Innovative materials containing functionalized clays: graphene, piezoelectric and fluorescent clays

我的愿景是成功地创造出具有智能功能的经济材料，这些材料来源于现成的材料。这一点至关重要，因为未来几年自然资源将更加紧张。这项研究计划的目标是创造含有功能化粘土的创新材料。粘土被认为是模板材料，因为它们储量丰富，而且价格合理。粘土的使用目前仅限于被动材料的应用。三项具体进展将大大提高粘土的实用性：1)从创新的生产途径中获得含有石墨烯的导电粘土；2)创造智能粘土基质，最常见的是水泥和混凝土；3)封装用于成像和传感应用的有机分子。我的最终目标是创造可持续的智能和可调材料。(1)含石墨烯的粘土具有广泛的潜在应用，在电力工业、地热能、光学器件、污染物催化等方面。用粘土从天然有机前体中形成石墨烯有可能产生突破性的影响。生产导电粘土的方法是安全的、可扩展的和经济的。表征将需要各种光谱方法，x射线衍射和热分析。(2)水泥被认为是一种粘土材料，使用压电添加剂可以使其智能化，制成自报告的建筑材料。这将允许监测机械过载和疲劳，从而便于检测和干预。地聚合物是由铝硅酸盐的碱性活化形成的胶凝基质。压电添加剂将在常规水泥和地聚合物基质中进行自我报告测试。这将对设计、安全、安保和维护产生重大影响。(3)粘土提高了包封有机荧光染料的荧光效率，使其在低浓度下具有可检测的视觉信号。这种能力有利于制造具有高精度工程要求的复合材料嵌入式传感器。拉孔石粘土将与荧光标记物混合；这为复合材料制造创造了一种经济的质量控制机制，特别是在航空航天应用中。提高导电性、自我报告和精确成像是在粘土中实现的理想功能。这项研究计划依赖于混合粘土添加剂和表征的共同方法，这导致功能化材料的可能性。为了面对当前可持续性和材料质量的挑战，培养研究生是必不可少的。这些技术的经济影响是非常显著的，从建筑到电力运输到航空。

My vision is to successfully create economical materials with intelligent functionality that are derived from readily available materials. This is critical as natural resources will be more strained in years to come. The goal of this research program is to create innovative materials containing functionalized clays. Clays are considered template materials, because they are abundant and available at a reasonable cost. The use of clay is currently limited to passive applications in materials. Three specific advances would greatly enhance the usefulness of clays: 1) conductive clay containing graphene from innovative production pathways; 2) creating an intelligent clay matrix, with the most common being cement and concrete; and 3) encapsulating organic molecules for imaging and sensing applications. My ultimate aim is to create sustainable smart and tunable materials. (1) Clay containing graphene has a range of potential applications, in the electric power industry, geothermal energy, optical devices, pollutant catalysis and more. The formation of graphene with clays from natural organic precursors has the potential to make a ground breaking impact. The procedure for producing conductive clay is safe, scalable, and economical. Characterization will require various spectroscopy methods, X-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis.(2) Cement, which is considered a clay material, can be rendered intelligent using piezoelectric additives to make self-reporting construction materials. This will permit the monitoring of mechanical overloads and fatigue, which allows for easy detection and intervention. A geopolymer is a cementitious matrix formed by alkaline activation of aluminosilicate. Piezoelectric additives will be tested for self-reporting in conventional cement and in a geopolymer matrix. The implications would be significant for design, safety, security and maintenance. (3) Clay improves the fluorescence efficiency of encapsulated organic fluorochromes, which allows for a detectable visual signal at low concentration. This capacity is beneficial for making embedded sensors for composite materials with high precision engineering requirements. Laponite clay will be mixed with a fluorescent marker; this creates an economical quality control mechanism for composite manufacturing, especially in aerospace applications. Increased conductivity, self-reporting, and precision imaging are desirable functionalities that are achievable in clays. This research program relies on a common methodology of mixing clays with additives and characterization, which leads to the possibility of functionalizing materials. Training graduate students is essential in order to face the current challenges of sustainability and material quality. The economic impact of these technologies is very significant, ranging from construction to electricity transportation to aeronautics.