Collaborative Research: Syntheses and Solution-Phase Properties of Rigid Conjugated Ladder Polymer Chains

合作研究：刚性共轭梯形聚合物链的合成和溶液相性质

• 批准号: 2304968
• 负责人: Lei Fang
• 金额: $ 32.5万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2304968&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Syntheses; Solution; Phase

With the support of the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry program in the Division of Chemistry, Lei Fang of Texas A&M University and Xiaodan Gu of the University of Southern Mississippi are preparing and investigating solution-phase properties of rigid-rod conjugated ladder polymers. Conjugated polymers are a unique class of polymers with semiconducting properties resembling that of the chemical element silicon, unlike commonly used insulating polymers. They are extensively used in light emitting devices (LEDs), flexible electronics, sensors, biomedical imaging, and other applications that utilize the optoelectronic property of these polymeric materials. Conjugated ladder polymers, on the other hand, are a type of double stranded polymers with the bond connectivity resembling a ladder, so that the repeating units along the polymer main chain are all fused in the form of conjugated rings. Such a unique constitution imparts a conjugated ladder polymer with distinct polymer physics properties in comparison with conventional single stranded polymers. The studies associated with this project will focus on polymer-solvent interactions, single chain conformation, as well as chain diffusion dynamics in a series of conjugated ladder polymers that are soluble in common organic solvents. Additionally, synthetic methodologies will be developed to further gain control over polymer’s chain lengths and distribution of molar masses. This research has the potential to impact other fundamental scientific disciplines, including synthetic chemistry, polymer physics for semi-rigid polymers, biomacromolecules, polymer processing, and organic electronics. The education plan will focus on revitalizing and modernizing undergraduate chemistry curricula by implementing student-performed “Nobel Prize Reaction” experiments in undergraduate organic laboratory courses at both institutions. Professor Gu will additionally conduct extensive outreach activities among historically regional black colleges and universities in Mississippi via site visits and workshops.This research will aim to develop new fundamental understandings of the solution-phase properties of rigid-rod conjugated ladder polymers. The specific objectives will focus on (1) design and synthesis of defect-free conjugated ladder polymers that can be truly dissolved in organic solvents without aggregation, (2) understanding and quantification of polymer-solvent interaction and chain conformation of these model conjugated ladder polymers in solution, (3) development of controlled chain-growth polymerization methods based on catalyst transfer polymerization to synthesize conjugated ladder polymers featuring precisely tailored molar masses and narrow dispersity, and (4) establishing quantitative correlation between molar masses of conjugated ladder polymers with chain flexibility and diffusion dynamics. The combined collaborative efforts have the potential to advance fundamental knowledge of the synthetic chemistry and solution-phase polymer physics of rigid polymers and enable rational design principles for various applications of conjugated ladder polymers. These applications include organic field effect transistors, organic electrochemical transistors, actuators, electrochromic devices, photo detectors, and other optoelectronic devices.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.

在化学系的大分子，超分子和纳米化学计划的支持下，得克萨斯州A＆M大学的Lei Fang和南密西西比大学的西奥丹GU正在准备和调查刚性rod rod偶联的Ladder Polymers的刚性溶液相。共轭聚合物是一类独特的聚合物，具有类似于化学元件硅的半导体特性，这与常用的绝缘聚合物不同。它们被广泛用于光发射设备（LED），柔性电子，传感器，生物医学成像以及其他利用这些聚合物材料的光电特性的应用。另一方面，共轭梯子聚合物是一种类似于梯子的键连接性的双链聚合物，因此沿聚合物主链的重复单元都以共轭环的形式融合。与常规的单链聚合物相比，这种独特的构型赋予具有不同聚合物物理特性的共轭梯子聚合物。与该项目相关的研究将集中于聚合物 - 溶剂相互作用，单链构象，以及一系列共轭阶梯聚合物中的链扩散动力学，这些梯子聚合物在常见的有机溶液中固体。另外，将开发合成方法，以进一步控制聚合物的链长度和摩尔质量的分布。这项研究有可能影响其他基本科学学科，包括合成化学，半刚性聚合物的聚合物物理学，生物大分子，聚合物加工和有机电子学。该教育计划将着重于通过在这两个机构的本科有机实验室课程中实施学生表现的“诺贝尔奖反应”实验来振兴和现代化的本科化学课程。 GU教授还将通过现场访问和研讨会在历史上密西西比州的历史悠久的黑人学院和大学进行广泛的外展活动。这项研究将旨在发展对刚性连接式梯子聚合物的溶液相位特性的新基本理解。 The specific objectives will focus on (1) design and synthesis of defect-free conjugated ladder polymers that can be truly dissolved in organic Solutions without aggregation, (2) understanding and quantification of polymer-solvent interaction and chain consideration of these model conjugated ladder polymers in solution, (3) development of controlled chain-growth polymerization methods based on catalyst transfer polymerization to synthesize conjugated梯子聚合物具有精确量身定制的摩尔质量和狭窄的色散，（4）建立具有链柔韧性和扩散动力学的共轭梯子聚合物摩尔质量之间的定量相关性。合并的协作努力有可能提高对刚性聚合物的合成化学和溶液相聚合物物理学的基本知识，并为共轭阶梯聚合物的各种应用提供合理的设计原理。这些应用包括有机现场效应晶体管，有机电化学晶体管，执行器，电致色素设备，照片探测器和其他光电设备。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用该基金会的知识分子和更广泛的影响来评估Criteria criteria criteria criteria诚实地认为，通过评估诚实地获得了支持。