CAREER: Interfacial Assembly of Soft Layered Materials

技术概述：在科学好奇心和对氧化石墨烯(GO)等软层状材料技术重要性的推动下，这项职业计划由固态和材料化学(SSMC)/材料研究(DMR)和化学测量与成像(CMI)/化学(CHE)项目共同资助，旨在探索GO基材料的软材料特性，重点关注它们的组装行为。GO是一种非常规类型的软材料，具有聚合物、胶体、膜和两亲性的特点。在这种材料的结构-性能关系中，组装应该是一个关键的组成部分。研究它们的相互作用和组装可以揭示有趣的基本材料行为，并有助于设计更好的合成和加工策略。这项建议的总体目标是促进对这种非传统类型软材料的基本了解，开发新的结构修改方法，设计有利的材料加工策略，发明新的表征技术，并通过控制单层材料的组装来创建新的功能材料系统。非技术总结：如果成功，这项建议的发现可能导致电子、清洁能源和更好的环境的新材料和技术，所有这些都是国家利益的核心。为了最大限度地提高和加快社会影响，PI将与小企业建立合作伙伴关系，将发现转化为行业。结果将广泛传播，特别是通过教育期刊向年轻学生的教师传播，并利用Web2.0通信和信息共享技术向普通公众传播。通过将科学与艺术或流行文化相结合，研究成果将以非科学家可以理解和有用的格式进行解释。代表不足的少数群体参与研究的动力将通过国际学生联合会现有少数族裔学生的成功来推动，并将通过暑期研究机会计划(SROP)扩大到西北大学以外的地区。将开发软材料和化学领域的新课程，以丰富该系的课程。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Driven by both the scientific curiosity and the technical importance of soft layered materials such as graphene oxide (GO) a single atomic layered, oxygenated carbon sheet, this CAREER proposal, co-funded by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry (SSMC)/Division of Materials Research (DMR) and Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI)/Chemistry (CHE) programs aims to explore the soft material characteristics of GO-based materials with a focus on their assembly behaviors. GO can be viewed as an unconventional type of soft material possessing characteristics of polymer, colloid, membrane and amphiphile. Assembly should be a critical component in the structure-property relationship of such materials. Studying their interaction and assembly can reveal interesting fundamental material behaviors and help to design better synthesis and processing strategies. The overall goals of this proposal are to advance the fundamental understanding of this unconventional type of soft material, develop new structural modification methodologies, design advantageous material processing strategies, invent new characterization techniques, and create new functional material systems by controlled assembly of the single sheets.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: If successful, discoveries from this proposal could lead to new materials and technologies for electronics, cleaner energy and better environment, all are central to the national interest. To maximize and expedite the societal impact, the PI will establish partnership with small businesses to transfer discoveries to industry. Results will be broadly disseminated, especially to teachers of younger students through educational journals, and to the general public using the Web2.0 communication and information sharing techniques. By integrating science and art or popular culture, research results will be interpreted in formats understandable and useful for nonscientists. Participation of underrepresented minority groups in research will be motivated through the success of the PI's current minority students, and will be broadened beyond Northwestern through the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP). New courses in the areas of soft materials and chemistry will be developed to enrich the department's curricula.