CAREER: Microscale Energy Transport In Aerogels

摘要诺里斯UVA CTS-9501911气凝胶是一种由纳米颗粒和气孔组成的特殊材料。二氧化硅气凝胶的密度极低，其微观结构使其具有不同寻常的热物理性能，可用于电气和隔热材料等重要应用。这项研究的中心是确定薄膜气凝胶的热性质，这是标准的实验技术和分析不能应用的。我们将利用分形分析从薄膜的微观结构来理解薄膜的性质，并将进行实验以确定薄膜气凝胶在基片上的导热系数，并证明在室温下微尺度下长度尺度效应的存在。教育计划强调将统计方法，包括实验设计，纳入工程课程。此外，PI还计划扩大一个已经很强大的指导计划，鼓励女性在大学以及初中和高中学生中进入工程学。

ABSTRACT Norris UVA CTS-9501911 Aerogels are unusual materials composed of nanometer-sized particles and pores. Silica aerogels have extremely low density, and the microstructure gives them unusual thermophysical properties that allow important applications such as for electrical and thermal insulators. This research centers on determining the thermal properties of thin-film aerogels, for which standard experimental techniques and analyses cannot be applied. Fractal analysis will be applied to understanding the properties of thin-films from their microstructure, and experiments will be carried out to determine the thermal conductivity of thin-film aerogels on substrates and to demonstrate the existance of length-scale effects at the microscale at room temperatures. The educational plan emphasizes bringing statistical methods, including design of experiments, into the engineering curriculum. In addition, the PI has plans for expanding an already strong mentoring program for encouraging women to enter engineering, both in the university and with junior high and high-school students.