Nanowire Interfaces for Composites with High Strength Across Strain Rates

该奖项的研究目标是研究聚合物纤维增强复合材料中的纳米结构界面，从而设计出既具有结构性能又具有弹道性能的轻质材料。为了实现这一目标，将在纤维表面生长由ZnO纳米线组成的纳米结构界面。纳米线的生长过程具有高度可控性，增强了基体和纤维之间的载荷传递，并提供了面外增强。可控的纳米线生长为优化界面性能提供了一种手段，使得在高应变率和低应变率下都能获得理想的材料响应。本研究将通过一系列实验测试和分子动力学模拟来设计最佳界面，以提供对纳米结构界面如何承载载荷以及如何在高应变率和低应变率下失效的基本理解。这些发现将用于阐明其他潜在的材料，以进一步提高强度。该奖项更广泛的影响集中在创造对复合材料界面的更好理解。具体来说，该奖项将确定一种理论，定义纳米级界面和大块复合材料性能之间的关系，以及一种具有优异承载性能和抗爆炸性能的轻质多功能材料。这些发现将用于阐明其他潜在的材料，以进一步提高该技术的强度和应用。此外，对具有纳米结构界面的材料之间的相互作用以及纳米材料的特性如何转化为体的理解的提高可能会导致碳纤维复合材料或纤维增强陶瓷和金属的界面性能的提高。

The research objective of this award is to study nanostructured interfaces in polymer fiber reinforced composites such that lightweight materials can be designed for both structural and ballistic performance. To achieve this objective a nanostructured interface consisting of ZnO nanowires will be grown on the fiber surface. The nanowire growth process is highly controllable and acts to enhance the load transfer between the matrix and fiber and provide out of plane reinforcement. The controllable nanowire growth provides a means for optimizing the interfacial properties such that an ideal material response can be obtained at both high and low strain rates. The optimal interface will be designed through a series of experimental tests and molecular dynamics simulations performed under this research effort to provide a fundamental understanding of how a nanostructured interface carries load and how it fails at both high and low strain rates. The findings will be used to illuminate other potential materials for further gains in strength.The broader impacts of this this award focus on creating a better understanding of interfaces in composite materials. Specifically, the award will identify a theory defining the relation between a nanoscale interface and the bulk composite properties and a first of its kind lightweight multifunctional material that provides excellent loading bearing properties and blast resistance. The findings will be used to illuminate other potential materials for further gains in strength and applications for the technology. Additionally, Improved understanding of the interaction between materials with a nanostructured interfaces and how the properties of nanomaterials translate to the bulk could lead to improved interfacial performance in carbon fiber composites or fiber reinforced ceramics and metals.