Synthesis and applications of conjugated polymers with controllable microporosity and electroactivity

碳基纳米材料构成了当前以“纳米”为导向的科学和技术的核心，其进步和成果将对正在进行的技术发展产生直接、可见和持续的影响。以精确和可控的方式在纳米（十亿分之一米）尺度上构建限定的微结构是纳米材料技术应用的必要条件，而“分子剪裁”提供了实现这一目标的最有效手段。 拟议的研究将调查新型共轭聚合物/低聚物为基础的纳米材料设计与“智能”，以显示定义的结构和发光响应外部刺激（电或光子）。通过多步有机合成的方法，制备了两类纳米结构的有机材料。(i)微孔网络聚合物膜具有纳米级的微小“孔”，其尺寸可以在电势的控制下膨胀和收缩。这种微观行为模仿皮肤毛孔的行为，可以用作构建新型“光电鼻”的关键部件，用于感测各种蒸汽化学品。(ii)线性分子线（低聚物），显示由电或化学输入调节的多级折叠行为。这些分子线被设计为表现出Rubik's Snake-like机电特性，我们将探索使用这些材料制造可切换的“纳米容器”来封装和分选分子或大分子宿主，例如单壁碳纳米管。该研究计划的实施不仅将丰富我们对先进纳米材料的基本理解，培养高素质的年轻研究人员，而且将在化学传感器，分子开关，人工膜和皮肤以及超小型光电器件等前沿技术中找到广泛的应用。

Carbon-based nanomaterials constitute the centerpiece of current "nano"-oriented sciences and technologies, the advancement and fruition of which will lead to immediate, visible, and continuing impacts in the ongoing technology developments. Construction of defined microstructures on the nanometer (one-billionth of a meter) scale in a precise and controlled manner is a sine qua non for the technological applications of nanomaterials, while "molecular tailoring" provides the most effective means to achieving this goal. The proposed research will investigate novel conjugated polymer/oligomer-based nanomaterials designed with "intelligences" to show defined structural and luminescence responses to external stimuli (electric or photonic). By means of multi-step organic synthesis, two types of nanostructured organic materials will be prepared and investigated. (i) Microporous network polymer membranes that possess nanometer-scale tiny "pores", the sizes of which can be expanded and contracted under the control of electric potential. Such microscopic behavior mimics that of the skin pores and can be used as a key component for building a novel type of "opto-electronic noses" for sensing various vaporous chemicals. (ii) Linear molecular wires (oligomers) that show multi-stage folding behavior regulated by electric or chemical inputs. These molecular wires are designed to exhibit the Rubik's Snake-like electromechanical properties, and we will explore the use of these materials in fabrication of switchable "nano-containers" to encapsulate and sort out molecular or macromolecular hosts, such as single-walled carbon nanotubes. Implementation of the proposed research program will not only enrich our fundamental understanding on advanced nanomaterials and train highly qualified young researchers, but find wide-ranging applications in cutting-edge technologies such as chemical sensors, molecular switches, artificial membranes and skins, and ultra-miniaturized optoelectronic devices.