Polymers: Stereochemical Studies and Chiral Materials

这个奖项是为了支持理工大学的马克M。绿色由化学部的先进材料计划和材料研究部的聚合物计划。该研究的目的是发展立体化学方法来阐明聚合物的性质和它们形成的材料状态。研究的材料状态将是溶液中的单一聚合物链，浓溶液中的溶致液晶，热可逆凝胶和无定形玻璃态。单链研究将显示聚合物如何放大手性。 液晶的研究将探索液晶态如何转变为液晶态的机制。热可逆凝胶的研究将定义刚性链特有的负责任聚集态以及如何预测和控制聚合物性能。聚合物中的手性侧基可以作为探针来影响和改变聚合物的性质，研究手性对聚合物性质的影响具有重要的理论意义和技术意义。聚合物中的手性放大可以为光学开关提供基础，液晶在双折射态和扭曲双折射态之间的转换如何与LC显示器件相关，以及温度对聚合物手性的影响如何用于光学测量温度。更广泛地说，手征放大可能为外层空间的圆偏振光与地球上光学活动的起源之间的关系提供线索。

This award is made to Polytechnic University in support of the research of Prof. Mark M. Green by the Advanced Materials Program in the Chemistry Division and the Polymer Program in the Division of Materials Research. The objective of the research is to develop stereochemical approaches for elucidating the nature of polymers and the materials states they form. The material states investigated will be single polymer chains in solution, lyotrophic liquid crystals from concentrated solutions, thermally reversible gels, and the amorphous glassy state. Single chain studies will show how polymers amplify chirality. Liquid crystal studies will probe the mechanism of how nematic states are converted to cholesteric states. Studies with thermally reversible gels will define the responsible aggregate states unique to stiff chains and how to predict and control polymer properties. In all cases, chiral pendant groups attached to the polymers will be used as probes to influence and modify polymer properties.The study of the role of chirality on polymer properties will have both fundamental and technological impact. Chiral amplification in polymers can provide a basis for optical switching, how conversion of liquid crystals between the nematic and twisted nematic states relates to LC display devices, and how the effect of temperature on polymer chirality can be used to optically measure temperature. More broadly, chiral amplification may provide clues to the relationship between circularly polarized light in outer space and the origin of optical activity on earth.