Buckling of Nanostructures

本计画整合实验、模型与模拟，以研究奈米尺度下的屈曲力学行为。其目的是相关的屈曲纳米尺寸的结构，在纳米尺度的材料的机械性能的实验观察。因此，该项目将为纳米结构和材料的表征开辟一条新的方法路线。具体而言，三个有趣的屈曲现象在纳米尺度将被调查，包括溶胀引起的屈曲的聚合物纳米线，屈曲的单晶硅纳米线下压痕，和合作屈曲的垂直排列的碳纳米管。研究团队包括两名PI，分别在实验和建模方面具有互补的专业知识。与国家标准和技术研究所的一个实验小组建立了合作关系，研究聚合物纳米线，特别关注纳米级三维限制对聚合物溶胀和变形的影响。纳米压痕和压缩试验将用于研究平行硅纳米线和垂直排列的碳纳米管沿着的相互作用以及纳米尺度下的接触、摩擦和断裂特性。本项目的研究将促进对纳米尺度下力学行为的基本理解，这在纳米结构的工程应用开发中至关重要，因此对纳米科学和纳米技术具有更广泛的影响。教育活动将纳入研究项目，以加强其社会影响，其中包括培训研究生和本科生，并与代表性不足的群体进行外联。研究结果将广泛传播给学术界和公众。

This project integrates experiments, modeling and simulations to study buckling mechanical behavior at the nanometer scales. The objective is to correlate experimental observations of buckling nanometer-sized structures to mechanical properties of materials at the nanoscale. As a result, this project will open a new line of methodology for characterization of nanoscale structures and materials. Specifically, three intriguing buckling phenomena at the nanoscale will be investigated, including swell-induced buckling of polymer nanolines, buckling of single crystal silicon nanolines under indentation, and cooperative buckling of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. The research team includes two PIs with complementary expertise in experimental and modeling, respectively. Collaboration has been established with an experimental group at National Institute for Standards and Technology for the study of polymer nanolines, with a particular interest in the effects of three-dimensional confinement at the nanoscale on the swelling and deformation of polymers. Nanoindentation and compression tests will be conducted to study the interactions of parallel Si nanolines and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes along with the properties of contact, friction, and fracture at the nanoscale.The research from this project will advance fundamental understanding of mechanical behavior at the nanoscale, which is critically important in the development of nanostructures for engineering applications and thus has a broader impact on nanoscience and nanotechnology. Education activities will be incorporated within the research project to enhance its societal impacts, which include training of graduate and undergraduate students and outreach to underrepresented groups. The research results will be broadly disseminated to the academic community as well as the general public.