Synergistic Physicochemical Properties of Macromolecule-Metal Complexes

1. Synergistic Physicochemical Properties of Macromolecule-Metal Complexes Laurence A. Belfiore (Colorado State University),DMR-0320980 Laser Spectroscopy and Green Photon Emission in Phosphorescent Lanthanide Complexes with Interactive Functional Polymers for Electro-Optical Devices We are investigating nanoscale and photonic phenomena in macromolecule-metal complexes to understand how inorganic species and nanomaterials, including metal salts and plasma-modified carbon nanotubes, interact with functional polymers to generate materials with useful opto-electronic properties. An extremely interesting aspect of trivalent lanthanide complexes focuses on their photonic properties, because europium emits red photons and terbium emits green photons. Praseodymium emits multiple visible photons in response to sub-200 nm laser excitation. Interactive polymeric hosts significantly decrease the emission bandwidth of terbium. This is attractive for monochromatic emission of green photons with terbium that does not occur in the absence of functional polymers. Extended research video interview website; http://www.engr.colostate.edu/adr/video/info page.cfm?id=15 Education (Textbook Development) Physical Properties of Macromolecules (A) Glass Transitions in Amorphous Polymers Basic Concepts; 2nd-Order Phase Transitions Diffusion Near the Glass Transition Temperature Lattice Theories; Tg via Conformational Entropy DC Electric Field Effects on Phase Transitions Order Parameters; Concentration Dependence of Tg Macromolecule-Metal Complexes; Tg Enhancement (B) Semicrystalline Polymers & Melting Transitions Spherulites, Birefringence & Optical Microscopy Crystallization Kinetics via Spherulitic Growth Experimental Analysis of Tg and Tm (C) Mechanical Properties and Chain Dynamics Linear Viscoelasticity; Time-Dependent Models Distribution of Viscoelastic Relaxation Times Nonlinear Stress Relaxation; Metal Complexation Molecular Weight Distributions; Linear Polymers Gaussian Statistics; Linear & Crosslinked Elastomers Rubberlike Materials; Statistical Thermodynamics Molecular Dynamics; NMR & Dielectric Relaxation Magnetic Spin Diffusion; Multiphase Polymers 675 pages completed as of 06/21/2006

2. Synergistic Physicochemical Properties of Macromolecule-Metal Complexes Laurence A. Belfiore (Colorado State University),DMR-0320980