Topic details
| Topic | Design of Smart and Anisotropic Nanocomposites Suitable for Additive Manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Supervisor | Adam Strachota, PhD |
| Consultant | Ing. Beata Strachota, PhD |
| Department | Nanostructured Polymers and Composites |
| Description | This PhD project will explore smart and anisotropic polymer nanocomposite materials, whose properties would be widely tuned through the incorporation, modification, and alignment of the nanoscale fillers. Fillers of several geometries will be investigated, including functional inorganic or organic structures, with emphasis on 1D-phases such as titanate nanotubes or polysaccharide nanocrystals, and on 2D fillers like nano-clays. Their orientation will be attempted in order to obtain anisotropic systems inspired by the living nature. Polymer matrixes will range from elastomers and gels up to rigid thermosets. Among the latter, self-healing, as well as fusible (vitrimer) varieties will be in the focus of interest. The fusible vitrimers and elastomers will be optimized for 3D printing. Soft elastomers and gels will be developed towards directional stimulus-responsivity (potential application in soft robotics). From the chemical point of view, the matrixes will include acrylate-, epoxy-, or siloxane-based systems. Dynamic crosslinking of covalent and strong physical type (e.g. aggregation of functional POSS cages) will be an important element in the advanced polymer matrixes, that will enable smart properties such as self-healing or shape-memory, or also the complete fusibility (in linear copolymers for 3D printing – which also can be regarded as (re)processible and recyclable thermosets). Core experimental tasks will include tailoring of polymer matrix chemistry, synthesis of some of the nanofillers and co-monomers, filler surface modification, and optimization of filler dispersion and eventual alignment. Physical methods will focus on optimizing rheological properties, exploring advanced processing routes such as 3D printing, as well as on analysis of the thermo-mechanical and self-healing properties in the solid state. The project is related to the general topics of polymer science, nanotechnology, soft materials engineering, and functional composite design. |
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