CAREER: Scalable Processing of Novel Multi-scale Hybrid Composites

职业：新型多尺度混合复合材料的可扩展加工

• 批准号: 1254540
• 负责人: Erik Thostenson
• 金额: $ 40万
• 依托单位: University of Delaware
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2019-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1254540&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Scalable; Processing; Novel; Multi

The primary research objective of the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant is to establish the processing science for an environmentally friendly and scalable processing approach toward integrating carbon nanotubes with conventional micron-sized advanced fiber reinforcement to create novel multi-scale hybrid micro/nanocomposites. The selective and intelligent integration of carbon nanotubes by hybridizing with micron-sized textile fibers enables the unique opportunity to form local multi-scale reinforcement architectures for the tailoring of both mechanical and physical properties. Preliminary research has established an efficient technique for producing extremely stable aqueous suspensions of highly dispersed carbon nanotubes in a single processing step. Through selective chemical functionalization of the nanotubes and controlled deposition onto carbon fibers it has been demonstrated that carbon nanotubes can fully penetrate fiber bundles and form chemical bonds with the fiber surface. Advanced composite materials produced from the multi-scale hybrids show remarkable improvements in shear strength and fracture toughness. The significance of the processing approach is that it allows precise control over the purity, structure and chemical functionality of the nanoscale precursor materials. The process is also carried-out under ambient conditions and is industrially scalable for future applications.If successful, the results of this research will expand the science-base for the manufacturing of nanostructured materials and understanding the basic interrelationship between manufacturing process parameters, the resulting micro- and nano-structure, and the material properties. Environmentally-friendly and cost-effective means for manufacturing carbon nanotube-based composites have the potential to dramatically enhance the large scale applications of structural and functional nanocomposites. Ultimately a fundamental knowledge of the processing-structure-property relationships will enable the nanoscale design of multifunctional nanostructured materials for new applications. The research will provide potential enabling capabilities towards the integration of adaptive, sensory, active and energy storage capabilities of nanostructures within structural materials. The educational plan involves a synergistic undergraduate research and design project to develop a lab-scale pilot facility for continuous deposition. A working pilot facility will then be constructed as a follow-on senior research project. As part of the CAREER educational plan the PI intends to extend a nanotechnology course module to reach-out to local high schools to help to build the pipeline of engineers interested in careers in materials and nanotechnology.

学院早期职业发展(Career)补助金的主要研究目标是为环境友好和可扩展的加工方法建立加工科学，将碳纳米管与传统微米级先进纤维增强相结合，创造新型多尺度混杂微/纳米复合材料。碳纳米管通过与微米级纺织纤维杂交实现了选择性和智能化的集成，为形成局部多尺度增强结构提供了独特的机会，可用于机械和物理性能的剪裁。初步研究已经建立了一种有效的技术，可以在单一工艺步骤中生产高度分散的碳纳米管极稳定的水悬浮液。通过对纳米管的选择性化学功能化和在碳纤维上的可控沉积，已经证明碳纳米管可以完全穿透纤维束并与纤维表面形成化学键。由多尺度杂化材料制备的先进复合材料在剪切强度和断裂韧性方面都有显著的改善。这种加工方法的意义在于，它可以精确控制纳米级前驱体材料的纯度、结构和化学功能。如果这项研究成功，将为纳米结构材料的制造和理解制造工艺参数、所得到的微纳米结构和材料性能之间的基本相互关系提供更多的科学基础。环境友好和低成本的碳纳米管基复合材料的制备方法有可能极大地促进结构和功能纳米复合材料的大规模应用。最终，对加工-结构-性能关系的基础知识将使多功能纳米结构材料的纳米级设计能够用于新的应用。这项研究将为结构材料中纳米结构的自适应、传感、活性和储能能力的整合提供潜在的使能能力。该教育计划包括一个协同的本科生研究和设计项目，以开发实验室规模的连续沉积试验设施。然后，将建造一个正在运行的试点设施，作为后续的高级研究项目。作为职业教育计划的一部分，PI打算将纳米技术课程模块扩展到当地高中，以帮助建立对材料和纳米技术职业感兴趣的工程师管道。