Soft Materials: Synthesis and Properties

****技术摘要****主要研究软物质物理中的三个主要主题：研究耗竭吸引形成的胶体凝胶的性质；这些信息将有助于解释延迟崩溃的起源，这是使用此类凝胶来稳定商业产品的主要障碍。在生物物理学的努力下，将探讨细胞体积对细胞刚度的控制。如果初步结果被证明是正确的，这将是我们对细胞特性理解的一个转折性变化。最后，新的微流体装置将被开发出来，使用喷雾干燥来生产比任何其他方法都要小得多的纳米颗粒。这将使研究这种小颗粒的独特性质成为可能；特别是，由于它们的尺寸非常小，结晶的动力学延迟。这项工作将通过与工业界的互动得到高度利用，后者为学生和博士后提供智力挑战、就业机会，并利用美国国家科学基金会的支持。此外，重要的技术进步将用于建立初创公司，从而创造新的高质量技术工作岗位。这项研究的主要教育组成部分将是培养研究生和博士后。此外，一个基于科学和烹饪课程的非常成功的推广计划将被放到网上，接触到数十万参与者，通过烹饪教他们软物质科学。****非技术摘要****这项研究的重点是一类“软”或容易变形的一般材料。例子包括许多由凝胶、表面活性剂或液体中的小颗粒悬浮液制成的食品和个人护理产品，甚至包括构成所有生物体的细胞。这项研究将探索这些材料的重要特性。例如，许多食品和个人护理产品的一个主要限制是材料的长期不稳定性；将探索其基本来源，并加强材料的工业生产。一种新的细胞控制参数将被开发出来，这将为它们的行为提供新的见解，特别是当它们发生故障时，比如在许多疾病中发生的故障。新的设备将被创造出来，以产生比任何其他方法都要小得多的颗粒，这将提高许多新开发药物的生物利用度。这项工作将通过与行业的互动得到高度利用，为技术进步提供一个重要的出口，同时为本研究支持的学生和博士后提供就业机会。此外，这项研究将导致创业公司的形成，从而创造新的、高质量的就业机会。例如，以前的国家科学基金资助已经导致4家初创公司的成立，这些公司创造了120多个新的就业机会，促进了我们国家的经济。为了将科学带给普通大众，PI将通过哈佛大学在网上提供一门以烹饪为基础的科学课程，预计将有数十万人参加。

****Technical Abstract****The proposed research focuses on the three main themes in soft matter physics: Properties of colloidal gels formed with depletion attraction will be investigated. The information will help explain the origin of delayed collapse, a major impediment to the use of such gels to stabilize commercial products. In a biophysics effort, the control of cell stiffness by cell volume will be explored. If preliminary results prove to be true, this would be a transformational change in our understanding of cell properties. Finally, new microfluidic devices will be developed to use spray drying to produce nanoparticles that are much smaller in size than can be produced by any other means. This will enable the study of the unique properties of such small particles; in particular, the kinetic delay in crystallization due to their very small size. The work will be highly leveraged through interactions with industry, which provides intellectual challenges, employment for students and post docs and leverages NSF support. In addition, important technological advances will be used to establish start-up companies, which create new, high-quality technical jobs. The major educational component of this research will be training of graduate students and post docs. In addition, a highly successful outreach program, based on a Science and Cooking course, will be put online, reaching literally hundreds of thousands of participants, teaching them soft matter science through cooking.****Non-Technical Abstract****This research focuses on a general class of materials that are "soft," or easily deformable. Examples include many foods and personal care products, made of gels, surfactants or suspensions of small particles in a fluid, and even the cells that make up all living organisms. The research will explore important properties of these materials. For example, a major limitation of many food and personal care products is the long-term instability of the materials; the fundament origin of this will be explored and industrial production of the materials will be enhanced. A new control parameter for cells will be developed that will offer new insight into their behavior, particularly when they malfunction, such as occurs in many diseases. New devices will be created to produce particles that are much smaller than can be produced by any other means, and that will enhance the bioavailability of many newly developed drugs. The work will be highly leveraged through interactions with industry, providing an important outlet for technical advances, while offering employment opportunities to the students and post docs whose training is supported by this research. In addition, this research will lead to the formation of start-up companies which create new, high-quality jobs. For example, previous NSF funding has led to formation of 4 start-up companies which have created more than 120 new jobs, enhancing our nation's economy. As outreach to bring science to the general public, a science course, based on cooking, will be offered online by the PI through Harvard, with several hundred thousand participants expected.