Collaborative Research: Structure-Mechanics Relationships for Ultra-thin Block Copolymer Films

合作研究：超薄嵌段共聚物薄膜的结构-力学关系

• 批准号: 1904525
• 负责人: Alfred Crosby
• 金额: $ 18.38万
• 依托单位: University of Massachusetts Amherst
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-07-01 至 2022-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1904525&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Structure; Mechanics; Relationships

PART 1: NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis collaborative project brings together scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Pennsylvania to gain new understanding of how mechanical properties, like stiffness and strength, change when a polymeric material is made into a film with thickness near the size of an individual molecule. Ultra-thin films, such as the ones studied in this project, are desired to help decrease energy consumption in processes like filtration, as well as in semiconductor manufacturing. However, current materials are unable to provide sufficient strength in these applications. New experimental methods will be combined with molecular simulations to understand how structures in the polymer thin films affect their properties in these highly confined states. Beyond the broad impact related to the development of new fundamental science and materials-design guidelines that will decrease materials waste and increase energy efficiency, this project will provide new opportunities for educating Ph.D. students, undergraduate students, and high-school students through rich, collaborative research experiences involving both experiments and simulations.PART 2: TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis collaborative project will provide new fundamental data and knowledge on the role of block copolymer domain structure in controlling the full mechanical response of ultra-thin polymer films, where film thickness is comparable to or smaller than the domain structure size scale. The proposed approach unites the strengths of advanced simulations and novel experimental methods to test new hypotheses based on the role of position within a confined material on segmental mobility and inter-chain entanglements, and the consequential impact on mechanical properties. Experimentally, a recent mechanical measurement method, called The Uniaxial Tensile Tester for Ultra-Thin films (TUTTUT), will be used to quantify the mechanics of ultra-thin block copolymer films. The experiments will integrate with simulations that use coarse-grained models to predict the molecular response of polymer films, and the simulations will provide a local picture of the changes in the entanglement network and local dynamics as a function of position away from the interfaces in the block copolymer films. Through these efforts, the co-PIs will support the education, training, and inspiration of the next generation of materials scientists and engineers, with a focus toward increased participation of women and traditionally under-represented minorities.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.

第 1 部分：非技术摘要该合作项目汇集了马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特分校和宾夕法尼亚大学的科学家，以获取新的认识，了解当聚合物材料制成厚度接近的薄膜时，机械性能（如刚度和强度）如何变化。单个分子的大小。 超薄膜（例如本项目中研究的薄膜）有望帮助降低过滤等工艺以及半导体制造中的能耗。 然而，当前的材料无法在这些应用中提供足够的强度。 新的实验方法将与分子模拟相结合，以了解聚合物薄膜中的结构如何影响其在这些高度受限状态下的性能。 除了与新的基础科学和材料设计指南的发展相关的广泛影响之外，该指南将减少材料浪费并提高能源效率，该项目还将为博士生教育提供新的机会。通过涉及实验和模拟的丰富的合作研究经验，为学生、本科生和高中生提供帮助。第 2 部分：技术摘要该合作项目将为嵌段共聚物域结构在控制完整机械响应中的作用提供新的基础数据和知识超薄聚合物薄膜，其中薄膜厚度相当于或小于域结构尺寸尺度。所提出的方法结合了先进模拟和新颖实验方法的优势，以测试基于受限材料内的位置对链段流动性和链间缠结的作用以及对机械性能的影响的新假设。在实验上，一种称为超薄膜单轴拉伸测试仪（TUTTUT）的最新机械测量方法将用于量化超薄嵌段共聚物薄膜的力学性能。这些实验将与使用粗粒度模型预测聚合物薄膜分子响应的模拟相结合，并且模拟将提供纠缠网络和局部动力学变化的局部图像，作为远离界面的位置的函数。嵌段共聚物薄膜。通过这些努力，联合PI将支持下一代材料科学家和工程师的教育、培训和激励，重点是增加女性和传统上代表性不足的少数族裔的参与。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。