Highly Branched Rigid/Flexible Molecules and their Assembly on One-Dimensional Nanostructures

技术总结：这一建议的学术价值在于理解了高度支化的大分子组装的基本原理，重点是共轭支化主干。PI将探索如何利用具有不同结构、电子结构和具有多种功能的支化分子来定制无机纳米颗粒之间的相互作用，以便将其引导组装成有组织的组装。作为第一步，PI将探索新型共轭棒(苯氧基苯甲酸酯)，要么装饰有分支的末端/侧面柔性段，要么从单个核心分支出来。另一方面，高度支化的柔性分子将以多臂星形嵌段共聚物为代表，其中心核被亲水-疏水嵌段修饰。在接下来的研究中，PI将尝试将具有适当对称性和末端功能的支化分子组装到无机纳米粒子(例如，银纳米线和金纳米棒)的高度弯曲的表面上，以创建具有定制的支化壳层的杂化纳米结构，该结构可用于设计基于电/光的传感纳米材料。在项目过程中将讨论几个重要问题：形状持久的棒状和分支共轭核心以及柔性树枝状分支的化学成分如何影响它们组装成有组织结构的能力？共轭分子的分支如何影响其表面组件的电子和光学性质？非技术总结：该项目将介绍具有独特的光学、电子和机械属性的新的纳米材料组件，并促进佐治亚理工学院的PI小组与来自美国、希腊、韩国和乌克兰的研究人员之间的伙伴关系：佐治亚理工学院、Patras U(希腊)、Yonsei U(韩国)和大分子化学研究所(乌克兰)。这种与国际和国内研究小组的合作为研究生带来了宝贵的经验。通过这一外部合作，拟议的项目将使博士生成为熟悉尖端基础和应用研究的成熟的、具有国际意识的研究人员。此外，PI将进一步集中努力，通过招收女性和少数民族学生来增加攻读科学和工程高级学位的学生数量，这是他一直活跃的一个领域。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The intellectual merit of this proposal is in understanding of fundamental principles of assembly of highly branched macromolecules with emphasis on conjugated branched backbones. The PI will explore how branched molecules with different architectures, electronic structures, and bearing multiple functionalities can be utilized for tailoring interactions among inorganic nanoparticles for their guided assembly into organized assemblies. As a first step, the PI will explore novel conjugated rods (phenyloxybenzoates) either decorated with branched end/side flexible segments or branching out from a single core. On the other hand, highly branched flexible molecules will be represented by multiarmed star block-copolymers with a central core modified with hydrophilic-hydrophobic blocks. In the framework of the following studies, the PI will attempt to assemble branched molecules with proper symmetry and terminal functionalities onto highly-curved surfaces of inorganic nanoparticles (e.g., silver nanowires and gold nanorods) to create hybrid nanostructures with tailored branched shells which can be utilized to design of electro/optical-based sensing nanomaterials. Several important questions will be addressed in the course of the project: How does the chemical composition of shape-persistent rod-like and branched conjugated cores and flexible dendronized branches affect their ability to assemble into organized structures? How does the branching of conjugated molecules affect electronic and optical properties of their surface assemblies?NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This project will introduce new nanomaterials assemblies with unique optical, electronic, and mechanical properties and foster a partnership between the PI's group at Georgia Tech and researchers from the U.S., Greece, Korea, and Ukraine: Georgia Tech, Patras U (Greece), Yonsei U (Korea), and the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (Ukraine). This collaboration with international and domestic research groups brings invaluable experience for graduate students. Through this external collaboration, the proposed project will enable Ph.D. students to become mature, internationally aware researchers familiar with cutting-edge basic and applied research. Moreover, the PI will further focus his efforts to increase the number of students pursuing advanced degrees in science and engineering by working on recruiting women and minority students, an area in which he has been active.