CAREER: Structure-Topology-Property Correlations in Carbon Nanotubes

教员早期职业发展项目的目标是开发预测碳纳米管的物理性质（尺寸、结构、缺陷和掺杂剂的函数）所需的知识库。计划在以下方面进行深入系统的实验研究：1)拓扑缺陷对纳米管结构对称性、电子结构和反应性的影响，2)高温退火和电子辐照过程中纳米管缺陷迁移率的影响，3)取代硼掺杂对纳米管结构、拓扑和性能的影响，4)纳米管结构和拓扑对纳米管基纳米复合材料润湿和界面形成的影响。5)碳纳米管的结构和拓扑信息与输运测量的相关性。研究将通过空间分辨表征和测量技术对纯单壳纳米管、纯多壳纳米管、掺杂纳米管和纳米管-氧化层复合材料进行研究。最先进的显微镜，光谱学和四探针电导率测量将完成对孤立的纳米管的相关结构，拓扑结构和性质。其中一些措施将通过工业和国际合作进行。教育计划的主旨是采用创新的教学方法，使学生为现代和技术先进的社会做好准备。伦斯勒理工学院处于本科教育改革的最前沿，致力于在课程中引入灵活性和创新，大多数课程都被重新设计为互动形式。拟议的教育活动反映了个人计划的长期教育目标与改进教育方法的体制办法之间的协同作用。为实现教育目标，计划了一系列广泛的活动：其中包括为互动课程开发基于计算机的结构模型、演示、简短模拟和有效的团队问题、在课堂上使用多媒体设施、为纳米材料课程开发模块、让本科生参与重点研究项目、安排正式和非正式的研讨会以提高科学意识。鼓励学生留港实习及进行国际交流，并推广材料科学及工程作为区内中学生可行的就业机会。本提案的基本目的是研究碳纳米管的结构-拓扑-性能相关性。碳纳米管是最引人注目的例子，说明如何通过改变局部对称性和拓扑结构来定制碳结构，以展示各种有用的特性。在它们被发现仅仅六年之后，该领域的新知识表明，纳米管可以用于一系列应用，例如纳米探针和纳米级电子器件。希望本文所提出的综合研究能够更好地利用纳米管的特性，从而开发出独特的功能纳米结构。此外，PI将采用创新的教学方法，使学生为现代和技术先进的社会做好准备。＊＊＊

9733028 Ajayan The goals defined in this Faculty Early Career Development project are aimed at developing the knowledge base that is needed to predict physical properties of carbon nanotubes as a function of dimensions, structure, defects, and dopants. In-depth systematic experiments are planned to study in the following: 1) the effect of topological defects on structural symmetry, electronic structure and reactivity of nanotubes, 2) the effects of defect mobility in nanotubes during high temperature annealing and electron irradiation, 3) the effect of substitutional boron doping on the structure, topology and properties of nanotubes, 4) the effect of structure and topology of nanotubes on wetting and the formation of interfaces in nanotube-based nanocomposites, and 5) correlation of the information obtained on the structure and topology of carbon nanotubes to transport measurements. The studies will be carried out by spatially resolved characterization and measurement techniques on pure single-shell nanotubes, pure multi-shell nanotubes, doped nanotubes and nanotube-oxide layer composites. State of the art microscopy, spectroscopy, and four probe conductivity measurements will be done on isolated nanotubes for correlating structure, topology and properties. Some of the measurements will be pursued through industrial and international collaborations. The main thrust of the educational plan is to use innovative teaching methods to prepare students for a modern and technologically advanced society. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is at the forefront of undergraduate educational reform and in its commitment to introduce flexibility and innovation into the curriculum, most of the courses are being recast into interactive formats. The proposed educational activities reflect the synergy between the long term educational goals of the PI and the institutional a pproach to improving educational methods. A wide range of activities are planned achieve the educational goals: some of these include developing computer based structural models, demonstrations, short simulations and effective team problems for interactive courses, use of multi-media facilities in the classroom, developing modules for the nanomaterials course, involving undergraduates in key research projects, arranging formal and informal seminars to increase science awareness, encouraging industrial stays and international exchanges for students and promoting materials science and engineering as a viable career opportunity among secondary school students in the area. %%% The basic aim of this proposal is to study structure-topology-property correlation in carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes represent the most striking example of how carbon structures can be tailored to exhibit a variety of useful properties by changing local symmetries and topology. Only six years after their discovery, the new knowledge available in the field indicates that nanotubes can be used in a range of applications, for example as nanoprobes and nanoscale electronic devices. It is expected that the comprehensive study proposed here will lead to better utilization of nanotube properties leading to the development of unique functional nanostructures. In addition, the PI will use innovative teaching methods to prepare students for a modern and technologically advanced society. ***