CAREER: An Integrated Research and Education Plan for the Advancement of Surface Engineering via Thin Polymer Films

该项目旨在(1)扩展聚合物薄膜的基础知识，(2)通过开发一个有凝聚力的课程来扩大表面工程的教育意识，使不同年龄段的学生接触到表面工程的关键方面。该项目结合了准备工作、衬底设计和全面的表征方法，以对聚-对-二甲苯薄膜及其结构-功能关系产生根本性的新见解。在通过化学气相沉积（CVD）聚合合成功能化聚合物薄膜之前，将制备多种[2.2]副环环烷库，并优化这种[2.2]副环环烷的CVD聚合工艺，以产生定义良好的聚合物。所得到的功能化聚-对-二甲苯薄膜将从化学、结构、机械、光学和输运性质等方面进行表征。该项目还包括对聚-对-二聚烯烃薄膜的结晶、链迁移率和局部塑性的基本研究，这些研究利用了一系列分析方法，如椭偏仪、阻抗光谱、布里渊光散射和热阶段原子力显微镜。知识优势：基于CVD聚合取代[2.2]对环己烷，一个分子多样化的聚合物薄膜库将被合成。这些聚合物都具有相同的聚合物骨架，聚对二甲苯，但其侧基的化学性质和/或其侧基密度不同。通过结合准备工作、衬底设计和彻底的表征，将产生对聚合物薄膜及其结构-功能关系的全新见解。由于聚对二甲苯在聚合过程中不需要使用溶剂、引发剂或增塑剂，并且可以以良好控制的方式沉积为纳米薄膜，因此它们构成了特殊的模型系统，用于系统研究侧基功能和薄膜结构对关键薄膜性能的影响。更广泛的影响：综合研究计划将促进表面工程领域研究生和本科生的教学、训练和学习。该PI在其研究小组中积极从事CVD聚合的本科生研究机会计划（UROP）和本科生研究经验（REU）。为提高不同年龄层学生对表面工程的认识，我们将制订一套有凝聚力的教育计划。最后，PI将制定大学预科课程，以促进来自代表性不足群体的学生，并确保科学和工程领域的多样性。教育目标将通过评估设计进行评估，包括本科和研究生课程评估、教师同行评议、通过调查进行一年的跟踪调查，以及从选定的参与者群体中定期跟踪反馈，以记录长期影响。

This project seeks (1) to expand the fundamental knowledge of polymer thin films, and (2) to broaden the educational awareness of surface engineering through the development of a cohesive curriculum that will expose students of various age groups to critical aspects of surface engineering. The proposed project combines preparative efforts, substrate design, and a thorough characterization approach in order to generate fundamentally new insights into poly-p-xylylene thin films and their structure-function relationships. Prior to the synthesis of functionalized polymer films via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) polymerization, a diverse library of [2.2]paracyclophanes will be prepared and the CVD polymerization process of such [2.2]paracyclophanes will be optimized to yield well-defined polymers. The resulting functionalized poly-p-xylylene films will be characterized with respect to their chemical, structural, mechanical, optical and transport properties. The project further includes fundamentally motivated studies on crystallization, chain mobility, and local plasticity in poly-p-xylylene films that exploit a range of analytical methods, such as ellipsometry, impedance spectroscopy, Brillouin light scattering, and hot stage atomic force microscopy.Intellectual merits: Based on the CVD polymerization of substituted [2.2]paracyclophanes, a library of molecularly diverse polymer films will be synthesized. These polymers all share the same polymer backbone, poly-p-xylylene, but differ in the chemical nature of their side groups and/or their side group density. Through a combination of preparative efforts, substrate design, and thorough characterization, fundamentally new insights into polymer thin films and their structure-function relationships will be generated. Because poly-p-xylylenes do not require the use of solvents, initiators, or plasticizers during polymerization and can be deposited as nanometer thin films in well-controlled manner, they comprise exceptional model systems for the systematic investigation of the effects of side group functionality and film structure on critical thin film properties. Broader impacts: The integrated research plan will promote the teaching, training and learning of the graduate and undergraduate students in the field of surface engineering. The PI has Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) students in his research group actively working on CVD polymerization. A cohesive educational plan will be developed to enhance the awareness of surface engineering among students of different age groups. Finally, the PI will develop a pre-college curriculum to promote students from underrepresented groups and to ensure diversity in science and engineering. The educational goals will be assessed through an evaluation design consisting of undergraduate and graduate course evaluations, faculty peer review, one-year follow-up via surveys, and periodic follow-up feedback from selected groups of participants to document long-term impact.