Self-Assembly of a Novel Organogel and Applications to Nanostructured Materials

摘要CTS-0438463 Vijay T.John/Gary L.McPherson Tulane University一种新型有机凝胶的自组装及其在纳米材料中的应用技术综述基础和应用纳米技术研究开发一种新型的自组装有机凝胶，当溶解在非极性溶剂中的阴离子表面活性剂(AOT)与合适的苯酚接触时，这种自组装凝胶自发形成。最近，人们对设计在非极性溶剂中通过非共价相互作用形成类聚合物网络的小分子凝胶剂产生了浓厚的研究兴趣。这种凝胶在纳米结构膜等应用中作为材料合成的模板具有巨大的潜力，作为传感器开发的潜在的场响应材料，以及在与含有有机泄漏相关的环境应用中具有巨大的潜力。PI的早期工作表明，AOT+苯酚有机凝胶体系似乎由三个层次的自组装组成，从链到纤维，再到纤维组装。这项拟议的工作试图了解当掺杂酚类成分时，阴离子表面活性剂从反胶束到凝胶状态的转变。这将通过一系列的实验技术来完成，包括FTIR和核磁共振光谱、中子、X射线和光散射、差示扫描量热、原子力和电子显微镜以及流变学。然后，PI建议开发这些有机凝胶作为材料合成的模板。通过聚合溶剂相，我们将能够生成纳米结构材料。他们将能够在凝胶链中加入功能纳米颗粒(发光和/或磁性)，以制备可能具有可擦除特征的新的场响应材料。在所有这些应用中，我们将利用凝胶的新特性(1)通过阴离子表面活性剂和苯酚的直接接触自发形成的能力，以及(2)在材料合成完成后，通过用水冲洗非常容易地破坏凝胶模板，从而破坏导致凝胶形成的AOT-苯酚氢键的能力。这项研究可能会为含有功能和场响应材料的薄膜提供新的、简单的方法。更广泛的影响该项目将为本科生和研究生提供出色的跨学科培训。学生们将接触到光谱、显微镜和散射技术的结合，这将是一次宝贵的研究经历。杜兰大学运营着一个独特的协调仪器设施，在那里，集中的仪器设备和专业知识可以为学生提供出色的培训。项目调查人员完全致力于提供教育机会，并有与路易斯安那州少数民族参与研究联盟(LAMP)等正式计划一起努力实现这些目标的良好记录。这项研究是杜兰大学合作的延续，杜兰大学培养了几名博士毕业生，并为10多名学生提供了本科生研究经验。从技术角度来看，所提出的研究结果可能应用于新型纳米结构膜和传感器的开发。该提案不是着眼于特定的短期应用，而是为了开发对长期技术发展具有影响的概念。

ABSTRACT CTS-0438463Vijay T. John/ Gary L. McPhersonTulane UniversitySelf-Assembly of a Novel Organogel and Applications to Nanostructured Materials Technical Summary Fundamental and applied Nano-Technology research to develop a new class of self-assembled organogels that spontaneously form when an anionic surfactant (AOT) dissolved in a nonpolar solvent is contacted with the suitable phenol. There has been significant recent research interest in designing small molecule gelators that form polymer-like networks in nonpolar solvents through non-covalent interactions. Such gels have tremendous potential as templates for materials synthesis in applications such as nanostructured membranes, as potential field responsive materials for sensor development, and in environmental applications related to containing organic spills. The PI's earlier work has indicated that the AOT+phenol organogel system appears to be made up of three levels of self-assembly, from strands to fibers and thence to fiber assemblies. The proposed work seeks to understand the transition from inverse micelles of the anionic surfactant, to the gel state, upon doping with the phenolic component. This will be done through a full range of experimental techniques involving FTIR and NMR spectroscopy, neutron, x-ray and light scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, atomic force and electron microscopy, and rheology. The PI's then propose to develop these organogels as templates for materials synthesis. By polymerizing the solvent phase, we will be able to generate nanostructured materials. They will be able to incorporate functional nanoparticles (luminescent and/or magnetic) into the gel strands to prepare new field responsive materials with possible erasable signatures. In all these applications, we will exploit the novel properties of the gel (1) its ability to spontaneously form by direct contact of the anionic surfactant and the phenol, and (2) the ability to very easily destroy the gel template by washing with water, thus breaking the AOT-phenol hydrogen bonding responsible for gelation, once the materials synthesis is done. The research may lead to new and simple methods for thin film membranes containing functional and field responsive materials. Broader impacts The project will provide excellent interdisciplinary training for both undergraduates and graduate students. The combination of spectroscopy, microscopy and scattering techniques that the students will be exposed to will be an invaluable research experience. Tulane operates a unique Coordinated Instrumentation Facility where centralized instrumentation and expertise allow excellent student training. The project investigators are fully committed to providing educational opportunities, and have a strong record of working towards such objectives with formalized programs such as the Louisiana Alliance for Minority Participation in Research (LAMP). The research is the continuation of collaboration at Tulane that has produced several Ph.D. graduates and has provided undergraduate research experience to over 10 students. From a technical perspective, the proposed research results may have applications to the development of novel nanostructured membranes and sensors. Rather than focus on a specific short-term application, the proposal is written to develop concepts that have implications in long-range technology development.