| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/L36918/01 |
| Title: |
SYNTHESIS OF POLYMERIC, THIN FILMS WITH NANO-SCALE COLUMNAR ARCHITECTURES |
| Principal Investigator: |
Boden, Professor N |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Centre for Molecular Nanoscience |
| Organisation: |
University of Leeds |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 September 1997 |
Ends: |
28 February 2001 |
Value (£): |
146,496
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Characterisation |
Materials Synthesis & Growth |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The aim is to create polymeric thin films with a nanoscale columnar architecture through uniting the unique self-organising/self-assembling properties of discotic liquid crystals with those of diblock copolymers. A thin film of a diblock copolymer AN-BM in which one or both of the component An and Bm are discotic liquid crystals and the two components are immiscible with each other (a special characteristic of Dx phases) should undergo microscopic phase separation constrained by the underlying homeotropic columnar architecture of the discotic to produce cylindrical micelles(diameter of the order 10nm) organised on an hexagonal super-lattice and oriented perpendicular to the surface. Given the anisotropic conductivity properties of discotics the resultant films should act as ordered arrays of nanoscale wires with applications in areas such as high resolution xerography and environmental gas sensors. The programme involves the synthesis of such polymers, investigation of the methods of casting and annealing thin films, and characterisation of their structure by methods including x-ray and neutron reflectivity, and small angle laser light scattering. It aims to establish the methodology for designing and synthesising polymers to produce films with specific structures and properties.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.leeds.ac.uk |