Interfacial Nucleation and Growth of Hierarchical Structures and Phases in Polymer Nanocomposites

智力优势：该项目的研究目标是研究含有纳米颗粒分散体的聚合物在压力诱导结晶过程中分级结构和相演变的基本物理机制。该研究将解决聚合物纳米复合体系中界面处聚合物晶体成核和生长的关键问题。这将提供一个洞察力的粘附过程，这将指向方法，以改善这些材料系统的界面性能。热力学模型与预测能力将开发为广泛的纳米颗粒增强聚合物系统的基础上的性质的聚合物纳米颗粒界面的相互作用的驱动。研究的成功完成将为聚合物纳米复合材料的压力诱导加工提供通用指南，这些聚合物纳米复合材料以类似于纳米颗粒金属的方式从根本上影响纳米尺度的结构和组成。更广泛的影响：对物理过程的理解将使高强度-韧性组合能够在聚合物纳米复合材料系统中实现，从而允许使用更薄的部分或组件，从而节省能源。此外，纳米结构复合材料增强的耐刮擦性将促进其在存储设备、生物医学部件和需要光学透明性的应用中的使用。研究生和本科工程专业的学生将通过参与研究和研究与现有课程的整合受益。

Intellectual Merit: The research objective of the project is to investigate the basic physical mechanisms underlying the evolution of hierarchical structures and phases during pressure-induced crystallization of polymers containing dispersion of nano-particles. The research will address critical issues of nucleation and growth of polymer crystals at interfaces in polymer nano-composite systems. This will provide an insight into the adhesion process, which would point to methods to improve the interfacial properties of these material systems. Thermodynamic models with predictive capabilities will be developed for a wide range of nano-particle-reinforced polymer systems based on the nature of thermodynamically-driven interactions at the polymer-nano-particle interface. Successful completion of the research will provide generic guidelines governing pressure-induced processing of polymer nano-composites that fundamentally affect the structure and composition on a nanometer-size scale, in a manner similar to nano-grained metals. Broader Impact: The understanding of physical processes will enable high strength-toughness combination to be achieved in polymer nano-composite systems, allowing use of thinner sections or components with consequent energy savings. Additionally, enhanced scratch resistance of nano-structured composites would promote their use in storage devices, biomedical components, and applications requiring optical transparency. Graduate and undergraduate engineering students will benefit through involvement in research and integration of research with existing curriculum.