Novel multi-functional polymer nancomposites: hybrid nanomaterials based on high aspect-ratio metal nanowires mixed with other nanofillers.

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In this program, we will create lightweight multi-functional polymer nanocomposite materials that are suitable to replace metal or highly filled composites for electronics, aerospace, automotive and military applications. These nanocomposites will be based on a hybrid design, i.e. more than one nanofiller will be used and mixed with a polymer or with a blend of polymers. By controlling the structure, we propose to localize the nanofiller and thereby reduce filler loading and conseuntly, reduce the overall weight and cost of the nanocomposite. We will use both commmercially available and custom-designed nanoparticles and fibers to yield low weight, high performance materials with unique combinations of mechanical, electrical an thermal properties. In particular, our group has the capability to make high aspect ratio metal nanowires that can be used for nancomposites with application in electronics, and these nanowires can be combined with other nanofillers or macrofillers to fill requirements for example, in the automotive, aerospace and military sectors. Polymer nanocomposites display superior properties to their microcomposite counterparts because nanofillers (1-100nm dimension) are the same size as polymer molecules and therefore, can significantly alter the physical and chemical interactions with the polymer matrix. We will take advantage of this unique nanomaterial-polymer interface and design polymer nanocomposites incorporating nanowires or combinations of nanowires and other high aspect-ratio nanofillers like inorganic clays or carbon nanotubes. These materials are the subject of intense interest because they can be manufactured using conventional polymer processing techniques and there is significant potential to commercialize these materials in a large number of high-tech applications such as photovoltaics, biomedical, packaging, sensors, catalysis, fuel cells, solar cells and others. Our goal is to produce novel multi-filler hybrid nanocomposites with multifunctional properties with a significant market potential in the electronics, aerospace, automotive and military industries.