EEC-9526445 El-Aasser This award funds a collaborative research effort between the Industry University Cooperative Research Center at the University of New Mexico on Microengineered Ceramics and the Industry University Cooperative Research Center at Lehigh University on Polymer Interfaces. The overall objective of this collaborative research is to gain a better understanding of the interfaces between particulates (ceramics at New Mexico and rubber at Lehigh) and epoxy polymers in order to control the thermal conductivity and fracture toughness of the resulting composite materials. The University of New Mexico Center is investigating boron nitride particulate surfaces, and the Lehigh University Center is investigating the effects of epoxy polymer chemistry and rubber surface characteristics on the interface between the boron nitride and rubber particulates and the epoxy resins. The two centers are cooperating in the processing and characterization of both the particulates and the composites that are produced. The physical and thermal properties of the composites are also being evaluated.
