Processing-Structure-Property Relationship in the Fabrication of Hybrid Nanostructured Materials with Tunable Architecture

该奖项的研究目标是研究有机-无机混合纳米结构材料的制造，以便在复合材料的组成相之间产生强粘合或结合，同时保留组成相的个体特性。制造过程涉及在高压的帮助下聚合物纳米晶体沿碳纳米管的轴沿着直接成核和生长。这些聚合物纳米晶体负责纳米复合材料中纳米管和基质相之间的强键合。此外，该制造还将提供通过控制结晶压力和液体过冷或聚合物熔体被冷却到低于其平衡结晶温度的程度来调节不同长度尺度的混合结构的结构形态的能力。将开发具有预测能力的热力学模型，用于广泛的纳米颗粒-聚合物系统，并将基于聚合物晶体-纳米颗粒界面处的化学相互作用。这项研究的成功完成将为各种应用提供压力诱导制备混合纳米结构材料的通用指导方针。在碳纳米管上直接成核聚合物晶体的一个重要优点是，在混合纳米复合材料的制造中使用之前，不需要对碳纳米管的表面或功能进行改性。因此，未改性的碳纳米管将保留其非凡的电学，光学和机械性能，并且当少量存在时，可以实现其全部潜力。这方面将是特别感兴趣的下一代光伏和数据存储设备的发展。此外，聚合物直接成核法将克服在组成相之间获得强粘附的技术障碍，从而将为制备高性能材料开辟新的途径。在压力诱导成核条件下加工含有纳米颗粒的聚合物的理解和实现的汇合在诸如储罐中的屏障衬里和用于航空航天中的低温燃料储存的燃料衬里的应用中具有深远的影响。

The research objective of the award is to study the fabrication of organic-inorganic hybrid nanostructured materials in such a way as to create strong adhesion or bond between the constituent phases of a composite, while retaining the individual properties of the constituent phases. The fabrication process involves direct nucleation and growth of polymer nanocrystals along the axis of carbon nanotubes with the help of high pressure. These polymer nanocrystals are responsible for the strong bond between the nanotube and the matrix phases in the nanocomposite. Furthermore, the fabrication will also provide the ability to tune the structural morphology of the hybrid structure at different length-scales by controlling the crystallization pressure and liquid undercooling or the degree to which the polymer melt is cooled below its equilibrium crystallization temperature. Thermodynamic models with predictive capabilities will be developed for a wide range of nanoparticle-polymer systems and will be based on thermodynamically-driven chemical interactions at the polymer crystal-nanoparticle interface. Successful completion of the research will provide generic guidelines governing pressure-induced fabrication of hybrid nanostructured materials for a variety of applications.An important advantage of direct nucleation of polymer crystals on carbon nanotubes is to eliminate the need to modify the surface or functionalization of carbon nanotubes prior to their use in the fabrication of hybrid nanocomposites. Thus, the un-modified carbon nanotubes will retain their extraordinary electrical, optical, and mechanical properties and their full potential, when present in small amounts, can be realized. This aspect will be of particular interest in the development of next generation of photovoltaic and data storage devices. Moreover, the direct polymer nanocrystal nucleation method will overcome the technological barrier of obtaining strong adhesion between the constituent phases and thereby will open-up a new avenue for fabricating high performance materials. The confluence of understanding and the realization of processing of polymers containing nanoparticles under pressure-induced nucleation conditions have far reaching impact in applications such as barrier liners in storage tanks and fuel liners for cryogenic fuel storage in aerospace.