CAREER: Polyarylene Networks and Hybrid Molecular Composites - An Inter-disciplined Approach to Polymer Research and Education

Clemson University, Clemson SC

Investigators

Abstract

A new family of polyarylene derivatives is proposed which are of interest and potentially useful in a variety of high performance, optoelectronic, and high yield carbon applications. Polyarylenes, in general, are currently limited by poor melt and solution processability and traditional strategies to improve processability typically sacrifice performance. To enable the use of polyarylenes as fabricated high performance materials and as functional hybrid molecular composites, the proposed research will provide access to polyarylene networks from processable intermediates. The recently discovered synthetic approach consists of three steps starting from commercial bisphenols and affords bis-ortho-diynylarene(BODA) monomers in high yield. When heated, BODA tetraynes undergo Bergman cyclopolymerization and further thermal cure results in high performance networks, optoelectroactive materials, and high yield semiconductor glassy carbon. As a significant extension to this projects preliminary results, this work seeks to: (1) Prepare new BODA compounds and determine structure/property relationships for both thermal and catalytic/initiated routes. (2) Combine monomers and reactive intermediates with inorganic spacers, metal complexes, sol-gel precursors, and polymer electrolytes. (3) Expand preliminary microfabrication and pyrolysis studies to tailored semi-conductive glassy carbon and carbon/inorganic hybrid molecular composites. This project offers a new approach to processable and property-timable architectures for advanced application such as light emitting diodes, optical waveguides, low dielectric insulators, polymer electrolyte membranes, membrane electrode assemblies, and bipolar plates for batteries and fuel cells, microelectro/magnetomechanical systems, and microsemiconductors for optical signal processors, sensors, and switches. An inter-disciplinary approach spanning synthesis, materials science, polymer physics, and device fabrication is planned. Over the next five years, the proposed education and outreach plan will: (1) Establish an interdisciplinary basic polymer science curriculum that complements the rich variety of applied polymer studies currently offered at Clemson University. (2) Expose undergraduate and graduate students to inter-disciplinary collaborations on campus and industrial cooperative education/internships. (3) Team with the Intersociety Polymer Education Council (IPEC) and education faculty to implement a plan for teacher training workshops in polymer chemistry. (4) Use current and future positions at the national ACS level to enhance the local ACS section and extend leadership to the student affiliate programs.