Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2022-2023)

Our research program aims at the conception (design, synthesis, characterization and property assessment) of functional hybrid materials. Due to their unique electronic and optical properties, inorganic nanostructures are exponentially used for a plethora of applications. However, they are difficult to exploit on a large scale due, inter alia, to their absence of solubility, their tendency to agglomerate, their poor adhesion and their lack of cohesiveness. To address these issues, surfactants, binders, surface-ligands, dispersants must be employed, but their presence is often responsible for a deterioration of the electronic or optical performance of the material.
Here, we will explore the dispersion of nanoparticles and nanotubes using ephemeral surfactants, a novel class of surfactants which are surface-active in solution, but which evaporate in the solid-state. For this purpose, we will explore the copolymerization of a variety of olefin monomers with sulfur dioxide to form an amphiphilic polymer capable of stabilizing nanomaterials in solution. Interestingly, such polymers are also self-immolative: under the action of a heat, light or acid stimulus, they depolymerize into volatile monomeric units. As a contingency plan, we will also explore the anionic polymerization of aldehydes for the formation of ephemeral surfactants. The resulting dispersions will be used to form conducting inks, with the expected outcome that a higher conductivity be reached due to the absence of interfacial organic material at the interface between conducting nanoparticles or nanotubes.
We will also explore the formation of a graphitizing polymer. Such polymer is soluble and processable, but under the action of a stimulus, it transforms into graphite. For this purpose, the chemistry of poly paraphenylene methylene will be investigated. A photoacid generator which decomposes under illumination will be used to trigger the transformation into graphite. The use of graphitizing polymers offer the possibility of direct laser writing of intractable graphite on a wide range of materials.
Overall, this research program could have a significant impact of the formulation of nanomaterials for application for the microelectronic industry.
Four PhD students and two undergraduate students will be supported each year, making the formation of highly qualified personnel an essential component of our research program.