CAREER: Ring-Opening Polymerization-Induced Crystallization-Driven Self-Assembly

聚合物在我们的日常生活中是必不可少的。然而，全球塑料垃圾问题是一个关键问题。此外，聚合物工业由于其高能源需求而产生大量的温室气体。该项目将通过开发和研究节能化学物质来创造可生物降解、生物相容性和可再生的聚合物材料，帮助我们向可持续聚合物工业过渡。为了实现这一目标，该项目将研究聚合物分子如何通过聚合方法组装和组织成不同的结构。这一点很重要，因为高分子材料的性质取决于它们在纳米、微观和宏观尺度上的组织方式。该项目将利用先进的电子显微镜技术实时观察聚合物的组织结构。这些知识将帮助我们理解为什么不同的化学物质和不同的聚合物形成不同类型的结构。最终，这些知识将帮助我们设计出具有可持续化学特性的聚合物。通过这个项目，下一代聚合物科学家将接受先进分析工具的培训，以提供对整个领域的基本理解。此外，在整个项目中使用包容性教学和指导实践将影响聚合物科学的多样性和保留率。本职业项目的目标是开发方法来理解和控制驱动开环聚合诱导结晶驱动嵌段共聚物自组装的机制。研究机理和结构将通过发展反应来控制聚合和自组装的热力学和动力学，以及利用液体和低温电子显微镜和x射线散射方法来实现。为了提供聚合物化学和分层结构形成之间的联系，该项目将研究反应速率和自组装机制之间的关系。研究主题与教育活动紧密结合，包括开发一门新的研究生-本科生联合课程，该课程将通过UCI OpenChem计划开发为在线课程。此外，将开发普通化学和K-12聚合物拓展模块的主动学习方法。综合教育和研究计划满足了向可持续材料经济过渡的迫切需求，并培养了分析聚合物科学基础知识的多样化学生，为他们进入并领导未来的STEM劳动力做好准备。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 are essential for our everyday lives. However, the problem of global plastics waste is a critical one. In addition, the polymer industry generates a large amount of greenhouse gases due to its high energy demand. This project will aid our transition towards a sustainable polymer industry by developing and studying energy-efficient chemistries to create biodegradable, biocompatible, and renewably sourced polymeric materials. To achieve this goal, this project will study how polymer molecules assemble and organize themselves into different structures as they are created through polymerization methods. This is important because the properties of polymeric materials are dependent on how they organize at the nano-, micro- and macro- scales. Highly advanced electron microscopic techniques will be utilized in this project to watch the polymers organize into structures in real time. This knowledge will help us to understand why different chemistries and different polymers form into different types of structures. Ultimately, this knowledge will help us to design polymers with useful properties using sustainable chemistries. Through this project, the next generation of polymer scientists will be trained on advanced analytical tools to provide a fundamental understanding across the field. Furthermore, the diversity and retention in polymer science will be impacted by using inclusive teaching and mentoring practices throughout the project.PART 2: TECHNICAL SUMMARYThe objective for this CAREER project is to develop methods to understand and control the mechanisms that drive ring-opening polymerization-induced crystallization-driven self-assembly of block copolymers. Investigation of the mechanisms and structures will be achieved by developing reactions to control the thermodynamics and kinetics of polymerization and self-assembly and by utilizing liquid and cryogenic electron microscopy and X-ray scattering methods. To provide a link between the polymer chemistry and the formation of hierarchical structures, the project will study the relationship between reaction rates and self-assembly mechanisms. The research themes are tightly integrated into educational activities, including the development of a new, joint graduate-undergraduate level course, which will be developed into an online course through the UCI OpenChem program. Additionally, active learning methods in general chemistry and K-12 polymer-based outreach modules will be developed. The integrated educational and research plans meet the urgent needs of transitioning towards a sustainable materials economy and training diverse students in the fundamentals of analytical polymer science, preparing them to enter and lead the future STEM workforce.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.