9512506 Griffin A suite of thermoanalytical equipment will be acquired and utilized by a group of scientists working in the Structure and Dynamics cluster of the Mississippi EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) Program. The instrumentation includes a differential scanning calorimeter with photocalorimeter accessory, a thermogravimetric analyzer, a dynamic mechanical analyzer, a polarized light thermal microscopy system, an infrared imaging camera, and controlled heating accessories for an existing infrared spectrometer. The instruments will be used for the thermal characterization of materials synthesized by the research group. Much of the research involves thermal studies of liquid crystals, such as thermodynamic and kinetic data of phase transitions, photocalorimetry, spectroscopic and mechanical behavior as a function of temperature. Other research involves diverse topics such as traveling front polymerization, structuring in semifluorinated alkanes, and amorphous organic glasses. %%% The proposed instrumentation will fill a critical need of a group of EPSCoR scientists, thus enhancing their ability to conduct first-line research which will take them to the next level of competitiveness. The instrumentation will also serve an active program in organic and polymeric materials that has traditionally involved a large number of undergraduate and underrepresented minority students. ***
