NIRT: Enhancing the Properties of Nanoscale Electrospun Polymer Fibers thru Chemical Architecture, Surface Texturing Optimization Processing Protocols

这个纳米级跨学科团队（NIRT）由材料研究部（DMR）、化学和运输系统部（CTS）和设计、制造和工业创新部（DMII）共同资助，将使用基因定向合成方法来精确控制放置（每隔10个小时）。6 nm， 1.0 nm和/或1.6 nm)沿着多肽主链的反应性化学基团。这些活性基团将具有生物活性和电活性，为通过静电纺丝技术加工成纤维提供了新的材料。通过电子显微镜、小角中子散射和拉曼光谱对纤维形貌进行表征。单个纤维的机械性能将使用MEMS和NEMS设备进行评估，而静电纺纤维垫的生物活性将通过细胞培养研究进行研究。这些研究结果将为未来的生物材料结构提供分子设计规则，并将导致用于伤口修复的新一代组织支架材料。由此产生的混合生物电子材料将解决下一代平板电脑显示器的一些寿命和亮度问题，这对未来的工业制造至关重要。通过在杜邦的实习经历，以及开发纳米材料设计和加工的新课程，将研究和教育相结合，将为学生提供知识和经验基础，使他们具备行业急需的就业技能

This Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Team (NIRT), co-funded by the Divisions of Materials Research (DMR), Chemical and Transport Systems (CTS) and Design, Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation (DMII) will use genetically directed synthetic methods to permit exact control of the placement (at intervals of .6 nm, 1.0 nm, and/or 1.6 nm) of reactive chemical groups along a polypeptide backbone. These reactive groups will be both biologically active and electroactive providing novel materials for processing into fibers via electrospinning techniques. The fiber morphology, which will be varied by a judicious choice of processing conditions, will be characterized by electron microscopy, small angle neutron scattering and Raman spectroscopy. Mechanical properties of individual fibers will be evaluated using MEMS and NEMS devices while the biological activity of the electrospun fiber mats will be investigated by cell incubation studies.%%%The results of these investigations will provide molecular design rules for future biomaterial constructs and will lead to a new generation of tissue scaffold materials for wound repair. The hybrid bio-electronic materials that result will address some of the lifetime and brightness issues for next generation flat panel computer displays that are critical for future industrial manufacturing. The integration of this research and education through externship experiences at DuPont and the development of new courses on nanomaterials design and processing will provide knowledge and an experience base that will equip students with the work-force ready skills critically needed by industry.***