Project Grant 2304909

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Chemistry Project Grant, awarded under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049), provides $536,677 to Professor Robert MacFarlane at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to investigate fundamental principles of multivalency in nanoscale and macromolecular systems. The research aims to advance understanding of how multivalent interactions, which offer enhanced molecular-scale binding compared to monovalent interactions, can be applied to precisely program the properties of polymer-based and nanoparticle materials. The project will initially measure the thermodynamic parameters of model monovalent supramolecular binders, then systematically increase system complexity to assess how factors such as molecular modifications, polymer grafting, and nanoparticle scaffolding impact multivalent binding. Findings will inform the development of tailorable multivalent binding strategies to enable easier polymer processing, recycling, and reconfiguration while maintaining mechanical strength. The research will also examine how altering supramolecular multivalency affects nanoparticle self-assembly within hierarchical superlattice architectures.