9424317 Kwei The primary objective of the research is to elucidate the influence of substituent groups on the solubility, gelation, formation of staaked layer structure, side-chain crystallization, and miscibility of rigid polymers. Side chain substitution of rigid polymers to improve solubility is now a well-established strategy. Past work on sulfonated poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) resulted in a polymer which was soluble in many solvents. The solutions, however, turned into gels upon standing. The birefringent gels showed nematic liquid crystalline structures and were thermoreversible. The polymer showed potential as a solid polymer electrolyte for high-energy battery applications. When crosslinked, the mechanochemical response to electrical field stimulation was similar to the responses of flexible polyelectrolyte gels. %%% The study consists of four parts. The first part is concerned with the kinetics of aggregation of sulfonated aromatic polyamide in solution and the subsequent transformation of the solution into a gel. Dynamic light scattering measurements will be used to monitor the aggregation phenomenon. In the second part, the study on metal-ion conducting solid-polymer polyelectrolytes and electric-field stimulation will be continued. The third part of the study includes substituted poly(p-phenylenes) having novel structures and molecular composites derived from these polymers. Investigation of side chain crystallization and stacked layer structures is an important aspect of the work. The fourth part of the study involves the synthesis of substituted cellulose to test whether semi flexible main chains having long alkyl side groups can self assemble into stacked layer structures. ***
