Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Responsive Materials Via Diels-Alder Chemistry, Gregory Alan Strange

Master's Theses

The corrosion of infrastructure imposes a significant monetary cost, and at times human cost, upon society. Methods to improve corrosion resistance of materials are described herein which utilize the reversibility of the Diels-Alder reaction to impart thermal responsiveness upon materials. Such stimuli responsiveness can potentially play a role in self healing properties which lead to reduced cracking and thus increased corrosion protection.

Reversible Diels-Alder chemistry was utilized to manipulate the surface energy of glass substrates. Hydrophobic dieneophiles were prepared and attached to glass slides and capillaries to yield a nonwetting surface. Thermal treatment of the surfaces cleaved the Diels-Alder linkage, …