Optimization of Interactions and Dispersions in Multi-Component Polymer Systems: Blends and Nanocomposites

提出了一系列的实验，提供了一个了解如何控制和优化的程度发生在多组分聚合物体系中的分子间氢键。 DMR支持的研究已经证明，通过优化两种物质之间的分子间氢键的程度，可以产生含有液晶聚合物（LCP）和无定形聚合物的可混溶共混物。 可混溶的LCP/无定形基质的物理、工程和热力学参数将使用小角中子散射来确定，其相分解过程通过时间分辨光散射来监测，其工程性质（拉伸、强度和流动性质）通过标准技术来测量。 将检查LCP刚性对形成可混溶共混物的能力的影响，以探索通过优化分子间相互作用在LCP/无定形聚合物共混物中诱导可混性的能力的普遍性。 还将研究控制和优化分子间相互作用的程度对聚合物纳米复合材料性能的影响。 这将通过将单碳纳米管和层状硅酸盐在多组分聚合物混合物中的分散与两种组分之间的氢键结合水平相关联来实现。 这组实验的完成将提供关键信息，这些信息将限定多组分聚合物混合物中两种组分之间的氢键的优化的极限以改善其分散和性能，并限定关键参数，这些参数将使得能够设计和生产稳健的多组分聚合物体系，包括真正的分子复合材料和纳米复合材料。这项工作的更广泛的影响将来自公立高中科学教师在大学实验室度过四周的经验为该项目做出贡献，获得实验室实践经验和聚合物演示培训。 教师将利用他们的课堂上的经验，介绍高中学生的聚合物和研究。 这项研究还将通过开发一个名为“事实真相”的公共外联网页向广大受众传播，教育公众了解材料对技术进步的贡献。 在国家标准与技术研究所以及橡树岭国家实验室完成中子散射实验后，将产生进一步的影响，参加该项目的学生将在多用户设施中获得实践经验，并开发下一代中子用户，以确保这些国家设施的持续健康。 最后，目前与工业和/或政府实验室的合作和互动将加快将该项目获得的指导方针和基本理解转化为有益于社会的商业可行技术。 该项目的结果将提供关键的指导方针，最终使多组分聚合物混合物（共混物和纳米复合材料）的合理设计成为可能，这些混合物可用于创造具有广泛目标性能的材料，用于各种技术应用，包括下一代非凡的结构，阻燃和/或热稳定材料。

A series of experiments that provide an understanding of how to control and optimize the extent of intermolecular hydrogen bonding that occurs in a multi-component polymer system are proposed. DMR supported research has demonstrated that miscible blends containing a liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) and an amorphous polymer can be created by optimizing the extent of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the two species. The physical, engineering, and thermodynamic parameters of miscible LCP/amorphous matrix will be determined using small angle neutron scattering, its phase decomposition process monitored by time-resolved light scattering, and its engineering properties (tensile, strength and flow properties) measured by standard techniques. The effect of LCP rigidity on the ability to form miscible blends will be examined to probe the universality of the ability to induce miscibility in LCP/amorphous polymer blends by optimizing intermolecular interactions. The impact of controlling and optimizing the extent of intermolecular interactions on the properties of polymer nanocomposites will also be studied. This will be accomplished by correlating the dispersion of single carbon nanotubes and layered silicates in a multi-component polymer mixture to the level of hydrogen bonding between the two components. The completion of this set of experiments will furnish critical information that will define the limits of the optimization of hydrogen bonding between two components in a multicomponent polymer mixture to improve its dispersion and properties and define crucial parameters that will enable the design and production of robust multicomponent polymer systems, including true molecular composites and nanocomposites.The broader impacts of this work will come from the experience of Science teachers from a public High School when they spend four weeks in a university lab contributing to this project, obtaining hands-on laboratory experience and training in polymer demonstrations. The teachers will utilize this experience in their classroom to introduce high school students to polymers and research. This research will also be disseminated to a broad range of audiences by the development a public outreach webpage called "The Fact of the Matter" to educate the public regarding the contribution of materials to technological advances. Further impact will result from the completion of neutron scattering experiments at the National Institute of Standards and Technology as well as Oak Ridge National Laboratory where the students participating in this project will acquire hands-on experience in a multi-user facility and develop the next-generation of neutron users to insure the continued health of these National facilities. Finally, Current collaborations and interactions with industrial and/or government laboratories will expedite the transfer of the guidelines and fundamental understanding garnered from this project to commercial viable technologies that will benefit society. The results of this project will provide critical guidelines that will ultimately enable the rational design of multicomponent polymer mixtures (blends and nanocomposites) that can be used to create materials with a broad range of targeted properties for an enormous range of technological applications including the next generation of extraordinary structural, flame resistant, and/or thermally stable materials.