Multi-phase polymeric materials: structure, properties and interfacial phenomena

我的研究项目涵盖了广泛的聚合物和多相体系，强调表面/界面结构和动态性质，包括结晶行为、流变性和扩散。聚合物(或塑料)和多相聚合物系统用于许多对加拿大经济至关重要的产品，从汽车和飞机，到手机，甚至制药。*界面，聚合物与其环境之间，以及多相聚合物材料中不同组分之间的界面，在最终使用和加工行为中发挥着重要作用。在(I)聚合物的分子结构与其界面的局部结构/组成和(Ii)界面的局部结构/组成与整体材料性能之间缺乏定量关系。这一点很重要，因为总体材料性能决定产品质量和生产率限制。*我的计划的目标是提供多相聚合材料及其界面的结构和性能之间理论上合理的、定量的关系，重点关注对行业重要的问题，以便制造商能够提高质量和生产率。我们将通过对介于模型和工业系统之间的复杂程度中等的材料进行精心设计的、严格的实验研究来实现这一目标。在接下来的5年里，我将重点介绍两种情况：滑动流动条件下的分子分级以及熔融聚合物和浓缩溶液中的扩散。我计划产生的数据可以用来推导和验证与材料结构和性能有关的数学模型。*这项工作的结果将对塑料树脂制造商以及那些使用塑料生产产品的人很重要。根据我们的数据开发的数学模型将允许设计具有特殊性能的材料，并将有助于聚合物加工操作的故障排除。

My research program encompasses a broad range of polymers and multiphase systems emphasizing surface/interfacial structure and dynamic properties including crystallization behavior, rheology and diffusion. Polymers (or plastics) and multiphase polymeric systems are used in many products important to Canada's economy from automobiles and airplanes, to cell phones and even pharmaceuticals.******Interfaces, between polymers and their environment and between different constituents in a multiphase polymeric material, play a significant role in end-use and processing behaviors. There is a lack of quantitative relations between (i) the molecular structure of polymers and their local structure/composition at interfaces and (ii) the local structure/composition at interfaces and the overall material properties. This is important because the overall material properties determine product quality and production rate limitations.******The objective of my program is to provide theoretically sound, quantitative relations between structures and properties of multi-phase polymeric materials and their interfaces with a focus on issues important to industry such that manufacturers can improve quality and productivity. We will achieve this objective by performing carefully designed, rigorous experimental studies of materials that are intermediate in complexity between model and industrial systems. For the next 5 years I will focus on 2 cases: molecular fractionation under slipping flow conditions and diffusion in molten polymers and concentrated solutions. I plan to produce data that can be used to derive and validate mathematical models relating the material structure and properties.******The results of this work will be important to manufacturers of plastic resins as well as those who produce products using plastics. The mathematical models that will be developed from our data will allow the design of materials with particular properties and will aid in trouble-shooting of polymer processing operations.