This award from the Instrumentation for Materials Research program provides funds to North Carolina State University for the acquisition of a unique, three-component extrusion system that would provide critically needed capability in new materials and polymer processing research at North Carolina State University. The extrusion system would become the cornerstone of several research projects including (1) Supercritical Fluid Assisted Step Growth Polymerization, (2) CO2-Asisted Depolymerization, Purification and Recycling of Step-Growth Polymers, (3) Reactive Blending, and (4) Nano-composite Foams. Specifically, this extrusion system will allow the principal investigators to develop novel polymer processing techniques, investigate CO2-assisted polymeric processing, and improve existing industrial processes. The equipment acquisition will strengthen the polymer research already established within the University. It will lead to many new initiatives in polymerization and polymer processing and support a number of projects in the NSF Science and Technology Center for Environmentally Responsible Solvents & Processes. The extrusion system will also serve to expand the institutional capability to educate both graduate and undergraduate students. The equipment will be used to directly benefit undergraduate students enrolled in the Polymer Science Option. An experiment based on the extrusion system will be introduced into, a required undergraduate laboratory course. The equipment also will be used for demonstration and project purposes in at least two graduate courses, polymer rheology and polymer blends and alloys. Finally, the equipment also will be available for graduate students and post-doctoral personnel (more than 50 campus wide) that are involved in polymer research.
This award from the Instrumentation for Materials Research program provides funds to North Carolina State University for the acquisition of a unique, three-component extrusion system that would provide critically needed capability in new materials and polymer processing research at North Carolina State University. The extrusion system would become the cornerstone of several research projects. Specifically, this extrusion system will allow the principal investigators to develop novel polymer processing techniques, investigate new polymeric processing, and improve existing industrial processes. The equipment acquisition will strengthen the polymer research already established within the University. It will lead to many new initiatives in polymerization and polymer processing and support a number of projects in the NSF Science and Technology Center for Environmentally Responsible Solvents & Processes. The extrusion system will also serve to expand the institutional capability to educate both graduate and undergraduate students. The equipment will be used to directly benefit undergraduate students enrolled in the Polymer Science Option. An experiment based on the extrusion system will be introduced into, a required undergraduate laboratory course. The equipment also will be used for demonstration and project purposes in at least two graduate courses, polymer rheology and polymer blends and alloys. Finally, the equipment also will be available for graduate students and post-doctoral personnel (more than 50 campus wide) that are involved in polymer research.
