IRES: Responsive Fibers

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Technical AbstractThe potential technologies enabled by advanced fiber materials are countless, ranging from better body armor to artificial neurons to instantaneously drying raincoats. Electro-optical and electro-mechanical responses of the filamentous materials offer flexible and wearable displays and hold the promise for an entirely new class of artificial muscles and/or strain sensors. The goal of this project is to incorporate two important functionalities into fibers: electro-optics and electro-mechanical couplings. This will be achieved by three different approaches. (i) Incorporate liquid crystals and functional nanoparticles in electrospun polymer fibers in coaxial and tri-axial configurations; (ii) Draw stable free-standing fluid fibers from low molecular weight bent-core liquid crystals and study their mechanical and optical properties; (iii) Study both electrospun and self assembling liquid crystal polymer fibers in their pure form, with functional nanoparticles and in UV-induced cross-linked elastomer forms. Students will learn about coaxial and double coaxial electrospinning techniques, optical wave-guiding, nanoparticle preparations, and polymerization processes. They will acquire various characterization methods, such as polarizing optical microscopy, Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy and high-speed camera photography. Non-technical AbstractOur body is soft, stretchable and curved, but the present electronics are rigid, heavy and breakable. Making electronics flexible, stretchable, lightweight, rugged and wearable is an emerging and transformative direction for research. In this three years project 24 US students will work either in Suwon, South Korea or Magdeburg, Germany to combine liquid crystals and polymers to make responsive smart fibers. During their work abroad the students will learn cutting edge new technologies involving sophisticated experimental techniques probing fiber properties, such as stability, strength, flexibility, optical and mechanical sensitivity to electric fields. The students will also learn how to collaborate at international scientific level, will appreciate the culture of foreign countries, and will represent the greatest features of the American culture abroad. This way we will educate global scientists, who will be able to compete in the international science market.