Synthesis and Properties of Regioregular Conjugated Ladder Polymers

具有阶梯状、双链和带状分子链结构的聚合物称为阶梯聚合物。自1966年以来，它们一直是科学探索的对象，因为与非阶梯材料相比，它们被预测具有优越得多的耐热性、机械、电气、光学和其他物理特性。然而，这种理想的阶梯聚合物由于制作困难，一直是未实现的材料。该项目旨在开发一种新的化学方法来制造各种阶梯聚合物。该项目还将研究新材料的结构和物理性能。由此产生的新型阶梯聚合物将能够测试其性能的长期预测。这种新材料还可以应用于电子、生物传感器和可穿戴设备、航空航天结构、3D打印、电能存储（电池和超级电容器）和光伏设备等领域。该研究项目还将促进研究生和本科生，包括妇女和代表性不足的少数民族，在新兴科学和工程领域的教育。与非梯状聚合物相比，共轭梯状聚合物由于其带状拓扑结构，预计具有优越的结构和物理性能。然而，这些材料在很大程度上仍然是一个梦想，因为直接制造它们的挑战仍然没有解决。这个研究项目旨在通过探索一种新的方法来解决这一科学挑战。该项目的总体目标是为合成各种定义明确、可溶、区域规则的共轭阶梯聚合物开发新的化学方法，并研究它们的性质。具体来说，PI和他的团队将：(1)设计和合成适合于制造区域规则共轭阶梯聚合物的新型多功能单体；(2)开发一步合成共轭阶梯聚合物的聚合方法；(3)研究区域规则性对共轭阶梯聚合物结构、形态和物理性能的影响；(4)研究了新型共轭阶梯聚合物的形态、电荷输运和光物理性质。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

PART 1: NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYPolymers that have a ladder-like, double-stranded, and ribbon-like molecular chain architecture are termed ladder polymers. They have been the object of scientific quest since 1966 because they are predicted to have far superior heat resistance, mechanical, electrical, optical and other physical properties, compared to their non-ladder counterparts. However, such ideal ladder polymers have remained unrealized materials because of the difficulty of making them. This project aims to develop a novel chemistry for making various ladder polymers. The project will also investigate the structural and physical properties of the new materials. The resulting new ladder polymers will enable testing of longstanding predictions of their properties. The new materials could also find applications in areas such as electronics, biosensors and wearable devices, aerospace structures, 3D printing, electrical energy storage (batteries and supercapacitors), and photovoltaic devices. The research project will also facilitate education of graduate and undergraduate students, including women and underrepresented minorities, in emerging science and engineering fields.PART 2: TECHNICAL SUMMARY Conjugated ladder polymers are predicted to have far superior structural and physical properties, compared to their non-ladder counterparts, due to their ribbon-like topology. However, these materials have largely remained a dream because the challenge of making them directly has remained unsolved. This research project aims to tackle this scientific challenge by exploring a novel approach. The overall goal of the project is to develop new chemistry for the synthesis of diverse well-defined, soluble, regioregular conjugated ladder polymers and investigate their properties. Specifically, the PI and his group will: (1) design and synthesize new multifunctional monomers suitable for making the regioregular conjugated ladder polymers; (2) develop polymerization methods for the one-step synthesis of the conjugated ladder polymers; (3) investigate the effects of regioregularity on the structure, morphology and physical properties of conjugated ladder polymers; and (4) investigate the morphology, charge transport and photophysics of the new conjugated ladder polymers. .This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.