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

开发，理解和控制对齐纳米纤维/纳米管聚合物复合材料的工程应用。这个教师早期职业发展（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和工程之间的差距。第一个项目将侧重于通过管/管对齐来增强性能，然后可以使用传统的复合材料制造技术对复合材料进行进一步加工，以提供高性能结构。该项目将进行沿着研究对齐的纳米纤维/管的形态，机械，热和电性能的开发的复合材料的影响。第二个项目将集中在系统中涉及的流变学的研究。流变性能（即粘度和松弛模量）和分子结构，组成，温度，时间和压力之间的关系的发展将促进复合系统的理解，并将其与工艺优化。 对于教育部分，PI将开发和教授聚合物工程和聚合物加工的课程和实验室。 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将是我们学生的宝贵工具，并将促进继续从事研究事业的愿望。对中学生进行宣传，让他们参加“魔术和科学表演”也是教育部分的一部分。它旨在鼓励和激发学生对科学、数学、工程和技术（SME 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.