Influence of Small Molecule Additives on Gemini Dicarboxylate Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Structure and Stability

小分子添加剂对Gemini二羧酸盐溶致液晶结构和稳定性的影响

• 批准号: 1507711
• 负责人: Mahesh Mahanthappa
• 金额: $ 44.19万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-08-01 至 2016-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1507711&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Influence; Small; Molecule; Additives; Gemini

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the NSF Chemistry Division, Mahesh Mahanthappa of the University of Wisconsin-Madison is studying how small molecule surfactants, in which a water-soluble headgroup is attached to a water-insoluble tail, self-assemble in water. At high surfactant concentrations in water, these molecules spontaneously form a variety of structurally periodic soft materials known as liquid crystals. Certain liquid crystal structures are particularly useful in practical technical applications, yet these structures are difficult to access and their properties are limited. This project addresses these problems by investigating how adding salts and oils to water/surfactant mixtures enables the formation of these useful liquid crystals. A subset of the resulting materials may find long term application in fields such as therapeutic drug delivery. Another aspect of this project focuses on converting these liquid crystals into useful polymer membranes for energy efficient separations of complex chemical mixtures and for the generation and use of renewable fuels derived from solar energy. The broader impacts of this work include mentoring graduate and undergraduate students in research projects at the boundary between fundamental science and technological innovation, which will is expected to lead to useful materials for future healthcare and renewable energy applications.This project investigates how small molecule additives control the water concentration-dependent self-assembly of gemini ("twin tail") dicarboxylate surfactants to form lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs). A special emphasis in this project is placed on identifying methods for stabilizing network phase LLCs with interwoven, periodic, and percolating 3D-networks of aqueous and hydrophobic domains. The influence of various hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and amphiphilic molecular additives on LLC structure formation and stability are being evaluated by polarized light microscopy and temperature-dependent X-ray scattering. These studies are informing the development of mixtures of reactive surfactants and molecular additives that spontaneously form network phase LLCs for subsequent polymerization into functional, nanoporous polymer membranes. Professor Mahanthappa is translating related research results into public outreach demonstrations that showcase the utility of simple "soaps" in hydraulic fracturing applications ("fracking") for oil and gas recovery, to engage the public in broader discussions of energy harvesting technologies and global energy demands.

在该项目中由NSF化学部的大分子，超分子和纳米化学计划资助，威斯康星大学 - 麦迪逊分校的Mahesh Mahanthappa正在研究小分子表面活性剂如何将水溶的头组连接到水溶剂溶于水上的水尾，而自动组成的水，自动组成的水。在水中的高表面活性剂浓度下，这些分子自发形成多种结构周期性的软材料，称为液晶。某些液晶结构在实际技术应用中特别有用，但是这些结构难以获取，并且它们的性质受到限制。该项目通过研究如何在水/表面活性剂混合物中添加盐和油来解决这些问题。所得材料的一部分可能会在治疗药物递送等领域中长期应用。该项目的另一个方面的重点是将这些液晶转化为有用的聚合物膜，以进行复杂的化学混合物的能源分离以及生成和使用源自太阳能的可再生燃料。 The broader impacts of this work include mentoring graduate and undergraduate students in research projects at the boundary between fundamental science and technological innovation, which will is expected to lead to useful materials for future healthcare and renewable energy applications.This project investigates how small molecule additives control the water concentration-dependent self-assembly of gemini ("twin tail") dicarboxylate surfactants to form lyotropic liquid crystals （LLCS）。该项目的特殊重点是识别用交织，周期性和渗透水性和疏水结构域稳定网络相LLC的方法。通过极化光显微镜和温度依赖性X射线散射评估了各种亲水，疏水性和两亲性分子添加剂对LLC结构形成和稳定性的影响。这些研究为反应性表面活性剂和分子添加剂的混合物的发展提供了信息，这些添加剂自发地形成网络相LLC，以随后的聚合为功能性的纳米孔聚合物膜。 Mahanthappa教授正在将相关的研究结果转化为公共外展示范，这些示范在液压压裂应用中展示了简单的“肥皂”以进行石油和天然气恢复的效用，以吸引公众对能源收集技术和全球能源需求进行更广泛的讨论。