Materials World Network: Nanostructure and Thermodynamics of Polymer Derived Ceramics

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Polymer derived ceramics are a new class of lightweight and durable materials able to withstand very high temperatures. They have potential uses in aerospace, energy, electronics, and other industries. Yet what their structures are, how stable they are, and how their structure and stability determine their properties and uses are poorly known. This Materials World Network project brings together experts in synthesis, structure determination, thermodynamics, and theory to address these questions. It also provides educational opportunities for exchange between UC Davis and Darmstadt University in Germany.Polymer derived ceramics in the Si-C-N-O system have unique mechanical and thermal properties, are lightweight, and persist to above 1400 °C, making them potentially useful for aerospace, energy, electronic, and other applications. The goal of this research is to develop a quantitative atomic-level understanding of their structure and stability through a combination of state-of-the-art synthesis, calorimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and vibrational spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and theory. Such understanding will transform the very empirical science related to their synthesis and properties into a much more quantitative and predictive understanding that will enable fine-tuning specific materials properties. Students, postdocs, and faculty will have scientific experience in a number of the techniques listed above and the cultural experience of working in the U.S. and Germany.This Materials World Network is cofunded by the DMR Ceramics program, the DMR Office for Special Programs, and the OISE Central & Eastern Europe Region.