Active Nanotube-Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Nanocomposites

活性纳米管-液晶弹性体纳米复合材料

• 批准号: 0625245
• 负责人: Shaoqin 'Sarah' Gong
• 金额: $ 12万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-10-01 至 2007-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0625245&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Active; Nanotube; Liquid; Crystalline; Elastomer

Active Nanotube-Liquid Crystalline Elastomer NanocompositesAbstractThis project aims to advance the fundamental understanding of novel carbon nanotube (CNT)-liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) nanocomposites. The major innovation is to covalently couple the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to the liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) using a unique nanotube chemistry platform to achieve strong synergies among CNTs, mesogenic units, and LCE networks. Systematic experimental and analytical work will be conducted to (1) rationally engineer the CNTs' surfaces with the designed functional groups that can facilitate their dispersion and form covalent bonding to the LCE network; (2) synthesize novel CNT-LCE composites with CNTs at different loading levels and interfacial structures; (3) systematically characterize the material properties of various types of CNT-LCE composites; (4) fabricate and characterize various CNT-LCE actuators via different external stimuli, including electrical field and remote IR irradiation; and (5) establish the composition-synthesis-structure-property-function relationship.The strong synergies between CNTs with various characteristics and LCEs could generate many novel properties and functions. The advances in fundamental understanding of CNT-LCE composites will have a significant impact on the field of smart materials and lead to numerous potential applications ranging from actuators and artificial muscles to micro- and nano-machines. The resultant knowledge will be integrated into a new U/G course at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to educate students about the growing importance of nanomaterials. In addition, students of underrepresented groups will be recruited through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) supplement to participate in this research.

活性纳米管-液晶弹性体纳米复合材料摘要该项目旨在增进对新型碳纳米管（CNT）-液晶弹性体（LCE）纳米复合材料的基本理解。主要创新是使用独特的纳米管化学平台将碳纳米管（CNT）与液晶弹性体（LCE）共价偶联，以在CNT、介晶单元和LCE网络之间实现强大的协同作用。 将进行系统的实验和分析工作，以（1）用设计的官能团合理设计碳纳米管的表面，以促进其分散并与LCE网络形成共价键合； (2)用不同负载水平和界面结构的CNT合成新型CNT-LCE复合材料； （3）系统表征各类CNT-LCE复合材料的材料性能； （4）通过不同的外部刺激（包括电场和远程红外辐射）制造和表征各种CNT-LCE执行器； (5)建立组成-合成-结构-性能-功能关系。具有各种特性的CNT与LCE之间的强协同作用可以产生许多新颖的性能和功能。对 CNT-LCE 复合材料基础认识的进步将对智能材料领域产生重大影响，并带来从执行器和人造肌肉到微型和纳米机器等众多潜在应用。由此产生的知识将被纳入威斯康星大学密尔沃基分校的新 U/G 课程中，以教育学生了解纳米材料日益增长的重要性。此外，将通过本科生研究经验（REU）补充招募代表性不足群体的学生参与这项研究。