Fractal Nanoarchitectures

大分子、树枝状大分子、聚合物、超分子化学和纳米技术等领域的交叉和整合正在迅速扩展。本文提出的研究，描述了新材料的构造和分析。公众将通过报告这一前沿领域的基本科学成果、应用技术、学生培训和外展项目而受益。智力价值：拟议的活动探索了基于主要研究人员先前结果中的逻辑扩展而面向应用的新材料的新颖和创新途径。基于三联吡啶的树枝状网络、分形纳米结构自组装和形状持久型纳米结构引入了高分子构建和应用的新途径和新概念。通过在不同的分子尺度上结合自相似的模体，分形纳米分子的设计和合成进一步融合了空间艺术和数学。将超分子大分子化学与经典的有机和无机体系相融合，将为材料和器件工程带来新的思维过程、可用的方法和构建块。具体地说，我们在此建议扩大我们对分支结构的研究基于(1)树枝状大分子到树枝状分子的连接性，因为我们已经开发了三联吡啶-金属-三联吡啶组装预制的树枝状大分子和树状结构组件，从而产生了新型的基于网络的结构。此外，我们打算(2)扩大我们对用于构建纳米级、精确定位的多金属阵列的分形结构的研究；以及(3)调查在构建多金属、超支化结构中结合形状持久的、基于三联吡啶的配体的潜力和效果。更广泛的方面：通过提供适当阶段的概念和技术科学挑战，促进对拟议工作的发现和理解，将促进在所有教育水平，包括K-12、本科生、研究生、博士后和(国内和国际)访问科学家的学生培训和充实的一体化。这将促进学生的能力，同时灌输和培养批判性思维的特定元素，这是所有学科所必需的。通过直接支持(来自额外资金来源)和社区外联项目(主要是通过聚合物科学和聚合物工程学院)鼓励代表性不足的群体和少数群体的参与，并包括在城市内的学校演讲和广泛促进科学和技术理解的K-12教师参与。此外，有关聚合物材料，特别是树状大分子的科学信息通过首席调查者网站(www.endrimers.com)发布，目前该网站每月的平均访问量为6,000-7,000次。阿克伦-克利夫兰大都会大约有300万居民(500英里半径覆盖美国42%的人口和加拿大40%的人口)。这为100英里范围内的近2000家聚合物公司提供了广泛多样的员工队伍(具有独特的与聚合物相关的区域互动机会)。拟议的活动将通过研究、培训、演示和教育增强俄亥俄州北卡罗来纳州的劳动力，从而增强阿克伦大学的使命和美国在社区和地区的科学议程。阿克伦大学研究基金会和技术转移办公室将促进拟议工作产生的发现和技术的商业化，并与阿克伦商业化中心和新成立的材料实验站(均由阿克伦大学赞助)合作，致力于积极营销大学的研究。

The fields of macromolecular, dendrimer, polymer, supramolecular chemistry, andnanotechnology, are expanding rapidly as they intersect and integrate. The research proposedherein, describes new material construction and analysis. Benefits to the public will arise throughthe reporting of basic scientific results, applied technology, student training, and outreachprograms in this cutting edge field.Intellectual Merit: The proposed activity explores novel and innovative routes to newapplication-oriented materials predicated on logical extensions of foundations in prior results ofthe principal investigator. Terpyridine-based dendritic networks, fractal nanoarchitectural selfassembly,and shape-persistent nanoscale constructs introduce new avenues and concepts formacromolecular construction and utility. Fractal nanomolecular design and syntheses furtherintegrates the spatial arts and mathematics by incorporating self-similar motifs at differentmolecular scales. Melding of supramolecular macromolecular chemistry with that of classicalorganic and inorganic regimes will lead to new thought processes," available methodologies, andbuilding blocks for material and device engineering.Specifically, we herein propose to expand our investigations of branched architectures viadendritic construction based on (1) "dendrimer-to-dendron" connectivity, since we havedeveloped terpyridine-metal-terpyridine assembly of preconstructed dendrimers and dendriticcomponents resulting in novel network-based architectures. Additionally, we intend to (2) extendour studies on fractal architectures for the construction of nanoscopic, precisely positioned,multiple metal arrays; and (3) investigate the potential and effects of incorporation of shapepersistent,terpyridine-based ligands in the construction of polymetallic, hyperbranchedarchitectures.Broader Aspects: Advancement of discovery and understanding of the proposed workwill promote the integration of student training and enrichment, at all education levels, includingK-12, undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral and visiting scientists (national and international),by providing appropriately staged conceptual and technical scientific challenges. This willfacilitate student competence while instilling and nurturing specific elements of critical thinking,requisite for all disciplines. Participation of underrepresented groups and minorities is encouragedthrough direct support (from additional funding sources) and community outreach projects(primarily through the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering) and include innercityschool presentations and K-12 teacher involvement that broadly promote scientific andtechnical understanding. Additionally, scientific information about polymeric materials, anddendrimers in particular, is promulgated through the principal investigator's website(www.dendrimers.com ) which currently averages 6,000 - 7,000 visits per month.The Akron-Cleveland metroplex has approximately 3 million residents (a 500 mileradius encompasses 42 % of the US population and 40 % of the Canadian population). Thisprovides a broadly diverse workforce (with unique polymer-related opportunities for regionalinteractions) with close to 2000 polymer companies within 100 miles. The proposed activitieswill enhance the N.E. Ohio workforce through research, training, presentations, and education,thus augmenting the mission of the University of Akron and the U.S. scientific agenda in thecommunity and region.Commercialization of discoveries and technologies arising from the proposed work willbe facilitated by the University of Akron Research Foundation and Office of TechnologyTransfer, in association with the Akron Commercialization Center and the newly-formedMaterials Experiment Station, (all under the auspices of the University of Akron) that iscommitted to aggressive marketing of University research.