Poly(ionic liquid) Brush-like Coatings for Rolling and Sliding Lubrication

该研究是关于先进的润滑油涂料的自下而上的发展，是由自然润滑系统的启发。具体而言，该项目将开发新的聚（离子液体）涂层，并研究其与膨胀离子液体溶剂接触时的滚动和滑动摩擦性能。该系统在结合/移动介质中提供带电的梳状聚合物链，就像天然润滑剂一样，并提供具有可定制粘度和膨胀特性的液体，以微调摩擦学性能。本研究将采用表面引发开环复分解聚合的方法，从平面硅（氧化物）表面和二氧化硅微粒表面制备润滑油涂层。这种方法可以实现聚合物的快速生长，并能够定制离子液体的侧链长度、组成和反离子，以研究分子尺度对涂层润滑性能的影响。基于滑动结果的最有前途的润滑系统将用于限制在微通道和半球形聚合物腔中的二氧化硅微球的滚动润滑。如果成功，这项研究将导致新型润滑系统改进滑动和滚动润滑系统。这将大大减少微加工系统中的摩擦和磨损。外展活动将包括本研究的案例研究的发展，这将影响本科课程、本科研究，以及通过范德比尔特暑期学院为天才八年级学生开设为期一周的专业课程。学生将学习组装涂层，测量其表面和摩擦学性能，并将这些性能与基本的分子间相互作用联系起来。该研究还将通过“教师研究经验”计划，让当地高中教师参与研究，从而在高中建立更好的理解。

The research is about the bottom-up development of advanced lubricant coatings that are inspired by natural lubricating systems. Specifically, the project will develop new poly(ionic liquid) coatings and investigate their rolling and sliding frictional properties in contact with a swelling ionic liquid solvent. This system offers charged, comb-like polymer chains within a bound/mobile medium, much like natural lubricants, and a liquid with tailorable viscosity and swelling properties to fine tune the tribological performance. The approach of the research will be to employ surface-initiated ring opening metathesis polymerization to grow the lubricant coatings from both planar silicon (oxide) surfaces and silica microparticles. This method enables rapid polymer growth and the ability to tailor the ionic liquid side chain length, composition, and counter ion to investigate molecular-scale effects on the lubricating performance of the coatings. The most promising lubrication systems, based on sliding results, will be employed for the rolling lubrication of silica microspheres confined in both microchannels and hemispherical polymeric cavities. If successful, this research will lead to new types of lubricated systems improving sliding and rolling lubrication systems. This will lead to greatly reduced friction and wear in microfabricated systems. Outreach will include the development of case studies from this research that will impact undergraduate classes, undergraduate research, and a week-long specialty course for gifted eight graders through the Vanderbilt Summer Academy. Students will learn to assemble coatings, measure their surface and tribological properties and connect these properties to basic intermolecular interactions. The research will also create a better understanding in high school by allowing a local high school teacher to participate in this research through a Research Experience for Teachers program.