Synthesis and Characterization of Polymeric Nanofibers and Nanowires

技术摘要：该研究由美国国家科学基金会国际科学与工程办公室资助，提交给美国-埃及国际合作项目，提出了一种可以生产亚微米截面连续聚合物纳米纤维的制造方法。这项技术可以纺出聚合物前体的纤维，而其他任何现有的方法都认为这些聚合物前体是“不可纺”的。因此，这项技术可能允许制造新的纤维结构，帮助用新材料制造纳米纤维，并允许在纤维纺丝中使用新的化学路线。生产的纳米纤维将通过一种强大的光谱技术——拉曼光谱来表征，这种技术能够探测分子水平上的结构特征。研究了工艺条件与纳米纤维性能之间的关系，以优化工艺条件。一旦纳米纤维工艺得到优化，我们将探索开发一种制造绝缘纳米线的新方法，其中单壁碳纳米管或导电聚合物将被用作封装在绝缘聚合物中的导电芯。这种绝缘纳米线在纳米电子学领域具有广阔的应用前景。摘要：高分子纤维是现代生活中几乎各个领域的重要组成部分。纺织工业、水净化和废物管理、环境过滤器、渔网、结构复合材料、外科口罩、血管移植和心脏瓣膜等应用都可以从先进的聚合物纳米纤维中受益。其中一些纤维来自天然来源，而大多数是由各种类型的合成聚合物制成的。我们面临的新挑战要求我们在纳米尺度上使用非常高效和创新的技术来开发新材料。拟议的工作是美国和埃及之间的国际合作。一旦成功，这项提议的技术将使先进国家和发展中国家都急需的纳米纤维的生产成为可能。这项提议的工作为先进纳米纤维和纳米线建立了一种急需的生产方法，在医疗、环境、纳米电子、水处理、渔业、结构应用等多个领域都有潜在的应用，这肯定会使美国和埃及的经济受益。除了在美国的埃及研究生的教育和培训，以及在本科课程中使用项目研究结果外，拟议的工作还建立了赖特州立大学（美国）和英国大学之间的国际合作。这种合作自然会发展成更多的合作，包括学生交换、访问教授和科学研讨会。

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT:This research, submitted to the US-Egypt International Collaboration and funded by the NSF Office of International Science and Engineering, proposes a fabrication method that can produce continuous polymer nano-fibers with submicron cross-section. This technique can spin fibers from polymeric precursors that would be considered "unspinnable" by any other current method. As such, this technique may allow the fabrication of novel fiber structures, assist in the fabrication of nano-fibers from new materials, and allow the use of novel chemical routes in fiber spinning. Produced nano-fibers will be characterized by means of a powerful spectroscopy technique, Raman spectroscopy, which is capable of probing structural characteristics on the molecular level. The correlation between processing conditions and nanofiber characteristics will also be investigated in order to optimize the processing conditions. Once nano-fiber processing has been optimized, we shall explore the development of a new approach of manufacturing insulated nanowires, where single-walled carbon nanotubes or conducting polymers will be used as a conducting core encapsulated in an insulating polymer. Several applications are expected for such insulated nanowires spatially in the field of nanoelectronics.NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT : Polymer fibers are very important constituents in almost every field in our modern life. Textile industry, water purification and waste management, and environmental filters, fishing nets, structural composites, surgical masks, vascular grafts and heart valves are few examples of applications that could benefit from advanced polymeric nanofibers. Some of these fibers are from natural origin while the majority is made of various types of synthetic polymers. The new challenges facing us necessitate the development of new materials using very efficient and innovative techniques on the nanoscale. The proposed work is an international collaboration between USA and Egypt. Once successful, the proposed technology enables the production of nano-fibers that are much needed in both advanced and developing countries. The proposed work establishes a well needed production method for advanced nano-fibers and nanowires with potential applications in several fields, such as medical, environmental, nanoelectronic, water treatment, fishing industry, structural applications, etc., that would definitely benefit both the US and Egyptian economy. In addition to the education and training of Egyptian graduate students in US, and use of project findings in undergraduate courses, the proposed work establishes an international collaboration between Wright State University (USA), and British University, Egypt. Such collaboration would naturally grow into more collaborations that includes student exchange, visiting professorships, and scientific workshops.