NSF/Sandia: Controlling Liquid Motions in Nanoenvironments Using Mechanical, Thermal, and Electrical Methods

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ABSTRACT: 0623973The proposed study will be focused on the experimental measurements of liquid motions in nanopores as mechanical loadings, temperature gradients or fluctuations, or electric fields are applied. The sorption isotherm curves of a variety of nanoporous materials, such as nanoporous carbon, zeolite and zeolite-like materials, nanoporous silica and alumina, etc., will be analyzed through a set of infiltration and defitltration tests. This research will shed light on the complicated interactions among solid, liquid, gas, and interface phases in nanoenvironments, which remain relatively un-investigated in the framework of conventional interface and surface theories. It is envisioned that, at the nanometer scale, due to the confinement size effect and the mass/energy exchange, the liquid behaviors would be fundamental different from that at the macroscopic level, e.g. the ordinary capillary effect or absorption phenomena. The proposed research efforts will also provide a solid scientific basis for developing advanced energy absorption structures, small-sized and high-power-density intelligent structures, among others, which is immensely important to the domestic economy, especially for the aerospace, automobile, military, and national security industries. For instance, the energy absorption systems can be used to develop high-performance soldier armors; the electrically or thermally controllable actuation systems can be applied for next-generation shape-changing aircrafts. Together with the proposed basic research, a matching education program will also be carried out, which will considerably enhance the exposure of study of nanomaterials to high-school students, college students, graduate-school students, as well as the general public.