Magneto-Active Polymers: Characterization and Modeling for Engineered Microstructures

该奖项的研究目标是了解管理磁活性聚合物(MAP)的行为和可调性的基础科学。这些以磁性颗粒为填充物的聚合物基复合材料在暴露在磁场中时能够改变其尺寸、硬度、保水性和其他磁机械性能。通过控制固化过程中的局部弹性和磁性有序以及操纵各种其他合成条件，可以将所需的特定变化工程到材料的微观结构中。这只有在彻底了解地图的行为和该行为的预测模型的情况下才有可能。该项目的具体目标是：(1)MAP磁力性能依赖关系的实验表征；(2)基于微观力学的分析模型解释MAP的行为；(3)MAP设备性能的定量预测；以及(4)具有工程微结构的MAP的合成协议。这项研究的成功完成将使应用程序不仅将改变地图的使用方式，还将改变从虚拟和增强现实到生物医学、噪音和振动控制以及高分辨率定位等领域的技术能力。这项研究将通过例题纳入本科生和研究生的课程，并用于更广泛的教育努力，以理解教学教学法，以教授结构不良的问题解决。此外，该项目的人才发展将包括培训博士和硕士水平的学生以及通过爱荷华州立大学少数民族项目招聘的本科生。这些学生将获得宝贵的技术能力，以及指导、团队合作和其他非技术技能。这项研究还将简化为K-12学生的动手活动，并将与各种现有计划合作使用。

The research objective of this award is to gain understanding of the basic science governing the behavior and tunability of Magneto-Active Polymers (MAPs). These polymer based composites with a filler of magnetic particles have the ability to change their size, stiffness, water retention and other magneto-mechanical properties when exposed to a magnetic field. The specific changes desired can be engineered into the microstructure of the materials by controlling the local elastic and magnetic ordering during the cure process as well as manipulating a variety of other synthesis conditions. This is only possible with a thorough understanding of the behavior of MAPs and a predictive model of this behavior. The specific aims of this project are: (1) the experimental characterization of MAP magneto-mechanical property dependencies, (2) micromechanics-based analytical models explaining the behavior of MAPs, (3) quantitative prediction of the performance of MAP-based devices, and (4) synthesizing protocols for MAPs with an engineered microstructure. The successful completion of this research will enable applications that will transform not only how MAPs are used but also the capability of technology in fields ranging from virtual and augmented reality to bio-medicine, noise and vibration control, and high resolution positioning. The research will be incorporated into the undergraduate and graduate curriculum through example problems and used in a broader educational effort to understand the instructional pedagogy for teaching ill-structure problem solving. Additionally, the personnel development of this project will involve training PhD and Masters level students as well as undergraduate researchers recruited through minority programs at Iowa State University. These students will gain valuable technical abilities as well as mentoring, team work, and other non-technical skills. The research will also be simplified into hands on activities for K-12 students and will be used in collaboration with a variety of existing programs.