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

职业：开环聚合诱导结晶驱动的自组装

• 批准号: 2238834
• 负责人: Joe Patterson
• 金额: $ 59.93万
• 依托单位: University of California-Irvine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-07-01 至 2028-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2238834&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Ring; Opening; Polymerization; Induced

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.

第1部分：非技术摘要聚合物对于我们的日常生活至关重要。但是，全球塑料废物的问题是关键的问题。此外，由于其高能源需求，聚合物行业产生了大量的温室气体。该项目将通过开发和研究节能化学物质来创建可生物降解，生物相容性和重新采购的聚合物材料来帮助我们向可持续聚合物行业的过渡。为了实现这一目标，该项目将研究聚合物分子如何通过聚合方法创建的不同结构组装并组织成不同的结构。这很重要，因为聚合物材料的特性取决于它们在纳米，微尺度和宏观尺度上的组织方式。在该项目中，将利用高级高级的电子显微镜技术观察聚合物实时组织成结构。这些知识将帮助我们理解为什么不同的化学和不同聚合物形成不同类型的结构。最终，这些知识将有助于我们使用可持续化学材料设计具有有用特性的聚合物。通过该项目，将对下一代聚合物科学家进行高级分析工具的培训，以在整个领域提供基本的了解。此外，聚合物科学的多样性和保留将通过在整个项目中使用包容性的教学和指导实践来影响。第2部分：技术摘要该职业项目的目标是开发方法来理解和控制驱动聚合诱导的结晶式自启动的自动组件的机制。通过开发反应来控制聚合和自组装的热力学和动力学，并利用液体和低温电子显微镜和X射线散射方法来实现对机制和结构的研究。为了在聚合物化学和分层结构的形成之间提供联系，该项目将研究反应速率与自组装机制之间的关系。研究主题紧密整合到教育活动中，包括开发新的联合研究生级课程课程，该课程将通过UCI OpenChem计划发展为在线课程。此外，将开发一般化学和基于K-12聚合物的外展模块中的主动学习方法。综合教育和研究计划满足了向可持续材料经济过渡的紧急需求，并培训了各种学生在分析聚合物科学的基础上，为他们准备进入和领导未来的STEM劳动力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用该基金会的知识分子功能和广泛影响来评估NSF的法定任务，并被视为值得通过评估的支持。