Center for the Integration of 

   Nanoscale COmponents

NSF-DMR 0210247

One-, Two-, and Three-dimensional Superstructured Materials from Well-defined, Complex Nanoscale Components

We propose to develop synthetic strategies and characterization protocols for the production and study of one-, two- and three-dimensional superstructures composed of stabilized nanoparticle assemblies. Our synthetic approach involves the systematic ordering, in solution and on substrates, of crosslinked assemblies of copolymers, as robust core-shell building blocks, to manufacture 1-dimensional meso-scale (~100 nm to ~1 mm), 2-dimensional micro-scale (~1 mm to ~100 mm) and 3-dimensional macro-scale (>100 mm) objects, each comprised of nanoscopic building blocks. The result will be the creation of entirely unique composite morphologies that are not accessible in the phase diagrams of the copolymers directly. This strategy mimics the control of chemistry at the nanometer scale that is currently the exclusive province of living systems.

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Tiffany E. Dukette

Michigan State University

517-432-8230

dukettet@egr.msu.edu

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My research involves using atomic force microscopy to observe organic nanoparticle conformation on various solid substrates and to assemble arrays of nanoparticles via nanolithography. The nanoparticles are formed by intramolecular collapse and crosslinking of individual linear precursor polymer chains (E. Harth et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 124, 8653 (2002)). Experiments show that nanoparticles will collapse onto a high energy surface such as mica, but will remain as robust spherical objects when placed on a low energy surface such as a silinized silicon wafer. The figure shows the height variation between tightly crosslinked (20 mol% crosslinker or every fifth monomer unit crosslinked) and lightly crosslinked (2.5 mol%) nanoparticles and the linear precursor. The solid line represents the predicted values for a constant density spherical object obtained by equating the density of a sphere to its mass per volume yielding h ~ M^1/3.

Maisie J. Joralemon

Washington University - St. Louis

314-935-4607

mjjorale@artsci.wustl.edu

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I am the queen-elect of SCK's.