batteries, and more efficient separations membranes and catalyst scaffolds. To that end, this work will determine the molecular design principles of vitrimer gels. Through tuning the interactions between vitrimer and solvent, gels with either uniform or complex nanostructures will be realized. Success in this research will unlock a new generation of temperature responsive polymer materials with adaptable nanostructures. Augmenting the research objectives, the education plan will encourage underrepresented minority (URM) high school students to pursue STEM PhD degrees. To achieve this goal, students from a local Tallahassee high school will be introduced to STEM role models and research opportunities through in-class science experiments and summer research internships in the PI’s laboratory.TECHNICAL SUMMARY:A vitrimer is a dynamic polymer network that has associative cross-links (XLs), which maintain network connectivity but undergo exchange reactions. Vitrimers express unique structural and thermodynamic traits that will open new pathways towards temperature responsive materials with adaptable meso- and nanostructures. Specifically, the proposed work will investigate vitrimer gels, where the network is swollen by solvent. Theory and simulations predict that associative XLs cause vitrimer gels to have minimal network defects, and induce phase separation into vitrimer-rich and solvent-rich domains. To address the knowledge gap between theory and experiment, the PI and his students will elucidate how associative XLs affect vitrimer gel network topology and self-assembly. The specific aims are to (I) develop synthetic routes to prepare model vitrimer gels, (II) investigate the network structure of homogeneous single-phase gels, and (III) examine the phase behavior and dynamics of meso- and nanostructured gels. The proposed approach will establish vitrimer gels as adaptable materials whose morphologies actuate in response to a stimulus, thereby satisfying urgent technological needs in energy storage, separations, and catalysis.The main educational objective is to create an outreach program to encourage underrepresented minority (URM) high school students to pursue a PhD in STEM. Collaborating with a local high school, the program will introduce URM high school students to STEM role models and research opportunities by (I) guiding them through in-class polymer-related experiments and (II) placing rising URM high school seniors in summer research internships to work on vitrimer gel projects – thereby integrating the research and educational thrusts..This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该奖项全部或部分由2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）资助。非技术性总结：玻璃聚合物是一种相对较新的聚合物，不溶于水，但在高温下仍能流动。这些自相矛盾的特性-在任何其他类型的聚合物中都没有发现-使玻璃体聚合物具有机械坚固性，耐化学腐蚀性，并且可回收利用。虽然玻璃体聚合物的研究主要集中在干燥的散装材料上，但玻璃体聚合物凝胶（其中材料用液体溶剂溶胀）也被预测具有独特的性质。与传统的聚合物凝胶不同，玻璃体凝胶预期具有最小的结构缺陷。增加玻璃化物和溶剂之间的相互作用强度预期诱导凝胶组装成复杂的纳米结构。这种行为促使人们开发出适应性强的材料，这些材料可以根据命令切换特性，这是制造更安全的电池、更高效的分离膜和催化剂支架所必需的。为此，这项工作将确定的分子设计原则的vitrimer凝胶。通过调节玻璃化转变温度和溶剂与玻璃化转变温度之间的相互作用，可以得到具有均匀或复杂纳米结构的凝胶。这项研究的成功将开启新一代具有适应性纳米结构的温度响应聚合物材料。为了扩大研究目标，教育计划将鼓励代表性不足的少数民族（URM）高中学生攻读STEM博士学位。为了实现这一目标，塔拉哈西当地一所高中的学生将通过课堂科学实验和PI实验室的暑期研究实习，了解STEM榜样和研究机会。技术概要：硫酸盐聚合物是一种动态聚合物网络，具有缔合交联（XL），保持网络连通性，但会发生交换反应。玻璃聚合物具有独特的结构和热力学特性，这将为具有自适应介观和纳米结构的温度响应材料开辟新的途径。具体而言，拟议的工作将调查vitrimer凝胶，其中网络被溶剂溶胀。理论和模拟预测，缔合XL导致玻璃体凝胶具有最小的网络缺陷，并诱导相分离成富玻璃体和富溶剂域。为了解决理论和实验之间的知识差距，PI和他的学生将阐明缔合XL如何影响玻璃体凝胶网络拓扑结构和自组装。具体的目标是（I）开发合成路线，以制备模型vitrimer凝胶，（II）研究均匀的单相凝胶的网络结构，和（III）检查介观和纳米结构凝胶的相行为和动力学。所提出的方法将建立vitrimer凝胶作为适应性材料，其形态响应于刺激而致动，从而满足能源存储，分离和催化方面的迫切技术需求。主要教育目标是创建一个推广计划，鼓励代表性不足的少数民族（URM）高中学生攻读STEM博士学位。与当地的高中合作，该计划将介绍URM高中学生干榜样和研究机会（一）通过课堂聚合物相关的实验指导他们，（二）把上升URM高中高年级学生在夏季研究实习工作vitrimer凝胶项目-从而整合研究和教育的推力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。