Polymer Science

Polymers and small organic molecules each play a key role in the design and development of novel, high performance materials. Polymers are composed of molecules with large molecular mass and have repeating structural units. They find wide use in almost all consumer products including plastic parts, fishing line, gaskets, tires, automobile bumpers, adhesives, film supports, abrasion-resistant coatings, lenses and optical coatings, and photoresists for semiconductor manufacture. Digital printing technologies use a variety of polymers as critical components, including:

• inkjet (inks and media)
• electrophotography (toners)
• thermal printing

New polymer technologies are used across an increasingly broad spectrum of products.
Scientific work in this area includes polymer synthesis to produce materials with novel properties, as well as polymer physics and rheology to better understand the materials' properties and interactions.

For example, polymer physics helps determine the behavior of ink leaving an inkjet printhead. Changing the morphology of certain polymers, can produce new nanostructured materials (after microphase separation). Our researchers also work to better understand the role played by polymers at interfaces, such as stabilizing nanoparticle dispersions in liquids, or improving adhesion between two layers.

Organic molecules including dyes, pigments and dielectric materials can be specifically tailored to provide the physical and chemical properties required for a variety of imaging applications. A strong understanding of structure/activity relationships guides the design and synthesis of small organic molecules, enabling the invention of media possessing improved color gamut, robustness and image quality.

Our research teams are working to develop materials that can be used for microelectronics, optical systems, adhesives, dispersants or interfacial control, binders, controlled surface functionalization, sensors, and polymer-based nanostructures. Synthetic approaches to produce novel architectures coupled with a thorough understanding of the materials properties will be required to control and optimize interactions in complex systems.

Bibliography

"Highly Efficient Triplet Chain Isomerization of Dewar Benzenes: Adiabatic Rate Constants from Cage Kinetics." Merkel, P. B.; Roh, Y.; Dinnocenzo, J. P.; Robello, D. R.; Farid, S. J. Phys. Chem. A 2007, 111(7), 1188-1199.

"Polymers for Photothermography: Controlled Thermal Release of Color Photographic Developer from Substituted Polystyrene Derivatives." Robello, D. R.; Levy, D. H.; Reynolds, J. H.; Southby, D. T.; Twist, S. L. Macromolecules 2006, 39(17), 5686-5695.

"Refractive index imaging via a chemically amplified process in a solid polymeric medium." Robello, D. R.; Farid, S. Y.; Dinnocenzo, J. P.; Brown, T. G. SPIE Proceedings, 2006, 6117(Organic Photonic Materials and Devices VIII), 61170F/1-61170F/8.

"Quantum Amplified Isomerization: A New Concept for Polymeric Optical Materials." Gillmore, J. G.; Neiser, J. D.; McManus, K. A.; Roh, Y.; Dombrowski, G. W.; Brown, T. G.; Dinnocenzo, J. P.; Farid, S.; Robello, D. R. Macromolecules 2005, 38, 7684-7694.

"Spontaneous Formation of an Exfoliated Polystyrene-Clay Nanocomposite Using a Star-Shaped Polymer." Robello, D. R.; Yamaguchi, N.; Blanton, T.; Barnes, C. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 8118.

"Synthesis and Characterization of Star Polymers Made from Simple, Multifunctional Initiators." Robello, D. R.; André, A.; McCovick, T. A.; Kraus, A.; Mourey, T. H., Macromolecules 2002, 35, 9334.