Materials World Network: Design of responsive materials via mixed polymer brush approach

1. Materials World Network: Design of responsive materials via mixed polymer brush approach Igor Luzinov, Clemson University, DMR 0602528 PS - b - PAA, interactive and responsive chains The focus of this project is on chemical design and characterization of novel responsive nanostructured materials, mixed polymer brushes, with controlled and variable hydrophilic/hydrophobic/steric/inonic interactions. The project is a research cooperation between US (I. Luzinov, Clemson Univ. and S. Minko, Clarkson Univ.) and German (M. Stamm and K.-J. Eichhorn, Dresden Technical Univ., Leibniz-Institute for Polymer Research Dresden; M. Müller, Univ. of Göttingen; and K. Hinrichs and N. Esser, Institute for Analytical Sciences (in Berlin)) research institutions. The major findings: (1) hydrophilic mixed polymer brush containing anchored mobile hydrophobic fragments can be prepared employing poly(ethylene glycol) and polyacrylic acid–b-polystyrene diblock copolymer; (2) protein adsorption strongly depends on the position and size of the hydrophobic regions; (3) the position of the regions can be altered, when parameters of the aqueous environment are changed; (4) adhesion measurements demonstrated that the mixed brushes turn-on and turn-off hydrophobic interactions when pH, ionic strength, and concentration of Ca ions is changed. Mixed responsive polymer brush Adhesion forces between hydrophobic bead and the mixed brush: HYDROPHOBIC INTERACTIONS CAN BE TURN-ON REVERSIBLY PS PEG, hydrophilic non-responsive reference layer PEG PAA +

2. Materials World Network: Design of responsive materials via mixed polymer brush approach Igor Luzinov, Clemson University, DMR 0602528 Education In Clemson, female graduate student (O. Hoy) completed dissertation and graduated with PhD degree and Z. Li completed his thesis and graduated with MS degree. Both students were involved in the project. During summer of 2008 two high-school students were working in Luzinov’s lab for two weeks. The students, D. Cohen (Academic Magnet Mayo HS, Darlington, SC) and J. Maggio (Nation Ford HS, Fort Mill, SC) decided to study Polymer and Fiber Chemistry at Clemson. The students are accepted and start as freshmen in Fall 2009 semester. During this summer of 2009 another high school student (L. Khulordava, T.L. Hanna HS, Anderson, SC) is working in Luzinov’s lab. The Clarkson group involved in the research graduate (R. Sheparovych and R. Lupitskyy) and undergraduate (Brett Inskip ) students. The research conducted provided training and development opportunities for students of different levels. They received training in synthesis and characterization of grafted polymer layers, ellipsometry, and Atomic Force Microscopy. The investigators were provided with the opportunity to take part in professional meetings to present the results generated within the collaborative research. Undergraduate students have co-authored research papers reporting the grant research. Outreach The PIs presented their results to the industrial community. Dr. Minko has presented the results of this work at seminars given for Corning Co. Dr. Luzinov has presented results to Milliken (Spartanburg, SC). The results were disseminated among industrial representatives at 2 meetings organized by the Center for Advanced Materials and Processing at Clarkson University. Clemson group included data on switchable surfaces into lecture on emerging nanotechnologies presented to freshmen of School of MS&E (Clemson). The results were incorporated in the newly developed course taught by Dr. Minko: “Chemistry of Nanostructured Materials”. German partner on the project Dr. Karsten Hinrichs from Berlin spent summer of 2008 in Minko lab in Clarkson and also visited Clemson for 1 week. Jacob Maggio and David Cohen presenting their research results at a poster presentation