NSF-Europe Materials Collaboration: Rapid Generation of Inherently Conductive Polymer Micro and Nanostructures

智能优点：在这里，我们建议使用我们的固态氧化交联法来快速微型化本征导电聚合物线，并制备本征导电聚合物纳米结构。由于我们的固态氧化过程涉及使用可加工的前体聚合物，因此我们可以制造从宏观到纳米尺度的聚合物结构。此外，我们使用的聚合过程，即开环合成聚合(ROMP)，依赖于容易地制备无规共聚物的能力。因此，我们可以改变最终形成固态交联型固有导电聚合物的导电聚合物的量，从而获得给定的光学密度和导电性。我们已经发现，由我们的纳米结构聚合物制备的电致变色器件在实现亚毫秒响应速度方面具有巨大的潜力。有了本征导电聚合物的宏观、微观和纳米线的制备能力，我们将能够研究固态氧化交联动力学(交联率)，以及聚合物在所有尺寸范围内氧化还原转换时的离子扩散。通过与我们的西班牙合作者、卡塔赫纳理工大学电化学与智能材料中心(CEMI)主任托里比奥·奥特罗教授进行离子扩散研究，我们将了解我们的交联型固有导电聚合物的开关能力，并学习优化开关速度的策略，并测试它们在奥特罗擅长的应用领域的潜力，即膜和人造肌肉(执行器)。更广泛的影响：由于我们的先驱体聚合物具有高度的加工性，我们有能力通过我们的固态氧化交联新工艺，潜在地通过多种技术将固有导电聚合物制造成各种宏观、微观和纳米结构。这项工作最终可能导致批量生产柔性显示器、可穿戴显示器、纳米器件、偏振电致变色透镜和窗口、用于激光眼睛保护的快速开关电致变色材料，以及潜在的离子选择薄膜和致动器。有了通过我们的固态交联工艺在绝缘聚合物中精确加载给定量的导电聚合物的能力，我们可能有一种方法将材料置于渗流阈值，以便产生微米和纳米级的开关。与世界专家托里比奥·奥特罗教授就这些导电聚合物的离子扩散研究进行合作，可以使我们能够设计并进一步优化具有极快充放电循环响应时间的下一代本征导电聚合物器件。除了激光防护电致变色护目镜和偏振滤光片外，这项工作还可能带来新一代聚合物电容器和电池。合作：建议与我们的西班牙语合作者交换学生。来自Soting小组的两名学生将在西班牙每年花费3个月的时间学习离子扩散和模拟的研究，同时还将参与他们的研究。来自西班牙的两名学生每年将在美国学习纳米和微米导电聚合物的制造以及交联动力学的研究，同时还将开展他们的专业研究。在合作中，所有参与合作的研究人员第一年将在西班牙参与两周的密集合作努力，第二年将在美国参与两周的协同努力。在这两周内，我们将在各自的实验室举办两周一次的仪器演示和强化培训，并在两位教授的专业领域举办短期课程。多样性：美国和西班牙之间的这种合作将为墨西哥裔美国人和波多黎各裔美国人人数较少的少数族裔提供一个绝佳的机会，因为这些类型的学生将流利地掌握这种合作的两种语言。

Intellectual Merit: Here we propose to use our solid-state oxidative crosslinking process to rapidly micro pattern inherently conductive polymer lines and to prepare inherently conductive polymer nanostructures. Since our solid-state oxidative process involves the use of a processible precursor polymer, we can fabricate polymeric structures from the macro to the nanoscale. Furthermore, the polymerization process we utilize, namely ring-opening methathesis polymerization (ROMP) is living with the capability of the facile preparation of random copolymers. Therefore, we can vary the amount of conductive polymer ultimately ending up in our solid-state crosslinked inherently conductive polymers allowing for us to attain a given optical density and conductivity. We have already found that electrochromic devices prepared from our nanostructured polymers have tremendous potential for achieving submillisecond response speeds. With the ability to prepare macro, micro, and nano lines of inherently conductive polymer, we will be able to study solid-state oxidative crosslinking kinetics (crosslinking propagation rates), and ion diffusion upon redox switching of the polymers across all size scales. Through ion diffusion studies with our Spanish collaborator, Professor Toribio Otero, Director of the Center for Electrochemistry and Smart Materials (CEMI) at the Polytechnic University of Cartagena, we will understand the switching capabilities of our crosslinked inherently conductive polymers and learn strategies to optimize the switching speeds and to test their potential in application areas that Otero is an expert in, namely membranes and artificial muscles (actuators). Broader Impacts: Due to the high processibility of our precursor polymers, we have the ability to fabricate inherently conductive polymers via our novel process of solid-state oxidative crosslinking into a variety of macro, micro, and nanostructures potentially by numerous techniques. This work could ultimately lead to a procedure by which to mass produce flexible displays, wearable displays, nanodevices, polarizing electrochromic lenses and windows, fast switching electrochromics for laser eye protection, and potentially ion selective membranes and actuators. With the ability to precisely load a given amount of conductive polymer within an insulating polymer through our solid-state crosslinking process, we could potentially have a way to put the material at the percolation threshold in order to generate micron and nanosized on/off switches. Collaborative efforts with a world expert, namely Professor Toribio Otero, on ion diffusion studies of these conductive polymers could allow for us to design and further optimize the next generation of inherently conductive polymer devices with extraordinarily rapid response times for charge/discharge cycles. In addition to laser protection electrochromic goggles and polarizing filters, this work could lead to a new generation of polymeric capacitors and batteries. Collaboration: Interchange of students with our Spanish collaborators is proposed. Two students from the Sotzing group will spend 3 months/yr in Spain learning about the study of ion diffusion and simulations while also involved in their research. Two students from Spain will spend 3 months/yr in the U.S. studying nano and micro fabrication of inherently conductive polymers and the study of crosslinking kinetics while also carrying out their expertise of research. Within the collaboration, all of the researchers involved in the collaboration will be involved in a two week intensive collaborative effort in Spain for the first year and a two week concerted effort in the U.S.A. for the second year. During these two weeks, we will hold biweekly presentations and intensive training on instrumentation in the respective laboratories, and short courses in both Professor.s areas of expertise. Diversity: This collaboration between the U.S. and Spain will provide an excellent opportunity for Mexican-American and Puerto Rican-American underrepresented minorities, considering these type students would be fluent in both languages of this collaboration.