Spatio-Dynamical Order in Reversible Polymeric Gels

非技术解释：该奖项支持专注于可逆聚合物凝胶研究的计算研究和教育。PI的研究旨在阐明这些非凡材料的物理和玻璃材料之间的基本联系。可逆聚合物凝胶包含长链分子的网络。这些网络的结构对外力非常敏感。可逆凝胶的性质类似于其他软玻璃物质，例如胶体糊状物、致密的片层相、薄玻璃膜和乳状物。软玻璃物质的行为包括许多仍然鲜为人知的现象，理解与其他材料的基本联系可能会提供新的见解。实验观察到相之间的转换，这是由于这些材料在小长度尺度上组织自己的方式，以响应静态和依赖于时间的作用力。PI将使用计算机模拟来研究发生在可逆凝胶中的转变的性质，这是在先前关于薄膜玻璃的工作的背景下进行的。PI将研究产生的网络的结构，以及它们如何随着外力的变化而变化。可逆聚合物凝胶和软玻璃材料不仅具有根本的意义，而且具有重要的应用。物理缔合聚合物用于涂料、化妆品、药品和涂料。这里研究的问题也与涉及生物系统中的网络的问题有关。国际宣传社还计划通过制作简短的“电影”来更广泛地传播有关这些材料的知识，用于向更广泛的社区和讲座课程的介绍。

NON-TECHNICAL EXPLANATION:This award supports computational research and education focused on the study of reversible polymeric gels. The PI's research is aimed at elucidating the fundamental connections between the physics of these remarkable materials and glassy materials. Reversible polymeric gels contain networks of long chain molecules. The structure of these networks is very sensitive to applied forces. The properties of reversible gels are similar to those of other soft glassy matter, for example colloidal pastes, dense lamellar phases, thin glassy films, and emulsions. The behavior of soft glassy matter includes many still poorly understood phenomena and understanding fundamental connections to other materials may provide new insights. Experiments observe transformations between phases that result from the way these materials organize themselves on small length scales in response to static and time dependent applied forces. The PI will use computer simulations to study the nature of the transformations that occur in reversible gels in the context of previous work on thin glassy films. The PI will study the structure of the networks that result and how they change in response to applied forces. Reversible polymeric gels and soft glassy materials are not only of fundamental interest, but also have important applications. Physically associating polymers are used in paints, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and coatings. The problems studied here also have connections to problems involving networks in biological systems. The PI also plans to more broadly disseminate knowledge about these materials through the creation of short "movies" for use in presentations to the broader community and in lecture courses.