GOALI/Collaborative Research: Fabrication of Multifunctional Nanofoams from Polymer Nanocomposites

GOALI合作研究项目的目标是探索一种创新的制造方法，并研究聚合物纳米复合材料在多功能纳米泡沫塑料中的基本纳米尺度现象。这种纳米复合纳米泡沫材料将具有许多理想的性能，如超高强度/重量比、高电导率和高声阻尼系数，这些都是最先进的发泡技术所无法达到的。尽管聚合物纳米复合材料的纳米泡沫具有前所未有的材料性能，但目前还没有一种可以规模化生产大规模应用的多功能纳米泡沫的制造工艺。这项研究将探索一种具有成本效益和环境友好的方法，利用应力诱导气体发泡技术从聚合物纳米复合材料中创建多功能纳米泡沫。这项研究是一项有计划的跨学科努力，目的是为了科学发现。来自学术界和产业界的研究人员将密切合作，以确保其成功。这项研究对纳米制造的科学和工程以及对国民经济至关重要的许多工业应用都具有重要意义。聚合物纳米复合纳米泡沫将导致一类许多工业应用所急需的新型材料，例如更省油的新一代商用飞机和关键的风车结构，用于可再生能源。纳米复合纳米泡沫塑料提供的材料改进将使重量大大减轻并具有多功能性，同时仍能保持甚至改善整体结构性能。纳米复合纳米泡沫的额外吸引力在于，它们可以定制成执行多种功能，如承载、防静电、电磁屏蔽、声学衰减，甚至是传感。这项研究将有助于提升行业竞争力，创造新的就业机会，造福全社会。它还将提供巨大的机会，在学术界和产业界之间建立长期合作，在校园内发展研究基础设施，并让包括K-12、本科生和研究生在内的所有级别的学生以及女性和少数族裔学生参与进来。

The objective of this Grant Opportunity for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) collaborative research project is to explore an innovative fabrication approach and to study fundamental nano-scale phenomena in multifunctional nanofoams from polymeric nanocomposites. Such nanocomposite nanofoam materials will have many desirable properties, such as ultra-high strength-to-weight ratio, high electrical conductivity, and high acoustic damping coefficient, which have not been attainable using the state-of-the-art foaming technology. Although nanofoams from polymer nanocomposites promise unprecedented material properties, a manufacturing process that can be scaled up to produce multifunctional nanofoams for large scale applications is not currently available. This research will explore a cost-effective and environmentally benign approach to creating multifunctional nanofoams from polymer nanocomposites using a stress-induced gas foaming technique. The research is a well-planned interdisciplinary effort toward scientific discovery. Researchers from both academia and industry will work closely together to ensure its success. The research is greatly significant for the science and engineering of nanomanufacturing, as well as many industrial applications that are crucial to the national economy. Polymer nanocomposite nanofoams will lead to a class of novel materials that are critically needed for many industrial applications, such as new generation commercial airplanes that are far more fuel efficient and critical windmill structures for renewable energy. The material enhancements offered by nanocomposite nanofoams would enable great weight reduction and multifunctionality, while still maintaining or even improving the overall structural performance. The added attractiveness of nanocomposite nanofoams is that they can be tailored to perform multiple functions, such as load bearing, electro-static preventing, electro-magnetic shielding, acoustic damping, and eventually even sensing. The research will contribute to the industry competitiveness, creating new job opportunities, and benefiting society at large. It will also provide great opportunities to establish long-term collaboration between academia and industry, develop research infrastructure across campuses, and involve students at all levels, including K-12, undergraduate, and graduate, as well as woman and minority students.