Polymer Composites

Projects studying polymers strengthened by fibers or other materials

Go to Research Project Index for all Research Project Categories.

'Green’ Biobased Sustainable Polymer and Composite Materials

This project has as its focus the goal of replacing existing petroleum-based glass fiber – polypropylene composites with eco-friendly, sustainable, bio-composites from renewable resource-based natural/bio-fibers and bio-plastics. New environmental regulations, societal concerns and growing environmental awareness have increased the demand for sustainable products and processes that are compatible with the environment. The advantages of bio-fibers over synthetic glass fibers are low cost, low density, comparable specific strength, CO2 sequesterization and biodegradabilty. In the automotive industry, natural fibers combined with petroleum-based polymer are in use. The best and most eco-friendly practice is to replace synthetic polymers with renewable resource based biodegradable plastics which is the objective of this research program. Besides selecting renewable resource based fiber, polymer, and plasticizer, a unique, environmentally benign powder process is being developed to produce bio-composites that will also be very cost-effective.

The interrelated research topics of this project include investigations of (i) synthesis and extraction of cellulose nanowhiskers from plant cellulose; (ii) innovative bio-fiber surface treatments to produce “engineered natural fibers” for combination with any thermoset or thermoplastic polymer; (iii) research into capturing cellulose and modifying it into a thermoformable plastic; (iv) methods for manufacture of bio-composites from natural fibers and bio-plastic to produce void-free and high fiber content (~ 70%) superior strength bio-composites that replace petroleum based polymers and composites; and (v) research into electrospinning of cellulose based polymers for biological sensors.

Investigators (PI is linked): Lawrence T. Drzal
Categories: Polymer Composites, Biomaterials

Electromagnetic Processing of Polymers and Composites

Electromagnetic processing offers several potential improvements to conventional processing of polymers and composites. These potential advantages include a) fast processing, b) ability to process high temperature thermoplastics, c) controlled heating of the matrix, interface and fiber, d) enhancement of bonding between the fibers and matrix. In electromagnetic processing, energy is coupled directly to molecular dipoles, and to conducting species. This increased control results in a more uniform temperature within the matrix and a reduction in properties degradation relative to conventional processing. One emphasis is on processing of composites, both thermoplastic and thermosetting matrices, to produce superior properties and/or to shorten the processing time. Another emphasis is on developing a model for an adaptable microwave applicator, and designing and evaluating control strategies with non-invasive monitoring methods.

Investigators (PI is linked): Martin C Hawley
Categories: Polymer Composites

Polymer nanocomposites and foams with nanoparticles

The goal of the project is to develop new cost-effective thermoplastic elastomer nanocomposite foam with a semi-crystalline polymer matrix such as polypropylene. Improving the melt strength of the polymer is essential for this task. Recent work by Pathak and Jayaraman (2007) shows evidence of improvements in melt strength of linear polypropylene by incorporation of anisotropic nanoparticles. Optimum foaming process conditions will be developed for both extrusion and injection molding of polymers and blends reinforced with nanofibers and nanolayers to control the cell size distribution in the foamed product.

Investigators (PI is linked): Krishnamurthy Jayaraman
Categories: Polymer Composites, Polymer Science and Engineering, Rheology and Multiphase Flow

Polymer Composites with Low CTE Particulate Fillers

Significant thermal stresses due to coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch develop between the electronic components and the polymeric substrates used in microelectronic circuit boards. In order to improve the reliability of the microelectronic products it is essential to reduce the CTE of the polymeric circuit boards. Role of low and negative CTE particulate reinforcements on reducing the CTE of epoxy matrices is being studied.

Investigators (PI is linked): K.N. Subramanian
Categories: Polymer Composites

Engineering Surfaces and Interfaces

Self-assembly, microcontact printing, and layer-by-layer assembly techniques for surface tuning and patterning are utilized to develop new opto-electronic and bio applications. A variety of materials, such as organic and inorganic molecules, polymers, particles, and biomolecules including cells are used to prepare topologically and functionally structured surfaces for their desired purposes using novel self and directed assembly techniques.

Investigators (PI is linked): Ilsoon Lee
http://www.egr.msu.edu/~leeil/ilsoon_research.html#Ilsoon%20Lee%  Categories: Nanomaterials, Biomaterials, Electronic Materials, Polymer Composites, Structural Materials, Polymer Science and Engineering, Colloid and Interface Science, Biotechnology

