EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES FROM A 'FORWARD LOOKING' LABORATORY: POLYMER AND COATINGS RESEARCH AT THE NIST COMBINATORIAL METHODS CENTER

摘要

Combinatorial and high-throughput (C&HT) experimentation methods have vaulted beyond screening for drug discovery. Now, an array of novel C&HT approaches and technologies are making materials research more productive, more rapid, and more thorough. A vanguard in these endeavors, the NIST Combinatorial Methods Center (NCMC) specializes in the development of C&HT measurement methods for polymer research, with a focus on complex industrial products including films and coatings. This paper gives a brief overview of current research and industrial outreach activities conducted through the NCMC. Topics include gradient methods for polymer film and coating research, microfluidic technologies for the analysis of complex polymer formulations, and HT approaches for measuring adhesion and mechanical properties.