This award to Mark Watson of the University of Kentucky has as its goal the synthesis and structure-property studies of liquid crystalline and amorphous organic polymers with defined arrangements of fluorinated and non-fluorinated pi-electron systems. A recently discovered transition metal free synthetic method for the synthesis of these polymers will be used and the scope of this reaction will be examined. Copolymers containing arylene and heteroarylene, arylene- and heteroarylene-vinylene, and arylene- and heteroarylene-ethynylene groups will be studied. The related palladium catalyzed Hiyama-type couplings will also be investigated for the non-fluorinated polymers. The effect of specific fluorine substitution will be delineated from the proposed library of polymers via structure-property studies using X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, calorimetry, spectrophotometry, and opto(electronic) characterization using simple electronic devices such as LEDs.
Broader Impacts. By not using transition metals in the syntheses, a more green synthesis is presented since many of these transition metals are toxic and/or expensive and require separation and disposal of the transition metals. Further, students will be recruited from Appalachia, a disadvantaged part of the country, by regularly visiting regional institutions to meet with and talking to the students about this research. The PI will also partner with the Explorium of Lexington, KY, a children's museum, to develop and implement hands-on activities and exhibits which convey basic chemistry/physics of polymers, organic electronic materials, and nanoscience. These activities will also be incorporated into the Explorium's "Trunk Shows", which are conducted away from the facility to reach the underprivileged that may not be able to visit the museum site. To convey to children that research leading to positive impacts on society and the environment can originate from them, the PI will also compile a "low-tech" rotating exhibit of simply written anecdotal biographical sketches of UK researchers and scientists native to Appalachia, accompanied by photos of them in recent times and as children.