Durability Characterization of POSS-based Polyimides and Carbon-Fiber Composites

This work builds on experience and progress made in our laboratory for the past six years, which has enabled us to utilize rational chemical approaches and sound engineering design principles to make significant performance enhancements on many difficult-to-attend and yet desirable properties of conventional organic polymers by incorporate nano-structured chemicals such as Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS). This nano-structured chemical “reinforcement” approach not only retains the light-weight nature of organic polymers, but also substantially improves many other desirable performance qualities, i.e., fire and flame retardancy, high temperature mechanical properties and oxidative stability, surface durability, etc., in comparison to conventional organic polymers. The three-dimensional nature and nanoscopic size of POSS are the key contributors to the material property improvements observed through POSS incorporation. Currently in our laboratory, we have been exploring the engineering, “drop-in” approaches to incorporate POSS chemicals into high-performance thermosetting materials such as high-performance epoxies, bismaleimides and reactive oligoimides. Recently, in collaboration with NASA-Glenn Research Center, we were able to reformulate second-generation oligoimides with additions of economical trisilanol POSS by taking advantage of the Polymerization of Monomeric Reactants (PMR) methodology. Using the PMR approach with a well-established processing method, we fabricated carbon-fiber reinforced composites with these POSS-containing oligoimides as the matrix resin. As a part of the initial characterization of these newly formulated hybrid polyimide resins and composites, we have observed an improved thermo-oxidative stability. In the next three years, we will fully characterize the durability of these hybrid polyimide resins and carbon-fiber reinforced composites with respect to time-temperature-stress-service environments (moisture, chemicals and oxidative stability). This characterization will be conducted on the molecular, microscopic and macroscopic levels in order to develop structural-performance relationships for structural design analyses and associated materials structural optimization at all dimensional levels. Additionally, we will also explore and formulate POSS-containing polyimide resins to take advantage of the state-of-art, economical composite processing techniques such as resin infusion, resin transfer molding and vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding.

Investigators (PI is linked): Andre Y. Lee
Categories: Polymer Composites

Self-assembled, Nanostructured Biomimetic Interfaces

Living cells efficiently perform many vital sensing, signaling, catalytic, and bioelectronic processes at the molecular scale. These processes typically occur at cell membranes, whose principal components include a bilayer lipid membrane (BLM) and membrane proteins. The BLM's nanoscale thickness (5 nm) and high electrical resistance give it unique optical and bioelectronic properties. A diverse array of membrane proteins embedded in the BLM imparts the highly specific activities exhibited by cell membranes. These activities can, in principle, be mimicked in the laboratory by reconstituting appropriate membrane proteins into artificial BLM. We are using self and directed assembly tools to fabricate functional and nanostructured biomimetic-interfaces that use lipid bilayers, membrane proteins (such as neuropathy target esterase), and other nanostructured components (e.g. polyelectrolyte multilayers) to reproduce cell-membrane processes. These systems have outstanding potential for conducting fundamental studies of nanoscale biological processes and for developing new technologies, including high-throughput drug screening systems, research tools to study membrane proteins, and high-performance biosensors.

Investigators (PI is linked): Ilsoon Lee
http://www.biomimetic.org/  Categories: Nanomaterials, Biomaterials, Polymer Composites, Structural Materials, Polymer Science and Engineering, Colloid and Interface Science, Biotechnology

Bio-Carbon Nanomaterials

Carbon nanoparticles are available in several geometries, including spherical fullerenes, cylindrical nanotubes and planar nanoplatelets. While these nanoparticles all share the same graphenic structure that imparts semiconductor properties, the diverse geometries afford a spectrum of unique chemical, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties. Composite materials containing carbon nanoparticles electrically coupled to biomolecules could yield an array of high-performance technologies. Inclusion of a biological recognition element, and any necessary cofactor or mediator, allows the composite electrode to serve as an integrated, bioactive electrode unit (i.e., bio-carbon network). This work includes (1) development of simple and rapid methods to modify and process carbon nanoparticles for self and directed assembly, (2) incorporation of the nanoparticles into bio-carbon networks, and (3) characterization of the network’s fundamental properties.

Investigators (PI is linked): Ilsoon Lee
Categories: Nanomaterials, Biomaterials, Polymer Composites, Structural Materials, Polymer Science and Engineering, Colloid and Interface Science, Biotechnology

Processing of Particulate Polymer Composites Below the Melting Point

The goal of the proposed project is to gain a scientific understanding of microstructure development in processing polymer composites below the melting point Tm. The filler/matrix interaction when processing below Tm is being examined in various flow fields.

Investigators (PI is linked): Krishnamurthy Jayaraman
Categories: Polymer Composites, Structural Materials, Polymer Science and Engineering

Wrinkle-free Nanomechanical Films

Wrinkling or buckling is a common natural phenomenon which occurs in numerous forms on many different length scales. Common forms of buckling include the wrinkling of human skin, the surface of many dried fruits, and even the formation of mountain ranges. Generally buckling occurs when a stiff upper material on a more compliant substrate is compressed. Compressive forces can be generated physically (e.g., stretching or compressing a compliant substrate) or simply by raising or lowering the temperature of the materials. Wrinkling and related phenomena in various materials have been studied from the standpoint of micro and bio mechanics. How and why wrinkles form has been well studied; however, preventing the occurrence of such a phenomenon remains a challenge. The goal of this proposed work is to study how nanoparticles influence the mechanical (or thermal) wrinkling (or buckling) of thin films, and to develop such wrinkle free films for various applications.

Investigators (PI is linked): Ilsoon Lee
Categories: Biotechnology, Colloid and Interface Science, Polymer Science and Engineering, Structural Materials, Polymer Composites, Nanomaterials