1. CAREER: An Integrated Research and Education Program for Engineering Functional Block Copolymers Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, University of Texas at Austin, DMR-0348339 Research: This research seeks to address the phase behavior and the structure function interrelationships of functional block copolymers uniquely derived from living free radical polymerization techniques. Our research will focus on two classes of materials: polymers containing fluorinated blocks and concentrated polyelectrolyte block copolymer solutions and gels. Publications: 1. Q.A. Smith, J. Huang, K. Matyjaszewski, Y.-L. Loo*, Macromolecules 38, 5581, 2005. 2. T.L. Bucholz, Y.-L. Loo, ACS Polymer Preprints 46(2), 422, 2005. 3. K.B. Guice, Y.-L. Loo, ACS Polymer Preprints 46(2), 413, 2005. in DI water at pH = 6.04 as-cast PS-b-P(HEMA-r-DMAEMA) PS-b-P(HEMA-r-DMAEMA) forms an alternating lamellar morphology as- cast from a neutral solvent (black). Exposing the block copolymer to water preferentially swells the P(HEMA-r- DMAEMA) block (red). P(HEMA-r-DMAEMA) undergoes further swelling in acidic conditions (green). thermally annealed at 170 o C annealed in CO 2, 1500 psi, 40 o C thermally reannealed at 170 o C PfS-b-PMMA PfS-b-PMMA forms alternating lamellar morphology on thermal annealing (black). Supercritical CO 2 is a preferential solvent for PfS. Annealing the block copolymer in CO2 results in a phase transformation (cylinders, red), which can be reverted back to lamellae upon further thermal annealing (green).

2. Education: Tracy Bucholz (second-year graduate student) and Kyle Guice (first-year graduate student; NSF Graduate Fellow) are carrying out their PhD research under this grant. Additionally, two undergraduates, Sonam Kala and Raymond Teoh have been working on this project this summer. Sally Li, a post-doctoral fellow who is partially supported by Texas Materials Institute, helps out with the chemistry aspects of this project. Outreach: Our group (and several others) have established a partnership with the Austin’s Children Museum. This partnership aims at exposing children to science at an early age and making science accessible to the general public. To this end, we have set up monthly demonstrations at the museum and provide on-campus tours and hands-on experimentation for museum attendees. This partnership is partially sponsored by the Texas Materials Institute. In addition to coordinated efforts through the Texas Materials Institute, our group has also led science activities at the local Heart House’s free after-school program. The Heart House aims to provide academic support to local children of low-income families. The details of our outreach activities are listed at: http://www.che.utexas.edu/lloo/outreach.htm CAREER: An Integrated Research and Education Program for Engineering Functional Block Copolymers Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, University of Texas at Austin, DMR-0348339 Graduate student Tracy Bucholz and a young visitor at one of the experimental stations during the “Big Ideas About Little Things” Demonstration at the Austin’s Children Museum. Our partnership with the Austin’s Children Museum has received much attention from the general public; here is a press release about one of our demonstrations [Austin American Statesman, 4/11/2005]. Graduate student Kimberly Dickey shows members of the Heart House after-school program how to make liquid nitrogen ice- cream.