This Partnership for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) involves a collaboration between Tuskegee University (TU) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (UNL-MRSEC) to establish a world-class collaborative research program in multiferroic polymer nanocomposites. The overarching broad goal is to provide the highest quality research and education opportunities, and to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation of students from underrepresented groups in advanced degrees in emerging field of materials science and engineering. The other objective of the collaborative research program is to develop fundamental knowledge and a new class of nanocomposite materials combining polymers with multiferroic nanomaterials. This work has the potential for significant impact in many fields including structural nanocomposites and sensing applications. The Tuskegee PREM is committed to increasing broader participation of underrepresented groups in materials science through research and educational activities. The partnership will produce African American graduates in emerging areas of materials science & engineering through exposure to cutting-edge research in multiferroic composite materials and their applications. These graduates will help bring much-needed diversity to the nation's advanced technology workforce. It is also anticipated that the knowledge gained by the students through their involvement in new research areas developed through this grant will eventually result in new design and manufacturing methodologies that may well lead to patentable processes for large-scale applications.
This new partnership will strengthen TU's expertise in synthesis, manufacturing and characterization of advanced polymer nanocomposites, along with UNL-MRSEC's expertise in multiferroic materials. The collaborative research will focus on developing new class of composite materials comprising polymers and multiferroic nanoscale particles. These novel materials are expected to have structural, electronic, energy, and sensing applications. Towards this, the team will carry out research in three areas: 1) synthesis and characterization of multiferroic nanoparticles; 2) fabrication of multiferroic polymer composites and investigation of their applications; and 3) development of multifunctional polymeric nanocomposites utilizing multiferroic nanoparticles and study of their mechanical, thermal, magnetic and electrical properties.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
