Effect of Versatile Structural Design on Properties and Applications of Two-Dimensional Conjugated Microporous Polymer Thin Films

dc.contributor.advisorAjayan, Pulickel M.en_US
dc.contributor.advisorThomas, Edwin L.en_US
dc.creatorMiller, Kristen A.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2021-12-06T20:13:29Zen_US
dc.date.available2022-12-01T06:01:11Zen_US
dc.date.created2021-12en_US
dc.date.issued2021-12-03en_US
dc.date.submittedDecember 2021en_US
dc.date.updated2021-12-06T20:13:29Zen_US
dc.description.abstractMicroporous two-dimensional (2D) polymers have great potential in many applications given their covalent bonding in two dimensions, extended conjugated structures, high surface areas and functional design. However, their widespread implementation in practical application spaces has so far been limited by the lack of facile and scalable processing methods from their generally insoluble forms. In this work, the inspiration for structural design is drawn from the molecular construct of high-strength, high-modulus 1D polymers that have produced some of the strongest materials to date, particularly poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) or Zylon. Herein, a series of novel solvothermal bottom-up methods were developed to directly synthesize 2D covalently linked polymer films from starting material solutions. Benzoxazole-linked films were produced via a two-step process that allows the deposition of a uniform intermediate film network via reversible, non-covalent interactions, followed by a subsequent solid-state annealing step that facilitates the irreversible conversion to the desired polymer product. The versatility of this synthesis method is demonstrated by producing films with four different aromatic core units. Slight modification of the synthetic methods enables the direct synthesis of reversibly linked imine and hydrazone-based films using a metal triflate catalyst with a single processing step. The resulting 2D polymer films are amorphous yet demonstrate microporosity and an anisotropic layered morphology that can be exfoliated into few-layer nanosheets. The hydrazone-linked films exhibit more compact planar stacking and bright photoluminescence due to the constrained planar conformation induced by intramolecular hydrogen-bonding. These 2D polymer films are comprised of highly aromatic, conjugated building blocks providing an opportunity to translate the mechanical performance of classic rigid-rod 1D polymers across a plane by extending covalent bonding into two dimensions, while simultaneously reducing density. The demonstrated mechanical properties from tensile testing and nanoindentation show axial tensile and transverse compressive elastic moduli on the scale of several GPa, rivalling the performance of solution-cast films of 1D PBO, as well as several other 1D high-strength polymer films. The structural effect of linkage chemistry is compared via nanoindentation, showing that the benzoxazole-linked films exhibit higher modulus and hardness relative to the more compliant reversibly linked counterparts.en_US
dc.embargo.terms2022-12-01en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.citationMiller, Kristen A.. "Effect of Versatile Structural Design on Properties and Applications of Two-Dimensional Conjugated Microporous Polymer Thin Films." (2021) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/111769">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/111769</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/111769en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectpolymersen_US
dc.subject2Den_US
dc.subjectmicroporousen_US
dc.subjectmechanical propertiesen_US
dc.subjectthin filmsen_US
dc.subjectconjugateden_US
dc.titleEffect of Versatile Structural Design on Properties and Applications of Two-Dimensional Conjugated Microporous Polymer Thin Filmsen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentMaterials Science and NanoEngineeringen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEngineeringen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
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