GOALI: Interplay of Molecular Structure and Processing in Polyethylene Film

加州理工学院和雪佛龙菲利普斯化学公司(CPC)的这项NSF目标合作的目标是实现一种新的集成制造模式，其中聚合物的分子属性是根据工艺参数进行选择的，从而以更高的生产率创造出卓越的产品。该方法是从分子水平上观察流动诱导成核的最早事件到聚乙烯薄膜的最终性能特征(例如，抗撕裂性)。使用加州理工大学开发的最先进的仪器和CPC提供的一系列系统变化的聚乙烯结构，这项研究将建立分子水平的过程，这些过程导致加工对凝固速度和形式的高度非线性影响，特别是在聚乙烯中。这项研究通过实现分子和工艺参数的快速设计来加速新产品的开发，聚烯烃是热塑性塑料工业中最大的领域，每年使用超过7000万吨，提供所需的宏观性能。社会效益包括更薄、更轻的汽车零部件提高了燃油效率，通过更长的使用寿命气体管道改善了基础设施，以及由于包装更好地保存了新鲜度而降低了食品成本。这项研究通过改善美国在庞大的聚乙烯行业中的地位来支持经济。此外，Goali支持促进了持续的外展活动，包括吸引许多中学女生的Sally Ride科学节，加州理工学院为当地学生提供的实验室之旅，以及加州理工大学工程预览，为来自科学和工程专业人数不足的本科生提供研究生学习信息。

The objective of this NSF GOALI collaboration between Caltech and Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPC) is to enable a new, integrated manufacturing paradigm in which the molecular attributes of a polymer are selected in coordination with processing parameters to create superior products at increased throughput rates. The approach is to bridge from molecular-level observations of the earliest events in flow-induced nucleation to the final performance characteristics of polyethylene film (e.g., tear resistance). Using state-of-the-art instruments developed at Caltech and a series of systematically varied polyethylene structures provided by CPC, this research will establish the molecular level processes that give rise to highly nonlinear effects of processing on the rate and form of solidification, particularly in polyethylene. This research accelerates development of new products by enabling rapid design of molecular and processing parameters that deliver desired macroscopic properties in polyolefins, the largest segment of the thermoplastics industry-used at a rate of over 70 million metric tons per year. Societal benefits include increased fuel efficiency because of thinner, lighter automotive parts, improved infrastructure through longer service life gas pipelines, and reduced food costs due to packaging that better preserves freshness. The research supports the economy by improving the U.S. position in the enormous polyethylene industry. In addition, GOALI support fosters ongoing outreach activities, including the Sally Ride Science Festival that draws many middle-school girls, Caltech lab tours for local students, and the Caltech Engineering Preview that provides information on graduate studies to undergraduates from groups that are underrepresented in science and engineering.