Collaborative Research: Synthesis, Characterization, Modelling and Simulation of Polymer Nanoencapsulated Aerogels

气凝胶是一种轻质的多孔材料，具有很高的隔热和声音衰减值。然而，实际应用一直很缓慢，因为它们也是非常脆弱的材料。这个问题已经通过在其整个内部多孔表面浇注一层聚合物涂层来解决。这种涂层连接(交联)骨架纳米颗粒，在不损害内部空隙的同时加强了颗粒间的颈缩。这种新材料将碳纤维增强的环氧树脂的极限比压缩强度与玻璃棉的导热性能结合在一起。纳米结构的形态是控制力在整个骨架上的分布，潜在地增加材料的极限强度的一个关键因素。因此，本项目将通过实验研究结构形态对交联气凝胶的热性能和力学性能的影响。通过统计实验设计方法系统地改变合成条件，而建模和模拟将有助于理解纳米结构与性能的关系。将确定主要因素来压缩交联气凝胶的设计空间，以便在最短的时间内提供最佳的材料和结构。坚固的轻质材料是国家节能、国防、国土安全和太空计划的优先事项。聚合物交联气凝胶是一种集低质量密度和机械强度于一体的多功能材料，适用于装甲和隔热材料。在节能建筑、车辆、低温燃料箱中的应用一目了然。商业化将促进当地的州经济，而在学术环境中，该项目将为材料科学和工程各方面的研究生和本科生的教育创造一个良好的跨学科智力环境。

Aerogels are lightweight porous materials with high thermal insulation and sound attenuation values. Nevertheless, practical use has been slow because they are also very fragile materials. This problem has been addressed by casting a polymer coating around their entire internal porous surface. That coating connects (crosslinks) the skeletal nanoparticles, reinforces the interparticle necks while the internal void space is not compromised. The new material combines the ultimate specific compressive strength of carbon fiber reinforced epoxies with the thermal conductivity of glass wool. A critical factor that controls the distribution of forces across the skeletal framework, potentially increasing the ultimate strength of the material is the nanostructure morphology. Thus this project will study experimentally the effect of the structural morphology on the thermal and mechanical properties of crosslinked aerogels. Synthetic conditions will be varied systematically by using statistical experimental design methods, while modeling and simulation will help understand the nanostructure-property relationships. Major factors will be identified to condense the design space of crosslinked aerogels in order to provide optimal materials and structures in the shortest time period. Strong lightweight materials is a National Priority for energy conservation, the National Defense, Homeland Security and the Space Program. Polymer crosslinked aerogels are multifunctional materials that combine low mass density with mechanical strength suitable for armor and thermal properties suitable for thermal insulation. Applications in energy efficient buildings, vehicles, cryogenic fuel tanks are clearly visible. Commercialization will boost the local State economy while in the academic setting the project will create an excellent interdisciplinary intellectual environment for the education of graduate and undergraduate students in all aspects of material science and engineering.