SBIR Phase I: High-Performance Polymer Nanocomposites Containing Functionalized Few-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在开发含有功能化少壁碳纳米管(FWNT)的高性能聚合物纳米复合材料。首先，对FWNTs的合成条件进行优化，以确定最适合复合材料应用的FWNTs。其次，FWNTs将通过独特的技术被功能化到高度可溶的程度，而不会破坏其完美的石墨结构，从而保持其固有的性质。然后将不同负载量的功能化FWNTs分散到聚合物基质中，制备FWNTs/聚合物纳米复合材料。最后，将根据FWNT的载荷率和分散度来评估所得到的纳米复合材料的力学和物理性能。该项目的更广泛的商业影响将是获得具有优异的物理、热和机械性能的FWNT/聚合物纳米复合材料的潜力。与多壁碳纳米管和单壁碳纳米管相比，FWNTs具有结构完备性高、热稳定性好等优点。将FWNTs引入轻质聚合物中，可以提高FWNTs/聚合物复合材料的物理性能和热性能。这项技术在开发高性能、轻质聚合物纳米复合材料方面具有重要的商业意义，它将拥有广泛的终端用户，包括航空航天、包装、建筑和建筑、电子、医疗设备和体育用品等。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop high-performance polymer nanocomposites containing functionalized few-walled carbon nanotubes (FWNT). First, the synthesis conditions for FWNTs will be optimized to identify the best FWNTs for composites application. Second, the FWNTs will be functionalized to a high soluble degree with a unique technique without destroying their perfect graphite structure so that the intrinsic properties will be retained. Then the functionalized FWNTs with different loading will be well dispersed into a polymer matrix to fabricate FWNTs/polymer nanocomposites. Finally, the mechanical and physical properties of the resulting nanocomposites will be evaluated with correlation to the FWNT loading ratio and dispersion degree.The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the potential to obtain FWNT/polymer nanocomposites with superior physical, thermal and mechanical properties. The FWNTs have advantages over multi- and single-walled carbon nanotubes such as high structure perfection and thermal stability respectively. The incorporation of FWNTs into light weight polymer matrix will enhance both physical and thermal properties of the FWNT/polymer composites. This technology is of commercial importance in developing high-performance and light-weight polymer nanocomposites which will have wide-range of end users including aerospace, packaging, building and construction, electronics, medical equipment and sports goods etc.