CAREER: Multi-Functional Particle Assemblies in Polymer Nanocomposites

职业：聚合物纳米复合材料中的多功能颗粒组件

• 批准号: 0955170
• 负责人: Pinar Akcora
• 金额: $ 45.03万
• 依托单位: University of Missouri-Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-06-01 至 2010-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0955170&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Multi; Functional; Particle; Assemblies

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The PI will design multi-functional polymer composites displaying self-assembled nanostructures with tunable mechanical and electrical properties in this CAREER project. The project aims to construct equilibrium magnetic nanostructures in which their multi-functional properties can be varied and optimized with the intermolecular forces. Polymer decorated iron oxide nanoparticles are a comprehensive model system offering both anisotropic and isotropic interactions that can be tuned with particle size, particle functionality (e.g. length and density of grafted chains, ions or bioligands) and external magnetic fields. This research plan will explain the role of various interactions and elucidate the formation of thermodynamically equilibrium self-assembled structures through non-linear rheology, scattering and microscopy. The PI proposes to investigate the fundamentals of the self-assembly mechanism for three-dimensional structures and their novel reversible self-assembly behavior. The role of conformational entropy of polymer chains on the assembly mechanism will be also examined. In addition, the phase diagram for a mixture of particles with different sizes will be studied to achieve complex novel structures other than obtained from monomodal particle sizes. Cluster organization kinetics and transition from disordered to ordered structures will be measured in-situ to underpin the stability of equilibrium states and reversibility of complex architectures.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The proposed research will offer a promising and simple synthesis and processing method to make multi-functional nanomaterials which can be used for applications requiring enhanced mechanical and electrical properties. This CAREER project will open new routes to the self-assembly of magnetic nanoparticles which can be applied to self-healing membranes and composites with tunable properties. The results will have an impact on design of new polymeric composites as they behave akin to smart materials, such as stimuli-responsive copolymers sensitive to pH and temperature or materials in which the conductivity and transduction properties change with the arrangement of particles. Moreover, the reversible self-assembly concept will have potential applications in biocompatible materials, mechanical sensors, highly reinforced compounds and new energetic materials. The fundamental nanoscale interactions and their impact on the mesoscale properties (e.g. combined mechanical and conductive properties in one material) of flexible polymer nanocomposites will be explored. Within the course of this project, the PI plans to educate and train high school science teachers by offering research experiences in her laboratory to develop a collaborative science project for high school science curricula. To foster the interest of underrepresented students in science, research and engineering, she will work with the Society of Women Engineers and disseminate her research findings in their local and regional meetings and outreach activities. The PI will integrate her research activities into teaching of polymer science and will also actively engage undergraduate students in research.

技术摘要：PI将设计多功能聚合物复合材料，以在此职业项目中显示具有可调的机械和电气性能的自组装纳米结构。该项目旨在构建平衡磁性纳米结构，其中其多功能性能可以通过分子间力进行变化和优化。聚合物装饰的氧化铁纳米颗粒是一种综合模型系统，可提供各向异性和各向同性相互作用，可以通过粒径，粒子功能（例如移植链，离子或生物体的长度和密度）和外部磁场进行调节。该研究计划将解释各种相互作用的作用，并通过非线性流变学，散射和显微镜阐明热力学平衡自组装结构的形成。 PI建议研究三维结构的自组装机制的基本原理及其新颖的可逆自组装行为。还将检查聚合物链在装配机理上的构象熵的作用。此外，将研究具有不同尺寸的颗粒混合物的相图以实现从单粒粒径获得的复杂新颖结构。群集组织动力学和从无序结构到有序结构的过渡将在原位中衡量，以支撑平衡状态的稳定性和复杂体系结构的可逆性。无技术摘要：拟议的研究将提供一种有希望的简单合成和处理方法，以使多障碍性构件用于应用机构，并需要更高的构图。这个职业项目将为磁性纳米颗粒的自组装开辟新的路线，这些途径可以应用于具有可调性能的自修复膜和复合材料。结果将对新聚合物复合材料的设计产生影响，因为它们的表现类似于智能材料，例如刺激响应的共聚物对pH和温度敏感的共聚物或电导率和转导性能随颗粒的排列而变化的材料。此外，可逆的自组装概念将在生物相容性材料，机械传感器，高增强化合物和新的能量材料中具有潜在的应用。将探索柔性聚合物纳米复合材料的基本纳米级相互作用及其对中尺度性质的影响（例如一种材料中的机械和导电性能）。在该项目的过程中，PI计划通过在实验室提供研究经验来教育和培训高中科学教师，以开发一个为高中科学课程的协作科学项目。为了促进科学，研究和工程学中代表性不足的学生的兴趣，她将与女工程师协会合作，并在其本地和区域会议和外展活动中传播她的研究结果。 PI将将她的研究活动纳入聚合物科学的教学中，还将积极吸引本科生参与研究。