Molecule-based Materials with Technologically Relevant Properties

具有技术相关特性的分子材料

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-03969
• 负责人: Preuss, Kathryn
• 金额: $ 4.66万
• 依托单位: University of Guelph
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=748054
• 关键词: Molecule; based; Materials; Technologically; Relevant

Throughout history, every major technological advancement has been a direct result of the discovery and development of a new material. The Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and the Information Age (arguably the Silicon Age) are all familiar examples of this link between technology and materials. With this in mind, the primary goal of my research is the creation of new materials that have unprecedented properties.    My research program targets materials in which the properties are related to the molecular and supramolecular structure (i.e., how the molecules interact with one another). There are several advantages to (supra)molecular designs (as opposed to ceramics or polymers, etc.). A molecule is a precisely defined unit with an exact structure, thus a molecule-based material is reproducible and a clear property-structure relationship enables rational, iterative improvements. Molecular designs take advantage of known synthetic chemistry, and supramolecular structures can be controlled via crystal engineering.    One thrust of my research program focusses on designing materials that exhibit novel, enhanced, or new combinations of electronic properties (magnetism, ferroelectric effects, qubit functionality, interaction with light). Target species are thermally stable and soluble, and therefore amenable to low-cost, low-energy processability (e.g., surface deposition), which is especially important for practical device design. Proposed targets will exhibit magnetic and ferroelectric memory (i.e., store information about environment/history). Advances in this area will impact digital electronics (e.g., RFID systems) with applications such as safety switches and sensors. Manipulation of properties (i.e., read/write) will be possible with applied fields (magnetic, electric) and with light (photomagnetic). We will expand our research on quantum computing functionality to develop highly soluble species that are amenable to spatial manipulation on surfaces, thus overcoming current obstacles in developing inexpensive quantum computing devices (e.g., decoherence and addressability of an array of unique qubits). Achievements in this area will benefit the advancement of quantum computing technology, a field in which Canada excels, with low-cost, low-energy designs.    A parallel thrust in my research program explores the mechanical properties of our materials. We will develop new plastic crystals that can be bent or twisted. Mechanical flexibility, paired with electronic functionality, is advantageous for robust device design. Moreover, it is possible to design microcrystalline actuators that can do work, controlled by an applied field or by light. Achievements in this area overcome a major obstacle in the miniaturization of machines, namely how to power the machine. This research is necessary for the realization of microbots, capable of undertaking tasks too small or too dangerous for humans (e.g., swarm robotics to explore microscopic or hostile environments).

纵观历史，每一次重大的技术进步都是新材料的发现和发展的直接结果。青铜时代、铁器时代和信息时代（可以说是硅时代）都是技术和材料之间联系的熟悉例子。考虑到这一点，我研究的主要目标是创造具有前所未有特性的新材料。 我的研究计划针对的材料，其中的性质是相关的分子和超分子结构（即，分子之间是如何相互作用的）。（超）分子设计有几个优点（与陶瓷或聚合物等相反）。分子是具有精确结构的精确定义的单元，因此基于分子的材料是可再现的，并且明确的性质-结构关系使得能够进行合理的迭代改进。分子设计利用已知的合成化学，并且超分子结构可以通过晶体工程来控制。 我的研究计划的一个重点是设计材料，展示新的，增强的，或新的电子特性（磁性，铁电效应，量子位功能，与光的相互作用）的组合。目标物质是热稳定的和可溶的，因此适合于低成本、低能量的加工性（例如，表面沉积），这对于实际器件设计尤其重要。所提出的靶将表现出磁性和铁电存储器（即，存储关于环境/历史信息）。这一领域的进步将影响数字电子产品（例如，RFID系统）与应用，如安全开关和传感器。操纵属性（即，读/写）将可以利用施加的场（磁、电）和光（光磁）。我们将扩大我们对量子计算功能的研究，以开发高度可溶的物种，这些物种可以在表面上进行空间操纵，从而克服目前开发廉价量子计算设备的障碍（例如，唯一量子位阵列的退相干和可寻址性）。这一领域的成就将有利于量子计算技术的进步，这是加拿大擅长的领域，具有低成本，低能耗的设计。 在我的研究计划中，一个平行的推力探索了我们材料的机械性能。我们将开发新的塑料晶体，可以弯曲或扭曲。机械灵活性与电子功能相结合，有利于稳健的设备设计。此外，有可能设计出可以通过施加的场或光控制来做功的微晶致动器。这一领域的成就克服了机器小型化的一个主要障碍，即如何为机器提供动力。这项研究对于实现微型机器人是必要的，微型机器人能够承担对人类来说太小或太危险的任务（例如，群机器人探索微观或敌对环境）。