Routes of Relaxation and Reconfiguration in Soft Matter

非技术摘要：这项材料研究将揭示有关无序物质的挫折和重新配置的新概念，这可能导致更好地控制磁性材料，创造更坚固的玻璃和涂层，以及合成响应性软材料。从广义上讲，该实验项目开发了在溶液中配制和操纵微米和纳米颗粒以及大分子的新能力。此外，该项目还开发了基于尖端光学和计算技术观察这些材料的新方法。因此，这项研究加强了传感/驱动、微流体、药物输送、光子学、印刷、涂料、化妆品和农业等行业的科学基础，从而对美国的技术基础设施和经济产生积极影响。最后，这项活动将在软材料行为和配方，光学显微镜，电光，微流体，流变学和计算领域培养新一代科学家和工程师。新兴的博士生和博士后将进入国家的劳动力，和一个多元化的本科和高中参与者将被刺激追求STEM教育/职业选择作为这个研究活动的结果。技术摘要：这个实验项目探索复杂流体和软材料的基本属性。重新配置，广义的定义，统一的研究。该研究将开发和使用基于胶体颗粒悬浮液，液晶和液滴的样品系统，以探索组装，重新配置，挫折响应和放松的现象学。重要的是，软系统提供了独特的实验旋钮，允许调整能量尺度，力参数或边界条件来回答物理问题。胶体研究采用了新的粒子系统，最先进的视频显微镜和前沿的计算分析工具，探测受挫的胶体反铁磁体，胶体玻璃和胶体过冷液体的结构弛豫和重排。液晶研究的方向是含液晶的液滴。在这种情况下，重构的研究，将开发有关显着的形状转变的液滴含有液晶聚合物和低聚物的理解。像胶体系统一样，这些行为是由软物质的界面能、体弹性和几何特征的微妙平衡驱动的，但它们有一个新的转折：分子链的多分散性驱动了形态转变。所获得的知识应该能够操纵和制作新的路线来组装复杂的流体，并将利用分子异质性与生物物质中的图案效应建立智力联系。材料研究部（DMR）的这一拨款支持研究，以探索复杂流体和软材料的基本性质，并由凝聚态物理学（CMP）提供资金。该奖项反映了NSF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。

Nontechnical Abstract:This materials research will unravel new concepts about frustration and reconfiguration of disordered matter that could lead to better control of magnetic materials, to creation of tougher glasses and coatings, and to synthesis of responsive soft materials. Broadly, the experimental project develops new ability to formulate and manipulate micro- and nano-particles and macromolecules in solution. Moreover, the project develops new ways to observe these materials based on cutting-edge optical and computational techniques. The research thus strengthens the science that underlies industries involved with sensing/actuation, microfluidics, drug delivery, photonics, printing, coatings, cosmetics, and agriculture, and thereby positively impacts US technology infrastructure and economy. Finally, this activity will train a new generation of scientists and engineers in the areas of soft materials behavior and formulation, optical microscopy, electro-optics, microfluidics, rheology, and computation. The emerging PhD students and post-docs will enter the nation’s work force, and a diverse group of undergraduate and high school participants will be stimulated to pursue STEM education/career choices as a result of this research activity.Technical Abstract:This experimental project explores fundamental properties of complex fluids and soft materials. Reconfiguration, broadly defined, unifies the research. The research will develop and use sample systems based on colloidal particle suspensions, liquid crystals, and drops to explore the phenomenology of assembly, reconfiguration, response-to-frustration, and relaxation. Importantly, the soft systems offer unique experimental knobs that permit tuning of an energy scale, force parameter, or boundary condition to answer physics questions. The colloid research employs novel particle systems, state-of-the-art video microscopy, and frontier computational analysis tools probe structural relaxation and rearrangement in frustrated colloidal antiferromagnets, colloidal glasses, and colloidal supercooled liquids. The liquid crystal research is oriented towards drops containing liquid crystals. Reconfiguration research, in this case, will develop understanding about the remarkable shape-transitions of drops containing liquid crystal polymers and oligomers. Like the colloidal systems, these behaviors are driven by the delicate balance of interfacial energy, bulk elasticity, and geometry characteristic of soft matter, but they have a new twist: molecular chain polydispersity drives the morphological transformations. Knowledge gained should enable manipulation and crafting of novel routes to assemble complex fluids and will make intellectual connections to patterning effects in living matter that exploit molecular heterogeneity.This Division of Materials Research (DMR) grant supports research to explore fundamental properties of complex fluids and soft materials with funding from the Condensed Matter Physics (CMP) Program in DMR of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate.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.