Collaborative Research: Synthesis, Characterization, Modelling and Simulation of Polymer Nanoencapsulated Aerogels

气凝胶是一种轻质多孔材料，具有较高的隔热和隔音性能。然而，由于它们也是非常脆弱的材料，实际应用一直很缓慢。这个问题已经通过在整个内部多孔表面浇铸聚合物涂层来解决。该涂层连接（交联）骨架纳米颗粒，加强颗粒间的颈部，同时内部空隙空间不受损害。这种新材料结合了碳纤维增强环氧树脂的极限比抗压强度和玻璃棉的导热性。控制力在骨架框架上分布的一个关键因素是纳米结构形态，这可能会增加材料的最终强度。因此，本项目将实验研究结构形态对交联气凝胶热性能和力学性能的影响。利用统计实验设计方法系统地改变合成条件，而建模和仿真将有助于理解纳米结构-性能关系。确定主要因素来压缩交联气凝胶的设计空间，以便在最短的时间内提供最佳的材料和结构。坚固的轻质材料是国家节能、国防、国土安全和太空计划的优先事项。聚合物交联气凝胶是一种多功能材料，具有低质量密度、适合装甲的机械强度和适合隔热的热性能。在节能建筑、车辆、低温燃料箱中的应用是显而易见的。商业化将促进当地的国家经济，而在学术环境中，该项目将为材料科学与工程各方面的研究生和本科生的教育创造一个优秀的跨学科知识环境。

Aerogels are lightweight porous materials with high thermal insulation and sound attenuation values. Nevertheless, practical use has been slow because they are also very fragile materials. This problem has been addressed by casting a polymer coating around their entire internal porous surface. That coating connects (crosslinks) the skeletal nanoparticles, reinforces the interparticle necks while the internal void space is not compromised. The new material combines the ultimate specific compressive strength of carbon fiber reinforced epoxies with the thermal conductivity of glass wool. A critical factor that controls the distribution of forces across the skeletal framework, potentially increasing the ultimate strength of the material is the nanostructure morphology. Thus this project will study experimentally the effect of the structural morphology on the thermal and mechanical properties of crosslinked aerogels. Synthetic conditions will be varied systematically by using statistical experimental design methods, while modeling and simulation will help understand the nanostructure-property relationships. Major factors will be identified to condense the design space of crosslinked aerogels in order to provide optimal materials and structures in the shortest time period. Strong lightweight materials is a National Priority for energy conservation, the National Defense, Homeland Security and the Space Program. Polymer crosslinked aerogels are multifunctional materials that combine low mass density with mechanical strength suitable for armor and thermal properties suitable for thermal insulation. Applications in energy efficient buildings, vehicles, cryogenic fuel tanks are clearly visible. Commercialization will boost the local State economy while in the academic setting the project will create an excellent interdisciplinary intellectual environment for the education of graduate and undergraduate students in all aspects of material science and engineering.