CAREER: Ring-Opening Polymerization-Induced Crystallization-Driven Self-Assembly

第1部分：非技术含量的聚合物是我们日常生活中必不可少的。然而，全球塑料垃圾问题是一个严重的问题。此外，聚合物工业由于其高能源需求产生了大量的温室气体。该项目将帮助我们向可持续的聚合物行业过渡，通过开发和研究高能效的化学物质来创造可生物降解、生物兼容和可再生来源的聚合物材料。为了实现这一目标，该项目将研究聚合物分子在通过聚合方法产生时如何组装和组织成不同的结构。这一点很重要，因为聚合物材料的性质取决于它们在纳米、微观和宏观尺度上的组织方式。在这个项目中，将利用先进的电子显微镜技术实时观察聚合物组织成结构。这些知识将帮助我们理解为什么不同的化学成分和不同的聚合物形成不同类型的结构。最终，这些知识将帮助我们使用可持续的化学方法设计具有有用性能的聚合物。通过这个项目，下一代聚合物科学家将接受高级分析工具方面的培训，以提供对该领域的基本理解。此外，在整个项目中使用包容性教学和指导实践将影响聚合物科学的多样性和保持性。第2部分：技术总结这个职业项目的目标是开发方法来理解和控制驱动开环聚合诱导结晶驱动的嵌段共聚物自组装的机制。通过发展反应来控制聚合和自组装的热力学和动力学，以及利用液体和低温电子显微镜和X射线散射方法来研究这些机理和结构。为了在聚合物化学和层次化结构的形成之间建立联系，该项目将研究反应速率和自组装机制之间的关系。研究主题被紧密结合到教育活动中，包括开发一门新的研究生-本科生水平的联合课程，该课程将通过UCI OpenChem计划发展为一门在线课程。此外，还将开发普通化学和基于聚合物的K-12推广模块的主动学习方法。综合的教育和研究计划满足了向可持续材料经济转型的迫切需要，并培训了不同的学生学习分析聚合物科学的基础知识，为他们进入并领导未来的STEM工作做好准备。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

PART 1: NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYPolymers are essential for our everyday lives. However, the problem of global plastics waste is a critical one. In addition, the polymer industry generates a large amount of greenhouse gases due to its high energy demand. This project will aid our transition towards a sustainable polymer industry by developing and studying energy-efficient chemistries to create biodegradable, biocompatible, and renewably sourced polymeric materials. To achieve this goal, this project will study how polymer molecules assemble and organize themselves into different structures as they are created through polymerization methods. This is important because the properties of polymeric materials are dependent on how they organize at the nano-, micro- and macro- scales. Highly advanced electron microscopic techniques will be utilized in this project to watch the polymers organize into structures in real time. This knowledge will help us to understand why different chemistries and different polymers form into different types of structures. Ultimately, this knowledge will help us to design polymers with useful properties using sustainable chemistries. Through this project, the next generation of polymer scientists will be trained on advanced analytical tools to provide a fundamental understanding across the field. Furthermore, the diversity and retention in polymer science will be impacted by using inclusive teaching and mentoring practices throughout the project.PART 2: TECHNICAL SUMMARYThe objective for this CAREER project is to develop methods to understand and control the mechanisms that drive ring-opening polymerization-induced crystallization-driven self-assembly of block copolymers. Investigation of the mechanisms and structures will be achieved by developing reactions to control the thermodynamics and kinetics of polymerization and self-assembly and by utilizing liquid and cryogenic electron microscopy and X-ray scattering methods. To provide a link between the polymer chemistry and the formation of hierarchical structures, the project will study the relationship between reaction rates and self-assembly mechanisms. The research themes are tightly integrated into educational activities, including the development of a new, joint graduate-undergraduate level course, which will be developed into an online course through the UCI OpenChem program. Additionally, active learning methods in general chemistry and K-12 polymer-based outreach modules will be developed. The integrated educational and research plans meet the urgent needs of transitioning towards a sustainable materials economy and training diverse students in the fundamentals of analytical polymer science, preparing them to enter and lead the future STEM workforce.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.