Controlled Crumpling of Polymer Thin Films and Nanocomposites

聚合物薄膜和纳米复合材料的受控皱缩

• 批准号: 0907219
• 负责人: Alfred Crosby
• 金额: $ 32.4万
• 依托单位: University of Massachusetts Amherst
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-06-01 至 2012-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0907219&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Controlled; Crumpling; Polymer; Thin; Films

TECHNICAL SUMMARYThe physical properties of thin polymer films are critical for the development of numerous technologies, ranging from alternative energy sources to ?smart? coatings. In the thin film regime, the size scale of individual molecules is commensurate with the film?s thickness; therefore, the inter-molecular and intra-molecular mechanisms that define a material property are influenced by surface properties. Recent efforts in the polymer scientific community have focused on the impact of confinement on properties such as the glass transition temperature and elastic modulus, but relatively little is known on the impact of geometric confinement on properties related to non-linear deformation. The proposed research will use novel methods to fold and crumple thin polymer films, while quantifying the energy focusing and strain localizing processes involved in these non-linear mechanics. The specific research plan includes three primary efforts: 1) the folding and crumpling of homogenous, thin polymer films; 2) the folding and crumpling of nanostructured polymer films; and 3) the characterization of crumpled surface properties. These efforts will be distinguished from recent research on crumpling by studying films with molecular-scale thickness and combining crumpling mechanics with the properties of pre-patterned substrates to control long-range order in crumpled sheet morphologies. Additionally, the energy focusing processes of folding will be used to assemble nanoscale components, including tailored inorganic nanoparticles. The fundamental knowledge of folding and crumpling gained through this research not only will provide insight into materials properties at molecular length scales, but also will lead to advanced concepts for controlling the morphology and structure of thin polymer films for advanced applications. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYThe proposed research is focused on developing novel methods to fold and crumple ultra-thin polymer films, which are only a few molecules thick. The results of this research will have broad impact, from providing new knowledge of how molecular assemblies respond to mechanical stress at the nanometer length scale to developing robust strategies for patterning surfaces in future applications, such as alternative energy source technologies. In addition to the research funded by this program, the research team will introduce an innovative program to involve high school students from diverse backgrounds in the creative aspects of scientific research. This program, the Materials Challenges Competition (MCC), will build upon existing programs that are common in undergraduate engineering disciplines (e.g. the solar powered vehicle competition) to initiate a materials competition among high school teams from the Western Massachusetts region. The implementation of this program will provide opportunities for students and the general public in Western Massachusetts to realize the importance of materials research in answering current technological challenges.

技术总结薄聚合物膜的物理特性对于众多技术的开发至关重要，从替代能源到Smart？涂料。 在薄膜状态下，单个分子的尺寸比例与膜的厚度相称。因此，定义材料特性的分子间和分子内机制受表面特性的影响。 聚合物科学界的最新努力集中在限制对诸如玻璃过渡温度和弹性模量等特性的影响上，但是在几何限制对与非线性变形相关的性质的影响上相对较少。 拟议的研究将使用新颖的方法来折叠和破碎薄聚合物膜，同时量化这些非线性力学涉及的能量聚焦和应变定位过程。 特定的研究计划包括三个主要努力：1）同质薄聚合物膜的折叠和折叠； 2）纳米结构聚合物膜的折叠和折断； 3）表面特性的表征。这些努力将与最新的关于折断的研究通过研究分子尺度厚度，并将碎屑力学与预先塑造的底物的特性相结合以控制折成板形态中的长距离顺序。此外，折叠的能量聚焦过程将用于组装纳米级成分，包括量身定制的无机纳米颗粒。通过这项研究获得的折叠和折叠知识的基本知识不仅可以在分子长度尺度上洞悉材料特性，而且还将导致高级概念来控制薄聚合物膜的形态和结构，以用于高级应用。非技术总结该提出的研究重点是开发新的方法来折叠和折叠超薄的聚合物膜，这些膜只有几个分子厚。 这项研究的结果将产生广泛的影响，从提供有关分子组件在纳米长度尺度上如何响应机械应力的新知识，到在未来应用中制定构图表面的强大策略，例如替代能源源技术。 除了该计划资助的研究外，研究团队还将引入一个创新计划，以使来自不同背景的高中生参与科学研究的创造性方面。 该计划是材料挑战竞赛（MCC），将建立在本科工程学科（例如太阳能车辆竞赛）中常见的现有计划的基础上，以开始马萨诸塞州西部高中团队之间的材料竞争。 该计划的实施将为马萨诸塞州西部的学生和公众提供机会，以实现材料研究在应对当前技术挑战中的重要性。