Nanoengineering Stable Carbon Nanotube Aerogels

本提案是根据NSF 05-1788（非请求类别）收到的。本研究项目旨在推进新型稳定碳纳米管（CNT）气凝胶制造的基础知识和工艺技术。通过将碳纳米管的非凡特性与气凝胶的特性相结合，一类新的材料将变得具有深远的可能性。稳定的碳纳米管气凝胶不仅避免了传统碳气凝胶和碳纳米管的局限性，而且在单一材料体系中具有无与伦比的多功能材料性能，这将潜在地导致在多功能复合材料、燃料电池、超级电容器、3-D电池、太阳能电池、先进催化剂载体、能量吸收材料、化学和生物传感器、主要创新是通过明智的纳米工程创造两种优秀材料（即气凝胶和碳纳米管）的协同婚姻。纳米工程方法包括两个关键方面：1）CNT表面的合理工程化; 2）通过化学交联实现CNT的三维组装。开发用于制造稳定CNT气凝胶的稳健纳米工程工艺以及对这类新材料的基本理解的进步将导致各种能源和材料相关的应用。该项目为本科生和研究生提供了独特的教育机会。这项拟议的研究如果成功，将使PI能够与大学，NASA，DOE，DOD以及各种公司的研究人员开展广泛的合作，以便将发现转化为真实的应用和产品。

This proposal was received in response to NSF 05-1788, category Unsolicited. This research project aims to advance the fundamental knowledge and process technology for manufacturing of novel stable carbon nanotube (CNT) aerogels. By combining the extraordinary properties of CNTs with those of aerogels, a new class of materials will become accessible with far reaching possibilities. Stable CNT aerogels will not only avoid the limitations of traditional carbon aerogels and CNTs, but also have unmatched multifunctional material properties in a single material system, which will potentially lead to highly diversified applications in multifunctional composites, fuel cells, super capacitors, 3-D batteries, solar cells, advanced catalyst supports, energy absorption materials, chemical and biological sensors, power-generating and energy-storing structural composites, hydrogen storage, etc. The major innovation is to create synergistic marriage of two outstanding materials (i.e. aerogels and CNTs) via judicious nanoengineering. The nanoengineering approach includes two key aspects: 1) Rational engineering of CNT surfaces; 2) 3-D assembly of CNTs through chemical cross-linking.The development of a robust nanoengineering process for the fabrication of stable CNT aerogels and the advances in fundamental understanding of this new class of materials will lead to a variety of energy- and materials-related applications. This project provides unique educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. This proposed research, if successful, will enable the PI to initiate broad collaborations with researchers at universities, NASA, DOE, DOD as well as various companies in order to reduce discoveries into real applications and products.