04/08/2025
By Kwok Fan Chow

The Kennedy College of Science, Department of Chemistry, invites you to attend a Ph.D. Research Proposal defense by Aishwarya Gaur entitled “Alignment and Assembly Mechanism on Anisotropic Polymer Substrates.”

Degree: Doctoral
Location: Olney Hall, Room 518
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 2 p.m.

Committee Chair:
Marina Ruths, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Margaret J. Sobkowicz Kline, Ph.D., Department of Plastics Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Committee Members:
James Reuther, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell
James Whitten, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract:
The objective of this research is to understand the surface alignment of polymer substrates where anisotropy has been induced by stretching. In contrast to semi-crystalline polymers, the modification and control of chain orientation at the surfaces of amorphous polymers are not well known. Mechanical stretching in a Dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) was used to introduce anisotropy within amorphous polymer films and at their surfaces, with a focus on TOPAS grades and polystyrene, materials widely used in electronics, packaging, and healthcare. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to evaluate the resulting surface characteristics, including roughness. Future research will compare the surface properties of amorphous and semicrystalline polystyrene. Additionally, further characterization of these polymer substrates will be conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD), surface forces apparatus (SFA), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This research aims to enhance the understanding of the nanotribological properties of anisotropic polymer substrates and their ability to align other molecules in direct contact with them, contributing to advancements in nanoscale device applications.

All interested students and faculty members are invited to attend.