Highly branched nanostructures and their assembly

1. Highly branched nanostructures and their assembly Vladimir V. Tsukruk, Georgia Tech Research Corporation,DMR 1002810 Star-like polymers consisting of peripheral arms chemically bonded to a single core belong to a class of highly branched materials (Fig. 1). The PI explores the role of star-like architecture on the self-assembly and supramolecular organization at the surface. Particularly, we focus on the fundamental understanding of interfacial assembly of novel star polymers with an emphasis on pH-responsive star polyelectrolytes and amphiphilic block copolymers. We have demonstrated the formation of wormlike and circular domain morphology of amphiphilic PSn(P2VP-b-PtBA)n heteroarm star block terpolymers (Fig. 1(a)) [1]. pH-controlled exponential and linear layer-by-layer growth behavior was observed for p(DMAEMAn)x star polyelectrolytes (Fig. 1(b)) [2]. Effective growth of thick and uniform LbL films was promoted by fast diffusion of compacted star macromolecules. Figure 1. (a) Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer of PSn(P2VP-b-PtBA)n heteroarm star block terpolymer. (b) pH-controlled exponential growth behavior of star polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer multilayer film. 1. I. Choi et al. “Surface Behavior of PSn(P2VP-b-PtBA)n Heteroarm Stars” Macromolecules,2010, 43, 6818. 2. I. Choi et al. “pH-Controlled Exponential and Linear Growing Modes of Layer-by-Layer Assemblies of Star Polyelectrolytes” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 9592.

2. Highly branched nanostructures and their assembly Vladimir V. Tsukruk, Georgia Tech Research Corporation,DMR 1002810 • Education • Dr. Rajesh Kodiyath, a post-doctoral researcher joined the project in November 2010. • Dr. Sehoon Chang graduated and moved to MIT as a post-doctoral researcher in May 2011. • Brendan Patterson, an undergraduate student joined the project in February 2011. • Andrey Dorokhin, a visiting student fromAcademy of Sciences, Ukraine, spends summer 2011 in the PI lab. • Collaboration and outreach • A. H. Müller, U. Bayreuth, Germany: star polyelectrolytes • C. Tsitsilianis, U. Patras, Greece: star amphiphiles • V. Shevchenko, NAS, Ukraine: star POSS • A. Ponomarenko, NAS, Russia: monodendrons • The PI received the Humboldt Foundation Award, 2010 • The PI was selected a Fellow, American Physical Society, 2010 • The PI was selected a Fellow, Materials Research Society, 2011 • Ikjun Choi won the Research Initiation Award, MSE, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010 Rattanon Suntivich (2nd year graduate student), Ikjun Choi (3rd year graduate student), Brendan Patterson (undergraduate student), Rajesh Kodiyath (post-doctoral researcher), Andrey Dorokhin (summer visitor) in Professor Tsukruk’s research group, MSE, Georgia Tech (clockwise).