NSF/Sandia: Thermo-Mechanically Enhanced Interfaces

NSF/Sandia项目致力于为工程应用开发使用碳纳米管(CNT)增强的多功能纳米复合材料的基本材料和建模问题。提出了一种预测(CNT)-环氧复合材料热、电和力学性能的多尺度建模方法。该项目还涉及利用不同的共价键功能化分散在陶瓷和聚合物复合基材上的碳纳米管复合材料的制造和测试，以建立必要的工具和知识来开发和验证多功能纳米复合材料的多尺度模型。这一努力的智力价值在于生产用于微电子设备的新型粘合层，以及创新设计范例的进步，其中材料的放置在纳米和微米尺度上针对每种应用进行优化。研究的重点是碳纳米管复合材料，然而，由此产生的方法将普遍适用于各种纳米夹杂物，如纳米纤维、纳米球和纳米粘土。该研究项目的更广泛影响围绕着半导体行业与微电路、MEMS和NEMS的发展有关的技术，这些技术有望作为压力传感器、惯性传感器、化学微传感器、光学传感器、功率MEMS和数据存储设备。研究成果还将用于培训学生，以及本科高级设计和技术选修课。

This NSF/Sandia project addresses fundamental materials and modeling issues for developing multifunctional nanocomposites using carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforcement for engineering applications. A multiscale modeling approach is proposed to predict thermal, electrical and mechanical properties of (CNT)-epoxy composites. The project also addresses the fabrication and testing of composites with CNTs dispersed using different covalent bond functionalizations with affinities to ceramic and polymeric composite substrates to establish the necessary tools and knowledge to develop and validate multiscale models of multifunctional nanocomposites. The intellectual merit of this effort resides in the production of novel adhesion layers for microelectronic devices and in the advancement of an innovative design paradigm where placement of materials is optimized per application at the nano and micro scales. The investigation is focused on CNT nanocomposites, however, resulting methodologies will be generally applicable to a variety of nanoinclusions such as nanofibers, nanospheres, and nanoclays.The broader impacts of this research project revolve around the technology of the semiconductor industry concerning the development of micro-circuitry, MEMS and NEMS which find prospective applications as pressure sensors, inertial sensors, chemical microsensors, optical sensors, power MEMS, and data storage devices. Research findings will also be used in training students and in undergraduate senior design and technical elective courses.