This $290,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Mathematical Sciences, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049), will fund research at Michigan State University on singular-enthalpic limits in polymer morphology from September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2025.
The research aims to develop and analyze models of the entropic and enthalpic interactions between diblock polymers in suspensions, to better understand the role of polymer substructure in self-assembly behaviors relevant to complex biological structures like plant thylakoid membranes and the Golgi apparatus. Specifically, the project will investigate the singular enthalpy limit approach to resolve optimal packing configurations of diblock polymers and establish linear convexity in sharp-interface limits. Incorporating flux effects will also allow for determination of bilayer membrane permeability in response to pressure gradients. Training of undergraduate and graduate students is included. Outcomes of the research have potential applications in photosynthesis, organelle behavior, and lamellar membranes for water purification.
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