Collaborative Research: A Polymer Synthesis/Membrane Characterization

PIs提议合作开展以水净化膜聚合物涂层的制备、应用和表征为中心的基础研究。ppi认识到，发展水净化膜和工艺是21世纪一项极其重要的科学和技术挑战，人口增长和淡水供应日益紧张的结合对美国和全世界都构成了严重的社会威胁。通过聚合物合成和膜表征合作，本提案加速了改善水净化膜的发现，这将使用于制备膜和修饰膜表面的新型聚合物材料能够快速有效地进行测试。该研究计划优化水净化膜的防污涂层，特别关注聚烯烃-接枝- peg共聚物作为膜涂层的平台聚合物。提出了一种新的膜用聚合物合成方法和表征方法，以评价新膜防膜污染的有效性。两性离子聚合物，如磷胆碱和磺胺甜菜碱结构，以及聚（多巴胺）涂层，构成了这些努力的基础。将膜防污染策略推广到生物污染问题，对推进膜生物反应器的应用具有重要意义。更广泛的影响和教育努力旨在最大限度地发挥研究的影响，并激发公众，聚合物/工程社区，弱势群体和少数群体成员对材料和工程研究的兴趣，这些研究通过其水净化目标具有社会重要性。pi将强调影响研究界和公众的努力，包括：1)在全部或部分致力于聚合物膜和水净化的研究会议中发挥组织和领导作用。其中最重要的活动将是美国化学会半年度全国会议的膜会议，包括盐湖城ACS会议（2009年3月）和加州文图拉大分子材料戈登研究会议（2011年1月）。2)开展面向本科生、女生和少数民族学生、普通大众、残障（听障）学生的教育活动。活动将包括为奥斯汀儿童博物馆的周日科学活动设计一个水净化活动集群，以及德克萨斯聋人学校（TSD）的学生在德克萨斯大学实验室参与膜和分离的研究经验。3)建立和维持私人机构和私营部门之间关系的技术转让战略，并使发现简化为潜在的商业影响，有助于美国在全球科学界的竞争力。PI先前的技术转移经验加速了这一进程，因为他们参加了马萨诸塞大学聚合物工业研究中心的半年度会议。

0932781/0931761Emrick/FreemanThe PIs propose collaborative fundamental research centered on the preparation, application, and characterization of polymer coatings for water purification membranes. The PIs recognize that advancing water purification membranes and processes is a critically important scientific and technological challenge of the 21st Century, and that the combination of population growth and increasing strain on fresh water supplies poses a serious societal threat, both in the United States and worldwide. Accelerating discoveries that improve water purification membranes is accomplished in this proposal through a polymer synthesis and membrane characterization collaboration, which will enable a rapid and effective testing of novel polymer materials used to prepare membranes and to modify membrane surfaces. The research plan optimizes anti-fouling coatings for water purification membranes, focusing especially on robust polyolefin-graft-PEG copolymers as a platform polymer to act as a coating for membranes. A new proposed polymer syntheses for coatings and characterization methods that evaluate the effectiveness of the new coatings in preventing membrane fouling is proposed. Zwitterionic polymers, such as phosphorylcholine and sulfobetaine structures, as well as poly(dopamine) coatings, form the basis of these efforts. The strategies elucidated for anti-fouling membranes are extended to the problem of biofouling, which is important for advancing the utility of membrane bioreactors. Broader impact and education efforts that are designed to maximize the impact of the research, and excite the general public, the polymer/engineering communities, and disadvantaged and minority community members about materials and engineering research that carries societal importance through its objectives of water purification. The PIs will emphasize efforts that impact both the research community and the general public, including: 1) Organization and leadership roles in research conferences that are devoted, in whole or in part, to polymer membranes and water purification. Prominent among the activities will be membrane sessions at semi-annual National meetings of the American Chemical Society, including sessions at the Salt Lake City ACS meeting (March 2009) and the Macromolecular Materials Gordon Research Conference in Ventura, CA (January 2011). 2) Activities geared towards the education of undergraduates, female and minority students, the general public, and physically challenged (hearing impaired) students. Activities will include the creation of a water purification activity cluster designed for use at the Austin Children's Museum's Science Sundays, and participation of students from the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) in the UT laboratory for a research experience in membranes and separation. 3) Technology transfer strategies that generate and sustain relationships between the PIs and the private sector, and that streamline discoveries towards potential commercial impact, contributing to American competitiveness in the global scientific community. The PI's prior technology transfer experience accelerate this process, as will their participation in semi-annual meetings of the Center for UMass-Industry Research on Polymers.