Assembly of Novel Branched Ionic Polymers: Chirality Induction and 2D Heterostructures

非技术概述离子聚合物（由具有含离子基团的长分子链制成的材料）具有由离子基团的分子间和界面相互作用引导的独特内部形态以及用于广泛应用的导电性能。 这些材料将在这里进行研究，以及相关的支化聚电解质，其中由丰富的可电离基团产生的分子间和分子内相互作用可以进一步用于控制聚合物的形态，形状和导电性。具体而言，本项目将合成和研究的合成支化大分子和有序二维纳米材料的手性螺旋组织对于新型复合材料和涉及能量储存、能量转换和相关节能的先进应用具有潜在的兴趣。 在这些离子聚合物复合材料的潜在未来科学和工程应用中，轻质固体和液体电解质，用于先进的可穿戴电池和无动力设备，以提高人类的表现，该项目集中于具有多个官能度的支化离子聚合物和手性支化聚电解质以及在从单个大分子到多组分组件和形状持久材料。 首先，将利用末端手性基团的弱离子相互作用或共价键合来诱导支化聚合物胶束溶液中以及在不同基底和纳米结构上自组装时的手性双螺旋型的新型螺旋组织。 第二，将探索离子聚合物和具有互补功能的官能化2D材料（如具有互补功能的MXene）的共组装，用于堆叠的有机-无机异质结构和具有多个功能的Janus星星聚合物。 该研究将影响我们对多相离子聚合物与功能化纳米片的定向共组装的理解，并推动具有特殊有序和性能的新型有机-无机功能纳米复合材料领域的发展。 该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并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，被认为值得支持。

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYIonic polymers (materials made of long molecular chains with ion-containing groups) possess unique internal morphologies guided by intermolecular and interfacial interactions of ionic groups and conductive properties for a wide range of applications. These materials will be studied here, as well as related branched polyelectrolytes, for which inter- and intra- molecular interactions resulting from the abundant ionizable groups can be further utilized to control the polymer morphology, shape, and conductivity. Specifically, the chiral helical organization of synthetic branched macromolecules and organized two-dimensional nanomaterials, which will be synthesized and studied in this project, are of potential interest for novel composite materials and advanced applications involving energy storage, energy conversion, and related energy saving. Among potential future science and engineering applications of these ionic polymeric composite materials are flexible, lightweight solid and liquid electrolytes for advanced wearable batteries and powerless devices for improved human performance and well-being.TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis project is focused on branched ionic polymers with multiple functionalities and chiral branched polyelectrolytes and 2D heterostacks organized across multiple lengthscales from individual macromolecules to multicomponent assemblies and shape-persistent materials. First, weak ionic interactions or covalent bonding of terminal chiral groups will be exploited to induce novel helicoidal organization of chiral nematic type in branched polymer micellar solutions and upon self-assembly on different substrates and nanostructures. Second, co-assembly of ionic polymers and functionalized 2D materials such as MXenes with complementary functionalities will be explored for stacked organic-inorganic heterostructures and Janus star polymers with multiple functionalities. The research will impact our understanding of directed co-assembly of multi-phase ionic polymers with functionalized nanosheets and advance the field of novel organic-inorganic functional nanocomposites with special ordering and properties. .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.