Prof. Jennifer Lu
School of Engineering, UC Merced
December 7, 2010 | 12:30 to 01:30 | 540 Cory Hall, DOP Center Conference Room
Host: Liwei Lin
Establishing controllable synthesis and assembly of 1D nanomaterials is critical for scientific discovery and technology exploration. In this talk, I will present our research efforts in creating new functional materials and systems based on 1D nanomaterials for sensing, energy conversion, and life science. In particular, I will discuss the two following on-going research projects: A new multiblock rod and coil polymer system has been designed and synthesized. Exploiting facile self-assembly capability of this high-contrast block copolymer, highly uniform nanofibers have been formed in solution, as well as in thin films. After thin film self-assembly, crosslinking and removal of the coil segment, aligned nanoscale polymer fibers have been created. These thin films have been demonstrated to be IR responsive up to 15Hz with no sign of fatigue. This new transducer material opens a new pathway in sensing, energy conversion and actuation. Utilizing self-assembled block copolymers, nanocatalysts for controlled nucleation and growth of 1D nanomaterials via the vapor-based approach has been generated. Highly aligned 1D nanomaterials in a 3D configuration have been successfully fabricated. The formation of such highly ordered 1D nanomaterials in a 3D platform promotes the realization of highly touted 1D nanomaterial properties.
http://faculty1.ucmerced.edu/jlu5
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