With funding from the Organic Dynamics Program, Professor Forbes will investigate the dynamic phenomena associated with flexible biradicals. He will study the mechanisms of exchange interactions which include vacuum, sigma bonds, solvent and excluded volume. Further, the principal investigator will investigate the theory for spin physics of correlated polyradicals. Finally, he will elaborate the dynamic effects such as lifetime broadening and J-modulation. Degradation of organic compounds which are an integral part of consumer products often occurs by means of free radicals. This is particularly true for products that are exposed to light (i.e., polymeric materials for containers and wrapping materials). This investigation addresses how this reaction occurs and what are the factors which influence the course of the reaction. Thus an understanding will facilitate how degradation by light can either be prevented or accelerated. Finally, the results of the study will be valuable to physicists and organic chemists.
