Novel Organization Methods

We have developed a new paradigm for the organization of polymers and small molecules based upon the interest in materials to minimize their free volume. In general materials try to gain as many favorable intermolecular forces as possible by packing closely. However particular molecular scaffolds can prevent efficient packing and if properly designed can be used to create degrees of order not possible by conventional methods. We have shown the broad implications of this method for the organization of conjugated polymers and the modulation of energy transfer within these structures. We have further shown in collaboration with Professor Edwin Thomas (Materials Science and Engineering at MIT) that these methods can give rise to materials with increased strength and ductile properties. Extensions of this work promise to make for materials with unusual mechanical properties.