Lightweight memory materials for adaptive and self-healing automotive structures

该项目将提供填充纳米颗粒的自修复聚合物的最佳组合，以形成先进的轻质材料，用于汽车零部件，这些材料可以在施加刺激(如光线、温度)时自我修复，提高燃料效率，并最终有助于减轻重量。这些材料将具有共聚结构，其中一个聚合物组分将提供强度，而第二个聚合物组分对于柔韧性和其重塑能力至关重要。该项目的实验部分将涉及聚合物和复合材料的制备，以及它们的高级表征。计算模型将有助于实验更好地了解聚合物在纳米颗粒存在下的自我修复特性。进一步研究如何将形状记忆部件用于这些部件，以及这可能如何促进对这种材料的开发。将确定并制造适合现有设施的潜在汽车部件，以展示该技术。该项目符合制造未来的主题和研究领域，包括材料工程-复合材料和聚合物材料。

This project will provide optimum combinations of self-healing polymers filled with nanoparticles to form advanced light-weight materials for car components that can self-heal upon applied stimuli (e.g. light, temperature), improve fuel efficiency and ultimately contribute to weight saving. These materials will have a copolymer structure where one polymer component will provide the strength and the second polymer component is vital for flexibility and its ability to be remoulded. The experimental part of the project will involve polymer and composite preparation, and advanced characterisation thereof. Computational modelling will assist experiments to provide a better understanding of self-healing characteristics of polymer in the presence of the nanoparticles. Further examination into how shape-memory components could be used for these components and how this might further the exploitation of such materials. A potential automotive component, suitable with available facility, will be identified and manufactured to demonstrate the technology. This project fits within the Manufacturing the Future theme and research areas including Materials engineering - composites and Polymer materials.