Nano-composites and smart composite structures

智能材料和结构以及新兴的纳米复合材料的使用的显著扩展需要精确的建模和实验技术的发展。现有的力学模型通常是基于一些简化和近似。因此，它们经常导致有效和局部性质的错误值。这些性质的精确计算对于精细的分析和设计是必不可少的。本提案旨在解决这些问题。它包括分析和实验部分。分析部分的目标是开发和应用新的数学精确的建模，设计和优化的纳米复合材料和智能复合结构的方法。这包括开发能够研究微观结构影响并考虑到非线性、各向异性、耦合场和驱动特性的微观力学模型。新兴的纳米复合材料值得特别关注。基于量子点的半导体纳米复合材料使以前从未见过的科学和技术应用成为可能。碳纳米管具有非凡的机械性能，使其有资格成为有史以来的终极纤维。在本提案中，新的严格的微观力学模型将开发的量子点为基础的纳米复合材料和碳纳米管增强的纳米复合材料。本提案的实验部分将包括新型碳纳米管增强纳米复合材料的制造和测试，以及嵌入压电陶瓷纤维的拉挤智能复合材料的加工和测试。将开发新的加工技术来制造具有最佳定制性能的纳米复合材料。这将对它们的功能和完整性产生重大影响，并将使长期在役结构健康监测成为可能。拟议的研究计划将代表主要的基本贡献，它将产生一个高度的实际重要性，加拿大工业的结果。这项建议的主要特点是在前沿研究领域对高素质人员进行高度培训。在五年内，将培养4名博士，6名硕士和25名本科生。

The remarkable expansion in the use of smart materials and structures and emerging nano-composites necessitate development of accurate modeling and experimental techniques. The existing mechanical models are commonly based on some simplifications and approximations. As a result, they often lead to wrong values of the effective and local properties. Accurate calculation of these properties is essential for the refined analysis and design. The present proposal is aimed to solve these issues. It consists of analytical and experimental parts. The objectives of the analytical part are to develop and apply new mathematically accurate methods of modeling, design and optimization for the nano-composite materials and smart composite structures. That includes development of micromechanical models capable of investigating effects of microstructure and taking into account non-linearity, anisotropy, coupled fields and actuation properties. The emerging nano-composites deserve special attention. Quantum dots-based semiconductor nano-composites enable never before seen applications to science and technology. The carbon nanotubes have extraordinary mechanical properties that qualify them as the ultimate fibers ever made. In the present proposal the new rigorous micromechanical models will be developed for the quantum dots-based nano-composites and for the carbon nanotube-reinforced nano-composites. The experimental part of the present proposal will encompass fabrication and testing of novel carbon-nanotube reinforced nano-composites, and processing and testing pulturded smart composites with embedded piezoceramic fibers. New processing technology will be developed to fabricate nano-composites with optimally tailored properties. That will have significant impact on their functionality and integrity, and will enable long-term in-service structural health monitoring. The proposed research program will represent major fundamental contribution and it will generate results of a high practical importance to the Canadian industry. The major feature of this proposal is high degree of training of highly qualified personnel in the frontier area of research. In five years 4 PhD, 6 M.A.Sc and 25 undergraduate students will be trained.