[nanoPost] Polymer and Organic Ultrathin Films

We investigate the design and synthesis of organic macromolecules and oligomers capable of controlled-assembly or self-organization as ultrathin films. This includes functional amphiphile synthesis, polymerization on surfaces, network formation, and preparation of π-electron conjugated polymers.

These materials are often: photochromic, electrically conducting, photoluminescent, electroluminescent, and nonlinear optically active. Electropolymerization is utilized to synthesize conjugated polymer ultrathin films in-situ. The challenge is to determine structure-property relationships as it relates to these reduced dimensions and interfacial phenomena. We are also involved in investigating nanoparticles, nanostructured surfaces, and nanocomposite materials with an organic or polymer component.

Surface initiated polymerization (SIP) and block copolymers are also widely utilized. To prepare ultrathin films we have utilized self-assembled monolayers (SAM), Langmuir-Blodgett (LB), and the electrostatic layer-by-layer (ELBL) methods. Analysis includes: surface plasmon spectroscopy (SPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), polarized UV-vis, IR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction.

Thus, interfacial phenomena issues are studied using surface sensitive measurement techniques on new materials. In the area of biotechnology, there is interest in the preparation and application  of these materials for bioadhesion, biosensors, and drug delivery.