Polymer dynamics and fluctuations probed with fluorescence methods

The arc of the thesis is direct measurement of polymer chain properties with potent fluorescence methods imported from other interdisciplinary sciences and applied successfully to polymer physics problems for the first time. The focus is an important theme in equilibrium polymer physics - chain structure and dynamics at solid-liquid interfaces and confined geometries, respectively. The role of polymer dynamics and fluctuations on the topological confinement formed by entanglement strands in a polymer solution, as experienced by a particle of comparable size is also investigated. These questions are fundamental in many scientific and technical applications, including adhesion, interdiffusion, friction, the mechanical behavior of composite and nanocomposite materials, and functional properties of other kinds. The experimental investigations involve development of novel fluorescence techniques of spectroscopy, microscopy and image analysis with single molecule sensitivity and/or single particle accuracy. Use of these techniques allow access to phenomena occurring at a wide range of length scales and time scales, characteristic of problems in macromolecular physics. Single particle tracking experiments also show advantages of unearthing distribution of individual particle dynamics within an ensemble.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Materials Science & Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Kumar, Subhalakshmi

Contributors dc:contributor

• Granick, Steve
• Schweizer, Kenneth S.
• Braun, Paul V.
• Sing, Charles E.

• Polymer dynamics
• Polymer structure
• Polymer fluctuations
• Particle polymer mixture
• Single particle dynamics
• Single chain dynamics
• Fluorescence methods
• Surface forces Apparatus
• Polymer at interfaces
• Polymer confinement
• Microscoopy
• Spectroscopy
• Polymer Physics
• Random walk
• Single molecule
• Soft materials
• Materials Science and Engineering

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2014 Subhalakshmi Kumar

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/73049

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/73049