Rhys Dickhudt, Graduate Student, Boyes Lab, GW Department of Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry Presents:  Rhys Dickhudt, Graduate Student, Boyes Lab, GW Department of Chemistry

Since their introduction over 75 years ago, aromatic polyamides have remained at the forefront of high-performance materials with their high mechanical strength, chemical resistance, and thermal stability. Recent advances in chain-growth polycondensation (CGC), have made possible the synthesis of well-defined, aromatic polyamide brushes with low surface roughness, high grafting densities, exceptional anti-fouling behavior, and impressive mechanical strength. With modifications to the aromatic backbone and side chain N-substitution, new methods may be developed with CGC to improve upon this groundbreaking research for applications in optomechanical surfaces and fouling-release coatings. First, the controlled synthesis of aromatic polyamides modified with the azobenzene chromophore was investigated to achieve well-defined photoresponsive polyamides. Following the optimization of the solution polymerization, the photoresponsive behavior was monitored with UV/Vis and improved by performing a series of random copolymerizations to increase the polymer free volume and isomerization of the azobenzene chromophore. Second, fluoroalkyl side chains were introduced into the aromatic polyamide brush structure to afford low energy surfaces with fouling-release characteristics. Equipped with various lengths of fluoroalkyl chains, the synthesis of aromatic polyamide brushes were investigated with their relevant surface properties such as brush thickness, hydrophobicity, surface roughness, and anti-fouling capabilities for membrane applications.

BIO

Rhys graduated with a B.S. in chemistry in 2019 from Grove City College in Grove City, PA. In Fall 2019, he began work on his Ph.D. in the Boyes lab at GW. His research projects have focused on modifications to the CGC mechanism for photoresponsive azobenzene polyamides as well as in improving desalination technology through surface-initiated, fouling-release polymer brushes via the CGC mechanism.