Micro-and-Nanostructured Multifunctional Polymer Material Systems

研究计划的性质：拟议研究计划的目标是加速先进多功能聚合物材料系统(PMS)的设计和制造，以促进“绿色”经济。一个关键的技术挑战是定制PMS的微米和纳米结构。这些包括共混物中的相形态、复合材料中的填料排列和网络以及泡沫中的泡孔结构。有鉴于此，该计划将利用聚合物共混物、泡沫和复合材料之间的协同作用，研究新的微米和纳米结构技术。*研究计划的意义：该计划将通过确定和阐明管理多功能PMS的加工-结构-性能关系的机制，为先进材料和制造领域做出贡献。它将(I)开发用于微纳结构的PMS的新制造技术；(Ii)研究所需的PMS的微结构和纳米结构，以使其具有低填充负载的多功能；以及(Iii)推导PMS的工艺-结构-性能关系。将开发的技术可用于为加拿大的关键经济部门(如航空航天、汽车、生物医学、电子、能源和制造)设计和制造多功能PMS。该计划将培训9名高素质的各级人员。它将使他们拥有丰富的经验和技能，以开发、加工和表征针对不同应用的新兴材料。*预期结果：该研究计划的成功完成将推动科学技术向微纳结构PMS发展，并为其量身定做多功能。实验和理论研究将导致PMS的工艺-结构-性能关系的推导。由于新技术可以集成到现有的加工技术中，它将创造许多技术转移机会，包括但不限于：(1)用于汽车和航空航天部门的轻质多功能结构材料；(2)用于从废热中获取能量的高效热电聚合物材料；(3)用于下一代电子产品的低填充量的电和/或导热复合材料。*加拿大的潜在利益：该计划有潜力开发新材料，以提高地面和空中运输的燃料效率，有效地从废热中获取能源，并通过减少或取消无机填料的使用来增强材料的可回收性，该计划与加拿大政府在环境科学和技术以及自然资源和能源方面的研究战略非常一致。通过探索生物聚合物，它也符合安大略省政府在生物经济和清洁技术方面的研究战略。

Nature of the Research Program: The goal of the proposed research program is to accelerate the design and fabrication of advanced multifunctional polymer material systems (PMS) that advance "green" economy. One key technological challenge is to tailor PMS's micro-and-nanostructures. These include phase morphology in blends, filler alignment and networks in composites, and cellular structures in foams. In light of this, the program will research on new micro-and-nanostructuring techniques by utilizing synergy among polymer blends, foams, and composites. ******Significance of the Research Program: The program will contribute to the areas of advanced materials and manufacturing by identifying and elucidating mechanisms that govern the processing-structure-property relationships of multifunctional PMS. It will (i) develop new fabrication techniques for micro-and-nanostructuring PMS; (ii) investigate the desired micro-and-nanostructures of PMS to tailor their multifunctionality with low filler loadings; and (iii) derive the PMS's processing-structure-property relationships. The technology to be developed could be used to design and fabricate multifunctional PMS for Canada's key economic sectors (e.g., aerospace, automobile, biomedical, electronics, energy, and manufacturing). The program will train nine highly qualified personnel at various levels. It will equip them with extensive experiences and skills to develop, process, and characterize emerging materials targeting different applications. ******Anticipated Outcomes: Successful completion of this research program will advance the sciences and technology to micro-and-nanostructure PMS, and tailor their multifunctionality. The experimental and theoretical studies will lead to the derivation of PMS's processing-structure-property relationships. Since the new techniques can be integrated into existing processing technology, it will create many technology transfer opportunities, including but not limited to: (1) light-weight multifunctional structural materials for automotive and aerospace sectors; (2) highly efficient thermoelectric polymeric materials for harvesting energy from waste heat; and (3) low filler loading electrically and/or thermally conductive composites for next generation of electronics. ******Potential Benefits to Canada: With the potential to develop new materials to improve the fuel efficiency of ground and air space transportations, to efficiently harvest energy from waste heat, and to enhance material recyclability by reducing or eliminating the uses of inorganic filler, the program aligns well with the Government of Canada's research strategy in Environmental Science and Technologies as well as Natural Resources and Energy. By exploring bio-based polymers, it is also consistent with the Ontario Government's research strategy in Bio-economy and Clean Technologies.