Functional Self-Reinforced Composites using Stereocomplex Fiber

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The objective of this research is to create/characterize Self-Reinforced Composites that possess excellent mechanical properties for a variety of applications. Self-reinforced composites of poly(methyl methacrylate), for example, where the reinforcing fiber and the matrix are both poly(methyl methacrylate), should not suffer from poor fiber-matrix interfacial strength and hence have significantly greater tensile/flexural/fracture/fatigue properties than the composites reinforced with other fibers. Even though poly(methyl methacrylate) may be used in several medical/dental applications due to its excellent biocompatibility, incorporation of the regular poly(methyl methacrylate) fibers into poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix, without losing chain orientation of the fibers, is virtually impossible because they have the same thermal property. Hence, our approach is based on the novel idea of forming stereocomplex fibers, for example, from mixtures of isotactic and syndiotactic poly(methyl methacrylate), which have significantly higher melting temperatures than the processing temperature of the self-reinforced composite. High strength polymeric materials are needed for a variety of applications ranging from tank armor to spaceships, not just medical/dental fields. By replacing the fibers like glass or carbon conventionally used in composite materials with stereocomplex fiber, we can achieve two important improvements: one, the interfacial strength will be greatly enhanced, and two, a whole host of new functional composites can be made, depending on the selection of the materials to make stereocomplex fiber and the matrix, such as conducting polymers, photo-responsive polymers, and other smart materials. These materials will play an important role as structural elements, electronic components, and optical sensors in the envisioned "mission to mars" endeavor.