Discovery of Self-Assembled Network Phases And Metallic Nanostructures Driven by Confinement

限制驱动的自组装网络相和金属纳米结构的发现

• 批准号: 2411155
• 负责人: Jeremiah Johnson
• 金额: $ 46.5万
• 依托单位: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-06-01 至 2027-05-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2411155&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Discovery; Self; Assembled; Network; Phases

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Block copolymers are a class of polymers that contain two or more chemically distinct units. As a result, these polymers can spontaneously arrange themselves to produce dense arrays of nanoscale periodic structures with spacings of ~10–100 nm. These materials are useful in a range of nanoscale technologies, including the manufacture of integrated circuits and porous membranes for filtration or separation. This proposal explores a type of block copolymer called a Janus multiblock bottlebrush copolymer, in which the molecules consist of a backbone to which sidechains of three or more different polymer compositions are attached. These materials self-assemble into nanoscale structures with unusual morphologies such as layers of mesh-like structures, which cannot be formed from common block copolymers, making the Janus polymers interesting for nanomanufacturing. The proposal has two major aims: first, testing hypotheses about the formation of novel morphologies, and second, introducing a metal-containing group into the polymer to enable the formation of useful nanostructures such as microelectronic metallization wires. Success in reaching these goals will contribute to solving longstanding needs in nanofabrication based on self-assembly; in particular, the fabrication of metallic meshes and rectilinear nanostructures. Broader impacts include training of students, public events, and outreach activities to promote diversity in science and engineering.TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This proposal explores a class of Janus multiblock bottlebrush copolymers that microphase- separate to form structures with hierarchical length scales consisting of a substructure within a superstructure such as mesh-in-lamella. The morphologies of Janus bottlebrush multiblock copolymers differ qualitatively from those of Janus bottlebrush diblock copolymers and the role of the confinement of the molecules within the superstructure on the substructure assembly will be investigated both experimentally and computationally. Furthermore, the proposal develops methods to incorporate a block consisting of metal-containing N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) via a poly(NHC metallopolymer) branched macromonomer route, facilitating the selective introduction of metal species within the block copolymer. Thin film morphologies and directed self-assembly of Janus bottlebrush multiblock copolymers will be investigated using solvent annealing combined with structural analysis, and metal nanostructures such as meshes will be fabricated. The proposed research will broaden the range of self-assembled morphologies obtainable from block copolymer self-assembly, as well as extending the utility of bottlebrush copolymers by introducing a metal-containing block. Morphologies relevant to semiconductor device fabrication will form a particular focus of this project. A graduate student and undergraduates including summer researchers from a local community college will be trained in an interdisciplinary field with the opportunity to interact with a computational collaborator. The results will be incorporated into classroom teaching and seminars and will be organized and archived for public access. The senior researchers and students will engage in public outreach and promotion of diversity through various programs..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.

非技术摘要：块共聚物是一类聚合物，包含两个或多个化学上不同的单位。结果，这些聚合物可以赞助安排自己，以生成密集的纳米级周期性结构，间距约为10–100 nm。这些材料在一系列纳米级技术中很有用，包括制造综合电路和用于过滤或分离的多孔机制。该提案探索了一种称为Janus多块瓶瓶共聚物的块共聚物，其中分子由一个骨架组成，该主链附着三个或更多不同的聚合物组合物。这些材料自组装成具有异常形态的纳米级结构，例如网状结构层，这些结构不能由常见的块共聚物形成，这使Janus聚合物对纳米制造有趣。该提案具有两个主要目的：首先，测试有关新形态形成的假设，其次，将含金属的基团引入聚合物中，以使形成有用的纳米结构，例如微电子金属化电线。实现这些目标的成功将有助于解决基于自组装的纳米制作的长期需求；特别是金属网格和直线纳米结构的结构。更广泛的影响包括对学生进行培训，公共活动和外展活动，以促进科学和工程学的多样性。技术摘要：该提案探讨了一类Janus多块瓶装奶瓶共聚物，这些类别的微小相结合了与层次长度分开的结构，这些结构由诸如Mesh-In-lamella之类的超级结构组成。 Janus瓶洗多嵌段共聚物的形态与Janus瓶洗二嵌段共聚物的形态不同，并将在实验和计算上研究上层结构中分子限制的作用。此外，该提案开发了通过聚（NHC金属聚合物）分支的宏观分支途径组合的块，该块由含金属的N-杂环碳纤维（NHC）组成，以支持块共聚物中的金属物种的选择性引入。将使用溶剂退火与结构分析相结合，将研究薄膜的形态和Janus瓶洗多块共聚物的定向自组装，并将制造金属纳米结构（例如网状网络）。拟议的研究将扩大从块共聚物自组装中获得的自组装形态的范围，并通过引入含金属的块来扩展瓶洗瓶装共聚物的实用性。与半导体设备制造相关的形态将构成该项目的特定重点。包括当地社区学院的夏季研究人员在内的研究生和本科生将在跨学科领域接受培训，并有机会与计算合作者进行互动。结果将被纳入课堂教学和半岛阶段，并将组织和存档以供公众访问。高级研究人员和学生将通过各种计划参与公共宣传和促进多样性的促进。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响标准，通过评估诚实地表示支持。