Nanocomposites and Bio-inspired Nanostructures

这项研究计划涉及几种先进纳米结构材料的开发、表征和性能测量，这些材料目前在世界其他地方是无法获得的。其中包括用于海洋结构修复的高强度和耐腐蚀纳米晶铜镍合金，用于非润湿表面的新型耐久超疏水金属复合涂层，用于电子设备热管理的高导热铜金刚石复合材料，以及基于所谓的蛾眼效应的减反射/光学表面。该项目非常重视智能仿生材料设计，使用自然界中发现的结构实例作为新的工程材料解决方案的蓝图。因此，该方案有一个重要的研究部分，涉及生物材料的分析和理解。通过更多地关注大自然解决相当复杂问题的独创性，该项目建立在申请者和同事之前开发的非常成功的纳米材料技术处理平台上。这一过程通过使用含有金属盐的水溶液进行低温电化学反应来制造纳米晶金属。对于简单金属和一些合金，该工艺已转化为工业，并成功应用于各种工业，如工业耐蚀耐磨涂料、环境友好的铬替代材料、软磁材料和高强度/低重量结构材料。该计划将开发的一些新材料将结合几种自然技巧，以制造具有非常特定功能的结构，例如在始终干燥和清洁的非湿润叶子上发现的结构，或具有独特抗反射/光学性能的昆虫眼结构。*这项研究的结果将为加拿大工业提供几种新材料，这些材料可以在广泛的行业中找到应用，特别是在制造业。纳米晶铜镍合金有望具有优异的机械性能和腐蚀性能，将成为未来海军和商船、海洋可再生能源工厂和海上油气平台等海洋结构修复技术的关键组成部分。超疏水金属涂层可以提供自清洁防腐和防污解决方案，特别是在加拿大的电力工业，而铜-钻石纳米复合材料被指定为先进的电子设备散热材料。最后，更好地了解蛾眼的结构/功能及其成功繁殖的细节可能会带来更好的减反射/光学装置。*这项研究将有助于培训多达20名纳米材料-纳米生物学多学科领域的高素质人员。**

This research program is concerned with the development, characterization and property measurements of several advanced nanostructured materials that are currently not available elsewhere in the world. These include high strength and corrosion resistant nanocrystalline Cu-Ni alloys for use in marine structure repair, a new class of durable superhydrophobic metal composite coatings for application as non-wetting surfaces, high thermal conductivity Cu-diamond composites for thermal management in electronic devices and antireflective/optical surfaces based on the so-called moth eye effect. This program has a strong emphasis on smart bio-inspired materials design using examples of structures found in nature as a blueprint for new engineered materials solutions. Consequently the program has a significant research component that deals with the analysis and understanding of biological materials. By paying more attention to nature's ingenuity to solve rather complex problems, this program builds on a very successful nanomaterials technology process platform previously developed by the applicant and co-workers. This process makes nanocrystalline metals by a low temperature electrochemical reaction using aqueous solutions containing metal salts. For simple metals and some alloys this process has already been transferred to industry and successfully applied in various industries such as industrial corrosion and wear resistant coatings, environmentally benign chromium replacement, soft magnetic materials and high strength/low weight structural materials. Some of the new materials to be developed in this program will incorporate several of nature's tricks to make structures with very specific functions such as found on non-wettable leaves that are always dry and clean or insect eye structures with unique antireflection/ optical properties. ***The results of this research will provide Canadian industry with several new materials which can find application in a broad range of industries in particular in the manufacturing sector. The nanocrystalline Cu-Ni alloys are expected to have excellent mechanical and corrosion properties and will be a crucial component in future repair technologies for marine structures such as navy and merchant ships, marine renewable energy plants and offshore oil and gas platforms. The superhydrophobic metal coatings can provide self-cleaning anticorrosion and antifouling solutions, in particular for Canada's power industries, while the Cu-diamond nanocomposite are earmarked as advanced heat sink materials for electronic devices. Finally, a better understanding of the details of the moth eye structure/function and its successful reproduction could lead to better antireflective/optical devices. ***This research will contribute to the training of up to 20 highly qualified personnel in the multidisciplinary area of nanomaterials – nanobiology.**