IRG-2 seeks to combine novel experiments with theory to understand the fundamental principles underlying the dramatic property deviations of amorphous polymers when confined to the nanoscale, and to uniquely exploit size and interfaces for advanced materials design. In the former, we aim to understand the combined roles of size, interfaces and processing on the behavior of confined amorphous polymers by developing novel processing routes through which different states of confinement can be achieved and subsequently characterized by state-of-the-art, in-house custom built instruments. For example, a unique gas-phase deposition process, MAPLE (Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation), will be exploited for innovative materials design of heterogeneous amorphous films and their nanocomposites. The interplay between novel processing methods and confining geometries as well as novel characterization tools combined with rigorous simulation and theory carried out in an integrated approach is the hallmark of IRG-2. The insights learned from the work will provide an important contribution to the general understanding of the glass transition, and a demonstration of how that knowledge can be applied for the development of new materials, for instance, stable glasses.
Co-Leaders
R. D. Priestley (CBE, co-leader)
C. B. Arnold (MAE, co-leader)
Senior Investigators
Y.-L. Loo (CBE)
C. P. Brangwynne (CBE
P. G. Debenedetti (CBE)
C. E. White (CEE)
A. Z. Panagiotopoulosv (CBE)
R. A. Register (CBE)
Collaborators
G. Fytas (MPI)
A. Bell (Promerus)
K. Tanaka (Kyushu U.)
H. Stone (Princeton U.)
