CAREER Development, Understanding and Control of Aligned Nanofiber/Nanotube Polymer Composites for Engineering Applications.

纳米纤维/纳米管聚合物复合材料工程应用的发展、理解和控制。该学院早期职业发展（Career）奖支持两个主要项目，旨在缩短纳米纤维/纳米管增强聚合物复合材料的科学理解与工程之间的差距。第一个项目将专注于通过纳米纤维/管对齐来增强性能，然后用传统的复合材料制造技术进一步加工复合材料，以提供高性能结构。该项目将与研究排列纳米纤维/管对所开发复合材料的形态，机械，热学和电学性能的影响一起进行。第二个项目将集中研究该系统所涉及的流变学。流变特性（即粘度和松弛模量）与分子结构、组成、温度、时间和压力之间关系的发展将促进对复合体系的理解，并将其与工艺优化联系起来。在教育方面，PI将开发和教授聚合物工程和聚合物加工方面的课程和实验室。教育计划的一个重要组成部分将是对UTPA本科生的监督和指导，其中85%是西班牙裔，第一代大学毕业生，他们在科学研究方面的经验有限。积极参与前沿研究的机会对我们的学生来说将是一个宝贵的工具，并将培养他们继续从事研究事业的愿望。向中学生展示“魔术与科学秀”也是教育的一部分。它旨在鼓励和激发学生对科学、数学、工程和技术（SME&amp；T）相关课程的兴趣。

: Development, Understanding, and Control of Aligned Nanofiber/Nanotube Polymer Composites for Engineering Applications.This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award supports two main projects devised to shorten the gap between scientific understanding and engineering of nanofiber/nanotube reinforced polymer composites. The first project will focus on the enhancement of properties by nanofiber/tube alignment, where the composite can then be further processed with conventional composite manufacturing technologies providing for high performance structures. This project will be conducted along with studying the effects of the aligned nanofibers/tubes on the morphological, mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of the developed composites. The second project will center on the study of the rheology involved in the system. The development of relationships between rheological properties (i.e. viscosity and relaxation modulus) and molecular structure, composition, temperature, time, and pressure will promote the understanding of the composite system and will relate it to process optimization. For the education component, the PI will develop and teach courses and labs in polymer engineering and polymer processing. A significant component of the education plan will be the supervision and mentoring of undergraduates at UTPA, 85 percent of whom are Hispanics, first generation college bound who have had limited experiences with scientific research. The opportunity to actively participate in cutting edge research will be an invaluable tool for our students and will foster the desire to continue in research careers. An outreach to middle school students exposing them to a "Magic and Science Show" is also part of the education component. It is designed to encourage and stimulate an interest in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SME&T) related courses.