IRES: Responsive Fibers

从防弹衣到人造神经元，再到瞬间干燥的雨衣，先进纤维材料带来的潜在技术数不胜数。丝状材料的光电和机电响应提供了灵活和可穿戴的显示，并为一种全新的人造肌肉和/或应变传感器带来了希望。这个项目的目标是将两个重要的功能整合到光纤中：光电和机电耦合。这将通过三种不同的方法来实现。(i)在同轴和三轴结构的静电纺聚合物纤维中加入液晶和功能纳米粒子；㈡从低分子量弯核液晶中提取稳定的独立流体纤维，并研究其机械和光学特性；（iii）研究纯形式的静电纺和自组装液晶聚合物纤维、功能纳米粒子和紫外线诱导的交联弹性体形式。学生将学习同轴和双同轴静电纺丝技术、光波导、纳米粒子制备和聚合工艺。他们将获得各种表征方法，如偏光光学显微镜，扫描和透射电子显微镜以及高速相机摄影。&#8195；身体是柔软的、可拉伸的、弯曲的，但现在的电子产品是刚性的、笨重的、易碎的。使电子产品灵活、可拉伸、轻便、坚固和可穿戴是一个新兴的、变革性的研究方向。在这个为期三年的项目中，24名美国学生将在韩国水原或德国马格德堡工作，将液晶和聚合物结合起来，制造反应灵敏的智能纤维。在国外工作期间，学生将学习最前沿的新技术，包括复杂的实验技术，探测光纤的特性，如稳定性、强度、柔韧性、对电场的光学和机械灵敏度。学生们还将学习如何在国际科学水平上进行合作，欣赏外国的文化，并在国外代表美国文化的最大特点。这样，我们将培养出能够在国际科学市场上竞争的全球科学家。

Technical AbstractThe potential technologies enabled by advanced fiber materials are countless, ranging from better body armor to artificial neurons to instantaneously drying raincoats. Electro-optical and electro-mechanical responses of the filamentous materials offer flexible and wearable displays and hold the promise for an entirely new class of artificial muscles and/or strain sensors. The goal of this project is to incorporate two important functionalities into fibers: electro-optics and electro-mechanical couplings. This will be achieved by three different approaches. (i) Incorporate liquid crystals and functional nanoparticles in electrospun polymer fibers in coaxial and tri-axial configurations; (ii) Draw stable free-standing fluid fibers from low molecular weight bent-core liquid crystals and study their mechanical and optical properties; (iii) Study both electrospun and self assembling liquid crystal polymer fibers in their pure form, with functional nanoparticles and in UV-induced cross-linked elastomer forms. Students will learn about coaxial and double coaxial electrospinning techniques, optical wave-guiding, nanoparticle preparations, and polymerization processes. They will acquire various characterization methods, such as polarizing optical microscopy, Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy and high-speed camera photography. Non-technical AbstractOur body is soft, stretchable and curved, but the present electronics are rigid, heavy and breakable. Making electronics flexible, stretchable, lightweight, rugged and wearable is an emerging and transformative direction for research. In this three years project 24 US students will work either in Suwon, South Korea or Magdeburg, Germany to combine liquid crystals and polymers to make responsive smart fibers. During their work abroad the students will learn cutting edge new technologies involving sophisticated experimental techniques probing fiber properties, such as stability, strength, flexibility, optical and mechanical sensitivity to electric fields. The students will also learn how to collaborate at international scientific level, will appreciate the culture of foreign countries, and will represent the greatest features of the American culture abroad. This way we will educate global scientists, who will be able to compete in the international science market.