Title: "Interactions of Novel Conjugated Polymers with Carbon Nanotubes: Toward Electronic and Sensing Applications"

Alex Adronov 

McMaster University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Host: Brett VanVeller

Abstract: Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are cylindrical structures composed entirely of carbon. They exhibit useful conductivity, high mechanical strength, and excellent chemical stability, and are therefore promising materials for generating high-performance electronic devices. However, many applications of SWNTs have not been realized because commercially-available SWNTs are insoluble and impure, being composed of a mixture of semi-conducting (sc-) and metallic (m-) structures. Conjugated polymers interact with the aromatic SWNT sidewall through pi-stacking and enable their dissolution in common solvents. In addition, many conjugated polymers can selectively disperse sc-SWNTs, allowing their isolation and purification. In contrast, only a few conjugated polymer structures have been shown to be selective for m-SWNTs. We have demonstrated that the electronic nature of the polymer backbone can dictate selectivity for either metallic or semiconducting species. In addition, it is possible to modify the polymer sidechains such that they exhibit interactions with various analytes, or can be decomposed upon application of a trigger. These modifiable sidechains allow various applications of polymer-SWNT complexes to be realized, including the preparation of chemical sensors (responsive to analytes) or strain sensors (responsive to application of pressure). This presentation will discuss our latest results in selective dispersion of SWNTs, as well as their incorporation within sensory devices. 

Bio: Alex Adronov was born in Kaunas, Lithuania (part of former USSR), and immigrated to Canada with his family when he was 7 years old. He grew up in Windsor, Ontario, and attended W. C. Kennedy Collegiate Institute (secondary school). He received his B.Sc. degree in Honours Biological Chemistry from McMaster University in 1996. During his undergraduate studies, he participated in research projects within the groups of Professors Francoise Winnik (summer, 1994) and Cornelia Bohne (summer, 1995), during which time he developed his interest in polymers, chromophores, and fluorescence spectroscopy. His senior thesis was carried out in the group of Professor Michael Brook, solidifying his interest in synthetic polymer chemistry. He then went on to graduate studies in the group of Professor Jean M. J. Frechet at UC Berkeley. His thesis project, entitled "Light Harvesting Dendrimers", involved the synthesis and study of chromophore-functionalized dendrimers that exhibited non-radiative energy transfer characteristics (Chem. Commun. 2000, 1701). He received his Ph.D. in 2001, and immediately took up an Assistant Professor position at McMaster University, where he has been ever since. He was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure in 2007, and Professor in 2013. He also served as Associate Chair of Graduate Studies and Associate Chair of Research in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology from 2009 to 2019, and has also served as Acting Chair of the department for 6 months in 2019. Currently, he is the Director of the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research, a position he started in 2020.

The Adronov Group focuses on organic synthesis for the preparation of novel monomers and polymeric structures, including conjugated polymers used in the functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes. Additional areas of focus involve dendrimer synthesis for therapeutic and diagnostic imaging applications.

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