US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Role of Clay Structures in Clay-Epoxy Nanocomposite

0211253 ElshallDescription：该奖项是为了支持佛罗里达大学盖恩斯维尔分校材料科学与工程系的Hassan El-Hill博士和Charles Beatty博士以及埃及开罗中央冶金研究开发研究所的Mervat Hassan博士之间的一个合作项目。这三位研究人员计划对将导致环氧/粘土纳米复合材料的机械、耐热和耐溶剂性能显著提高的因素和条件进行系统研究，这些纳米复合材料用于制造高温和化学侵蚀性环境中的管板。粘土纳米层在改善环氧玻璃基质的力学性能、热稳定性、尺寸稳定性和耐溶剂性方面更为有效。对粘土特性所涉及的机制和作用的基本了解相对较少。范围：这项研究的结果将使两国学术和产业组织的研究人员受益。由低重量百分比(1-10wt.%)的纳米分散的有机改性层状硅酸盐增强的聚合物正吸引着研究人员的注意，因为相对于未填充的树脂，它具有前所未有的一系列新的和增强的性能。私人投资机构在研究矿物方面有相当丰富的经验，并具备开展这项研究的适当背景。埃及对这一主题特别感兴趣，因为埃及对从廉价原材料中提取的高附加值产品的需求很大。该项目得到了美国-埃及联合基金计划的支持，该计划为两国的科学家和工程师提供资助，以开展这些合作活动。

0211253ElshallDescription: This award is to support a collaborative project between Dr. Hassan El-Shall and Dr. Charles Beatty, both at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida and Dr. Mervat Hassan, the Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute, Cairo, Egypt. The three investigators plan to perform a systematic study of the factors and conditions that will lead to a significant improvement in the mechanical, thermal and solvent resistant properties of epoxy/clay nanocomposite used to manufacture tubesheet for high temperatures and chemically aggressive environments. Clay nanolayers are more effective in improving mechanical properties, thermal stability, dimensional stability and solvent resistance of the epoxy glassy matrix. Basic understanding of the mechanisms involved and role of clay properties are relatively unexplored. Scope: The results of this research will benefit researchers in academic and industrial organizations in both countries. Polymers reinforced by low weight percentages (1-10 wt.%) of nanoscopically dispersed organically modified layered silicates are attracting the attention of researchers because of the unprecedented suite of new and enhanced properties relative to the unfilled resin. The PIs have considerable experience in studying minerals and have the appropriate background to carry out this research. The subject is of particular interest to Egypt where high value added products derived from inexpensive starting materials are in great demand. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.