Polymer dispersed self-assembling small molecules

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Studies on supramolecular assembly, mediated by e.g., hydrogen bond and p-stacking interactions is an active area of research at this time. Controlling such assembly to provide optimum morphology (e.g., for inkjet applications) was the purpose of our studies on carbamates with alkyl side chains of different lengths. These molecules also form organo-gels in specific solvents. We also reported the micellar and vesicular assembly of perylene end-capped poly (dimethyl siloxane) due to the self-assembly of the perylene via p-stacking. Here the self-assembled molecules form phase separated aggregate structures in the polymer matrix This proposal aims at studying the morphologies of polymer composites in which these self-assembling molecules are dispersed and at exploring the means of controlling these. Although there have been studies on the morphology of polymer dispersed liquid crystals, to the best of our knowledge, those involving self-assembling small molecules have not been explored so far. We believe that no study has been reported where self- assembling molecules are dispersed in the matrix, and how the self-assembly is perturbed or facilitates novel morphological designs. We are initiating such studies. Polymer gels with small molecules have never been reported so far. Thus, this is a new and novel area of research, which could lead to a wide range of applications and related studies. We believe that we are thus opening up a new direction of research. Thus, (1) Self-assembling small molecules will be dispersed in a polymer matrix and we will study how the dispersion of the small molecule is affected by the hydrogen bond, p-stacking or similar interactions. The basic molecular mechanisms will be studied. (2) Polymeric amphiphilic systems, using functional molecules appropriate to optoelectronic and photonic applications will be designed and means to control their self-assembled morphologies will be studied. (3) Polymer gels incorporating such self-assembling molecules will also be prepared.