Nanostructured Nanoparticle-Conjugated Polymer Assemblies in Ultrathin Films Rigoberto C. Advincula, University of Houston, DMR 0504435, DMR 0602896

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Nanostructured Nanoparticle-Conjugated Polymer
Assemblies in Ultrathin Films Rigoberto C.
Advincula, University of Houston, DMR 0504435,
DMR 0602896
In this project, the ultrathin film
formation, electropatterning, and nanopatterning
of conjugated polymer materials and nanoparticle
materials is being pursued. This includes 1)
Synthesis of specialized soluble precursor
homopolymers and copolymers, 2)
Electropolymerization of these polymers on
specific sites and multilayer sequences, and 3)
Use of micro-lithography (soft-lithography) and
electrochemical nanolithography to polymerize and
pattern features. Based on current literature and
recent results obtained, there is a high
potential to pursue new methodologies of
synthesizing and patterning ultrathin films of
p-conjugated polymers useful for semiconductor,
display, sensor, and other electro-optical
applications with micron to submicron features.
This also involves the use of surface sensitive
spectroscopic and microscopic analytical methods.
Recent highlights include nanopatterning of
azobenzene materials using current sensing AFM,
electropolymerizable denrimeric nano-objects, and
electro-nanopatterning of precursor LbL films.
Collaboration with National University of
Singapore with the MWN program is ongoing.
Figure 1

Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 1. Electro-Nanopatterning of azobenzene
containing layer-by-layer films under various
parameters. Figure 2. Precursor-polymers thin
films prepared using the layer-by-layer method
and electro-Nanopatterning of a nanocar. Figure
3. Polybenzylester Dendrimers with carbazole
peripheral group capable of electrochemical and
chemical cross-linking at the surface.
Adv. Mater. 2006, 18, 24612465 J. Phys. Chem.
2006, 110, 17309-17314. JACS to be submitted
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Education and Outreach ObjectivesREU, High
School, and International Collaboration
Rigoberto C. Advincula, University of Houston,
DMR 0504435, DMR 0602896
Education This is also a Materials World Network
project involving a collaboration with the
National Univ. of Singapore. Under these grants,
two students are pursuing their Ph.D. degrees.
Jin Young Park (4th ) and Nicel Estillore (2nd
year). Tim Fulghum was a recent Ph.D. graduate. A
number of undergraduate students who worked on
the project this summer included Anthony Belk,
Sharon Tse, Birte Wolff, and Simon Maaland. Simon
will be leaving for Singapore this December. Two
high school students Yieu Chyan and Clayton Ayres
were recent recipients of the Intel and Siemens
Awards. Paralee Paenkaew and Saengrawi Sriwichai
from Chiang Mai University also participated in
the projects.

• Outreach and Collaborations
• Hosting of high school students in the Laboratory
  as part of the Advincula Group Summer Research
  Camp Project SEED and Welch Foundation.
• Hosted several undergraduate students through
  SURF and REU programs at UH..
• Worked with the Houston Science and Math Club.
• International Collaborations National Univ. of
  Singapore (NUS), MPI, Germany, Chiang Mai Univ,
  Thailand, and TUAT and Niigata University, Japan.

Paralee Paenkaew from Chiang Mai, Thailand with
Dr. Advincula at the ACS National Meeting in
Atlanta.
Dr. Advincula and the group. A total of 10
undergraduate students worked in the lab this
Summer
http//nsm.uh.edu/newsroom/2007/0222_mentoring.htm