This award to Prof. Richard McCullough at Carnegie-Mellon University is supported by the Advanced Materials and Processing Program of the Chemistry Division. The goal of the research is the design, synthesis and characterization of regioselective conducting polymers and oligomers which controllably self-assemble into conducting nanostructures. Amphiphilic polythiophene copolymers will be prepared which self assemble on surfaces to form single molecule thick nanowires. By attaching substituents that respond to ions or metals, polythiophenes will be made whose conjugation and hence electronic and optical properties can be controlled by analytes. The ability to control ordering and consequently optical and electronic properties in conjugated organic materials will lead to lower cost solution processing of organic transistors for low technology applications such as phone cards, identification cards and price and inventory labels. Polythiophenes which respond to analytes are likely to find application in sensors, bio-indicators, pH sensitive membranes and other electronic devices. The research which is broadly interdisciplinary will provide a rich environment for the training of graduate and undergraduate students.
