Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2015

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Chemistry

Committee Chair

Dion Rivera

Second Committee Member

Yingbin Ge

Third Committee Member

Anthony Diaz

Abstract

The design and implementation of a controlled macromolecular chemical transport system could greatly advance switchable chemical reactions and be applicable for targeted drug delivery, intelligent inks, and nanotechnology. To better understand the mechanisms of function for a switchable macromolecular transport system, preliminary work has been completed that studies the transport of bromothymol blue (BB) facilitated by cetylpyridinium bromide monohydrate (CPBM) to a silica surface that has been modified with Poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride), a pH switchable polymer. Ultraviolet spectroscopic trials were conducted measuring the absorbance of BB and CPBM at 3 pH levels and 3 different surface reactivity levels of polymerized silica. The experiments were conducted by holding BB at a constant 1x10-5 M and varying CPBM at concentrations between 1x10-5 and 1x10-4 M at pH 3.5, 4.75 and 9.5. Conformation that CPBM had absorbed to the silica surface was conducted using infrared spectroscopy measuring the appearance of CPBM. Results indicated that BB was attracted under acidic conditions and repulsed under basic. CPBM was attracted under acidic and basic conditions however attraction amounts varied with the amount of surface coverage.

Language

English

Download

Share

COinS