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

提出了一系列实验，以了解如何控制和优化在多组分聚合物系统中发生的分子间氢键的程度。DMR支持的研究表明，通过优化液晶聚合物和非晶态聚合物之间的分子间氢键程度，可以创建包含液晶聚合物(LCP)和非晶态聚合物的可混溶共混物。利用小角中子散射法测定LCP/无定形相容基质的物理、工程和热力学参数，用时间分辨光散射监测其相分解过程，用标准技术测量其工程性质(拉伸、强度和流动性质)。LCP刚性对形成可混溶共混物能力的影响将被考察，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相容能力的普遍性。此外，还将研究控制和优化分子间相互作用程度对聚合物纳米复合材料性能的影响。这将通过将单个碳纳米管和层状硅酸盐在多组分聚合物混合物中的分散程度与这两个组分之间的氢键水平相关联来实现。这组实验的完成将提供关键信息，这些信息将定义多组分聚合物混合物中两个组分之间氢键的优化限制，以改善其分散性和性能，并定义关键参数，使包括真正的分子复合材料和纳米复合材料在内的坚固的多组分聚合物系统的设计和生产成为可能。这项工作的更广泛影响将来自一所公立高中的科学教师的经验，他们在大学实验室花费四周时间为该项目做出贡献，获得动手实验室经验和聚合物演示培训。教师将在课堂上利用这一经验向高中生介绍聚合物和研究。这项研究还将通过开发一个名为“事实真相”的公众宣传网页向广大受众传播，教育公众有关材料对技术进步的贡献。国家标准与技术研究所和橡树岭国家实验室的中子散射实验的完成将产生进一步的影响，参与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从该项目获得的指导方针和基本理解转化为将造福社会的商业可行技术。该项目的成果将为最终合理设计多组分聚合物混合物(共混物和纳米复合材料)提供关键指导方针，这些混合物可用于创造具有广泛目标性能的材料，用于广泛的技术应用，包括下一代非凡的结构、阻燃和/或热稳定性材料。

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.