JBGIM · Functional Nanoscale Coordination Polymers: Controlled Growth by Metal-Containing Block Copolymer Templated Self-Assembly

Coordination polymers are infinite arrays of bridging ligands bound to two or more transition metal ions. The potential application of coordination polymers in the areas of materials and nanoscience is significant as their properties can be tuned through variation of the transition metal ions and bridging ligands. To date, research in the area of functional nanoscale coordination polymers has been limited to amorphous (spherical) and crystalline (non-spherical) examples and the controlled growth of coordination polymers has not been realized. We propose the use of metal-containing diblock copolymer templates, which self-assemble in a number of different morphologies depending on the volume fraction of the blocks, to influence the structure of coordination polymers on the nanoscale, and for the first time demonstrate control over their size and shape. Our approaches will afford multifunctional materials with highly tunable properties, and the incorporation of diblock copolymers will allow for the rational design and controlled growth of nanoscale coordination polymers. This highly interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research proposal requires a wide range of skills and this is exactly the mix possessed by the applicant (ligand design, coordination chemistry, stable-radical chemistry, electrochemistry, and molecule-based magnetism) and the host laboratory (polymer chemistry, materials chemistry, and nanoscience). The proposed research will bring a promising young researcher to Europe, and will lead to a new area of functional polymer and materials research where a range of potential applications are envisioned.