Research

Experiment Overview

• Conductivity Measurement Experiment:

  • Aimed to measure the conductivity of a film after heating it under various conditions.

  • Initial results from a student named Dialia indicated no difference in conductivity between the heated sample and control after one hour.

Experimentation Details

• Initial Findings:

  • Dialia reported that after heating both the sample and control for an hour, there was no observable difference in conductivity.

  • Initial reaction to findings: Considered it a failed experiment.

• Recommendations for Further Heating:

  • Suggested repeating the heating process for extended periods.

  • Resulting Actions:

  • Heated for an additional hour: No difference observed.

  • Continued to heat for approximately twenty hours with checks every hour.

• Significant Findings:

  • A difference in conductivity began to emerge after about seven hours of heating.

  • Notable observations:

  • Conductivity increased in the polymer containing a cleavable side chain, indicating the importance of the side chains in conductivity.

  • No change in conductivity observed in polymers without the cleavable side chain.

Challenges and Improvements

• Conductivity Issues:

  • Even with extended heating, conductivity levels remained low, indicating that further improvements are needed.

• Future Directions:

  • Research focused on developing structures to facilitate faster side chain disassembly through innovative chemistry.

  • Highlighted recent work by Dory Yu, a student who completed her PhD.

Chemistry Processes

• Molecule Development:

  • Dory Yu synthesized two molecules which can be linked.

  • Discussed the creation of a monomer that is involved in polymerization.

  • Notable chemical feature: A carbonate linkage that is cleavable under certain conditions.

• Selective Chemistry:

  • The importance of a protecting group: specifically a tert-butyldimethylsilyl (t-Bu) protecting group.

  • Removing the protecting group using fluoride leads to the installation of a hydroxyl group (OH).

  • This process triggers a rapid deconstruction of the polymer via a 1,6-elimination reaction, releasing carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) as a byproduct.

  • This driving force causes a transformation into a polymer that lacks side chains.

Polymer Structure and Control

• Control Polymer:

  • Dory Yu created a control polymer that does not include the cleavable side chain.

  • This control exhibits stability under traditional chloride conditions, serving as a benchmark for comparison.

Experimental Analysis using Light

• Laser Demonstration Experiment:

  • Used a laser pointer to demonstrate the scattering effect of the polymer solution.

  • Initial condition: Laser passing through a dissolved polymer solution did not show a visible beam due to lack of scattering.

  • Comparison made to nightclub and concert effects where smoke is used to visualize laser beams through scattering.

  • Key Observation:

  • When a few drops of fluoride solution were added to the polymer solution, a sudden visibility of the laser beam occurred due to changes in the polymer structure causing light scattering.

  • This demonstrates the instantaneous nature of the polymer's phase change and confirms the removal of the side chain.

Conclusion

• Overall Implications:

  • The studies highlight the critical role of side chains in controlling the properties of polymers, with potential applications in materials science and chemical engineering.

  • Future research could explore faster reaction pathways and the incorporation of additional functional groups to further enhance properties such as conductivity and stability.