NER: Towards ordered multifunctional nano hybrid materials through patterning on carbon nanotubes

该提案是响应纳米尺度科学与工程计划，NSF 04-043， NER类别而收到的。本研究的目的是实现周期性功能化碳纳米管（CNTs），并将其作为前体制备多功能杂化纳米结构。该方法是使用聚合物单晶周期性地包裹碳纳米管。通过控制结晶条件，可以获得多种碳纳米管/聚合物杂化纳米结构。所提出的方法是一种未经测试的方法，因此风险很高。它也具有很高的回报，因为它提供了一种经济、高效和可控的手段来周期性功能化碳纳米管，这是一个具有挑战性的研究领域，有待探索。能够周期性地功能化碳纳米管，立即打开了在单个碳纳米管上形成官能团的大门。NER提案的教育部分包括：(1)通过开发将用于“纳米结构聚合物材料”课程的“混合纳米材料”模块，解决聚合物纳米科学和纳米技术现代发展教育的需求。(2)让高中学生和教师，特别是代表性不足的人群，参与拟议的纳米技术探索性研究活动。由于费城地区未被充分代表的群体人口众多，拟议的外展计划将专门针对鼓励未被充分代表的群体参与。

This proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 04-043, category NER. The objective of this research is to achieve periodically functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and use these as precursors to fabricate multifunctional hybrid nanostructures. The approach is using polymer single crystals to periodically wrap CNTs. By controlling the crystallization conditions, a variety of CNT/polymer hybrid nanostructures can be achieved. The proposed approach is an untested method and is thus high risk. It is also high rewarding, since it provides an economic, efficient and controllable means to periodically functionalized CNTs, a challenging research area yet to be explored. Being able to periodically functionalize CNTs immediately opens the gateway to patterning functional groups on an individual CNT. The educational component of the NER proposal includes (1) addressing the needs for the education of modern developments in polymer nanoscience and nanotechnology by developing a "Hybrid Nano Materials" module which will be used in the "Nanostructured Polymeric Materials" course. (2) involving high school students and teachers, particularly under-represented populations, in the proposed nanotechnology exploratory research activities. Due to the high population of under-represented groups in the Philadelphia region, the proposed out-reach program will be specifically geared towards encouraging the participation of under-represented populations.