UC Riverside

This dissertation presents a comprehensive study on the rational design and synthesis of group 14 materials, specifically carbon, silicon, and germanium-based compounds to develop innovative materials with tailored properties for applications in photonics, drug delivery, and dielectrics. By integrating principles from inorganic and organic chemistry, materials science, and engineering, this research addresses challenges in material design, thereby enhancing functionality in those fields. The dissertation is divided into two parts, with five chapters in total, each dedicated to a distinct area of material synthesis and characterization.Part I focuses on the synthesis of organosilane, organogermane materials, and hybrid inorganic-organic polymers. Chapters 1 and 2 detail the design of silicon quantum dot hybrid systems connected via silane and germane bridges. These systems are engineered to achieve intermediate coupling regimes that facilitate efficient triplet energy transfer (TET) and photon upconversion. By varying the linker lengths and employing techniques such as transient absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate tunable TET rates that enhance photon upconversion efficiencies, achieving up to 6.2%. This work highlights the potential of these hybrid systems for applications in optoelectronics and photocatalysis. 8 In Chapter 3, the focus shifts to the synthesis of novel polynorbornenes featuring silicon clusters as pendant groups, utilizing ring-opening metathesis polymerization. This newly developed polymer, poly(222-CH), integrates silicon clusters with unique insulating properties, displaying distinct thermal and optoelectronic behaviors compared to traditional carbon-based analogs. Part II explores salicylate-based poly(anhydride-ester) (SAPAE) polymers with tailored degradation profiles, achieved by fine-tuning the ester-to-anhydride ratio within the polymer backbone. Chapters 4 and 5 focus on the development of SAPAE microspheres with optimized release profiles for sustained and controlled delivery of retinol and salicylic acid. Real-time degradation kinetics are assessed using a microfluidic platform, enabling precise evaluation under hydrolytic and enzymatic conditions. This method offers critical insights into their potential for use in formulations and drug delivery systems. Collectively, this dissertation advances the understanding of structure-property relationships in group 14 hybrid materials, showcasing how rational synthetic strategies can bridge fundamental science with practical applications in photonics, biomedicine, and electronics.