U.S.-Slovak Research on Properties of Glass-Forming Materials and Proton-Conducting Polymers

这个美国-美国海军学院的John丰塔内拉和他的合作伙伴斯洛伐克科学院聚合物研究所的Josef Bartos之间的斯洛伐克材料研究项目将研究聚合物电解质中的离子传输和偶极重定向机制。为此，他们将利用斯洛伐克在正电子湮没寿命谱（帕尔斯）和电子自旋共振（ESR）方面的专业知识，以及美国团队在不同压力、温度和频率下聚合物电解质中电子弛豫和电导率方面的经验。 我们的目标是产生实验数据的分析，可以更好地描述聚合物基体的自由体积微观结构，聚合物链的链段运动，和离子的扩散运动。 基于自由体积的概念，理论方法将共同开发和应用解释这些结果，使用建模和计算机模拟。 如果成功的话，这些发现将改善目前对玻璃形成材料和质子传导聚合物的导电性能的理解，这对开发更好的燃料电池和电池有直接的影响。 这一聚合物研究合作项目实现了促进科学知识的计划目标，使美国和中欧的专家能够联合收割机互补人才，并在共同感兴趣和有能力的领域共享研究资源。

This U.S.-Slovak materials research project between John Fontanella of the U.S. Naval Academy and his partner, Josef Bartos of the Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, will study the mechanisms of ion transport and dipole reorientation in polymer electrolytes. To do so they will draw upon Slovak expertise in positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) and electron spin resonance (ESR) and the U.S. team's experience with electron relaxation and conductivity in polymer electrolytes at varying pressures, temperatures and frequencies. The goal is to produce experimental data for analysis that can better describe the free volume microstructure of polymer matrices, the segmental motions of polymer chains, and the diffusional motions of ions. Based on the free volume concept, theoretical methods will be developed jointly and applied to interpret these results, using modeling and computer simulations. If successful, findings should improve current understanding of the conductive properties of glass-forming materials and proton-conducting polymers with direct implications for developing better fuel cells and batteries. This collaborative project in polymers research fulfills the program objective of advancing scientific knowledge by enabling experts in the United States and Central Europe to combine complementary talents and share research resources in areas of strong mutual interest and competence.