Project Grant 2554921

The National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry awarded Butler University $256,502 on September 1, 2026, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) to develop flexible chiral light-emitting eutectogels for applications in circularly polarized organic light-emitting diodes, circularly polarized displays, and security labels.

Professor Todd Hopkins of Butler University's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry leads research combining chiral deep eutectic solvents with luminescent lanthanides to create brighter, more flexible materials. The project employs machine learning to predict deep eutectic solvent properties and uses three-component mixtures—incorporating terbium and europium in multiple oxidation states—to generate red, green, and blue circularly polarized luminescence. The resulting chiral light-emitting materials will be incorporated into polymers or gel-forming molecules to produce functional eutectogels. The research encompasses discovery of new chiral deep eutectic solvents through screening and machine learning, characterization of induced circularly polarized luminescence, computational simulations and electronic structure calculations to understand the luminescence mechanism, and assessment of how physicochemical properties determine eutectogel formation and performance. The project engages undergraduate students in research spanning physical, inorganic, and materials chemistry, with educational impact extending to students in physical chemistry laboratory courses.

Performance occurs in Indianapolis, Indiana through August 31, 2029.