Chemistry Seminar - Engineering Ordered Networks Using Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers
Engineering Ordered Networks Using Self-Assembly of Block CopolymersDr. Poornima PadmanabhanAssistant Professor, Chemical EngineeringKate Gleason College of Engineering, RITAbstract:The self-assembly of block copolymers can be utilized to synthesize and template a variety of structures with novel optical properties such as negative refractive index and materials with photonic band gap. However, the thermodynamic stability of ordered networks is narrow in pure diblock copolymers, resulting in poor realization of these materials in experiment. In this talk, we will expand the design space and select building blocks that promote the formation of ordered networks. Diblock copolymers, triblock copolymers, and suitable enthalpic and entropic modifiers are studied in particle-based simulations to provide insights into the molecular packing of these components within the mesostructures. Further, we show that by co-assembling the copolymer with a suitable modifier, the networks are widely tunable and novel morphologies can be produced.Speaker Bio:Dr. Poornima Padmanabhan received her bachelor’s degree (B. Tech.) in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras located in India. She received her Ph.D. from Cornell University in 2016 and was a postdoctoral research associate at Cornell University. At Cornell, she received a Cook Award for her commitment to women’s issues and contributions for changing the climate for women. She joined RIT as an assistant professor in Chemical Engineering in 2017. Her current research focuses on equilibrium and non-equilibrium phase diagrams of soft materials such as flexible block copolymers, colloids, and rigid polymers.
Event Snapshot
When and Where
Who
Open to the Public