Synthetic polymers and plastics make up a $100 billion industry and impact almost every aspect of daily life: from transportation to consumer products to health care. These materials are made up of long, individual polymer molecules that are connected in a network that forms the bulk material. In recent years, chemists have learned how to produce remarkable properties in the individual polymer molecules and control the connections between them. The Center for the Chemistry of Molecularly Optimized Networks (MONET) is developing the knowledge and methods to translate the remarkable properties now available at the molecular level to new properties of polymer networks. It fuels innovation in formulation and manufacturing, potentially leading to the development of tough, longer-lived materials that reduce waste while being perfectly tailored to their use. The broader impacts of the Center include interdisciplinary technical training for young scientists across emerging areas of polymer chemistry, and communication and entrepreneurship experiences that position Center trainees for future careers. Finally, the Center partners with community colleges to increase public awareness of the societal impact of science innovation while simultaneously encouraging broader participation in the sciences by communicating the range of career opportunities available to the diverse community college population.
The scope of MONET comprises quantitative structure-activity relationships that relate polymer network toughness to the toughness of individual network strands, the molecular architecture of the network, and the mechanism and spatial organization of dynamic strand exchange reactions. These objectives are pursued through a unique combination of methods, including precision polymer synthesis, single molecule spectroscopy, coordination chemistry, photochemical switching, and the development and application of new theoretical models and methods. In addition, a prototype database and digital notation for polymer entry (GIGA - the Global Index of Gel Attributes) is being established. The combined gains in fundamental knowledge, technical capability, and informatics strategy address a major chemical knowledge gap. MONET addresses the role of precisely controlled polymer chain length, the molecular mechanical response of a polymer chain, and the mechanisms by which polymer strands exchange in dynamic networks, as well as the influence of molecular scale network defects on each. The knowledge gained informs strategies to bring remarkable properties to polymer networks, by treating them as complex but understandable chemical systems that can be harnessed to produce currently inaccessible collective properties. Key broader impacts of this award include the development of a polymer network database, technical training and professional development for developing scientists, and science communication to diverse audiences.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
