Novel Multiphase Polymer Materials: Synthesis, Processing, Morphology and Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites and Polymer Blends

关于化学和加工如何影响多相聚合物材料的结构和最终性能，人们知之甚少。因此，我们将研究多相聚合物材料设计和开发的所有步骤，并了解不同步骤之间的相互关系。我们将对工艺基础进行基础和系统的研究，并找到化学-工艺-结构-性能之间的联系。这项研究结合了无机化学和有机化学、聚合物物理、工艺工程和产品设计方面的科学挑战，为高素质人员(HQP)编织了丰富的科学调查结构。 我们将从合成新型纳米材料和特种聚合物开始，然后使用聚合物加工方法创建多组分聚合物混合物(两种或两种以上聚合物的混合物)和聚合物纳米复合材料(带有纳米填料的聚合物)，最后进行性能测试。我们将利用化学气相沉积法(CVD)合成碳纳米管(CNTs)以及未掺杂的碳纳米管(CNTs)；(2)采用模板导向法合成铜纳米线(CuNW)；(3)功能化粘土和(4)溶液法合成石墨烯纳米带。纳米结构材料特别有趣，因为它们具有非常高的界面面积，其结构特征与聚合物的分子尺寸相当。例如，有机改性纳米粘土由于具有超大的界面面积和高的粘土模数，可以显著提高其力学性能。碳纳米管、石墨烯和CuNW在非常低的负载下提高了导电性和电磁干扰(EMI)屏蔽性能。 由于这些新型纳米材料是在实验室规模上制造的，我们将使用我们的定制微型熔融混合器(1毫升容量)来评估最佳候选者。我们将研究纳米填料的改性和聚合物功能化对电性能、电磁屏蔽、电荷存储、热性能和机械性能的影响，以及由此带来的改善。通过选择正确的配方和改变加工条件和方法，可以实现单相材料所不具备的关键性能组合。 多相聚合物材料在电子、光伏、生物医学、包装、汽车、航空航天、催化、燃料电池、太阳能电池等行业具有巨大的商业化应用潜力。通过这个项目，我们将为多相聚合物材料的制造商和用户提供指导和见解。这项研究将为这一领域增加关键成果，一个由九(9)名材料化学家、聚合物科学家和工程师组成的多学科团队将接受该项目的培训(HQP：2名博士、1名硕士、2名博士后研究员和4名本科生)。

There is little understanding about how chemistry and processing influences structure and the consequent final properties of multiphase polymer materials. Therefore, we will investigate all steps of the design and development of multiphase polymer materials, and understand the interrelations between the different steps. We will perform a fundamental and systematic study of process fundamentals, and find links between chemistry-processing-structure-properties. The research combines scientific challenges in inorganic and organic chemistry, polymer physics, process engineering and product design, weaving a rich fabric of scientific investigation for highly qualified personnel (HQP). We will start with synthesis of novel nanomaterials and specialty polymers, and then we will use polymer processing methods to create multi-component polymer blends (mixtures of two or more polymers) and polymer nanocomposites (polymers with nanofillers), and finally, perform property testing. We will synthesize custom nanomaterials: (1) Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with and without doping using Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD); (2) Copper nanowires (CuNW) using template-directed synthesis; (3) functionalized clays and (4) graphene nanoribbons using solution methods. Nano-structured materials are especially interesting since they have exceptionally high interfacial area and the structural features are comparable to the polymer molecular size. For example, organo-modified nanoclays would offer significant mechanical property enhancement due to the extraordinary amount of interfacial area and the high modulus of clay. CNTs, graphene and CuNWs enhance electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding properties at very low loadings. Since these novel nanomaterials are made on lab bench scale, we will use our custom miniature melt mixer (1mL capacity) to evaluate the best candidates. We will investigate the effect of nanofiller modification and polymer functionalization on, and the consequent improvement in electrical, EMI shielding, charge storage, thermal and mechanical properties. Key combinations of properties not available in single-phase materials are possible by choosing the right formulation and changing processing conditions and methods. Multiphase polymer materials have significant potential to be commercialized in a large number of applications such as in electronics, photovoltaics, biomedical, packaging, automotive, aerospace, catalysis, fuel cells, solar cells and other industries. Through this program, we will provide guidance and insight to manufacturers and users of multiphase polymer materials. This research will add key results to this field, and a multidisciplinary team of nine (9) material chemists, polymer scientists and engineers will be trained in this program (HQP: 2 PhD, 1 MSc, 2 Post-doctoral fellows and 4 undergraduates).