This grant supports research supporting the development of scalable nanomanufacturing methods for graphene-based polymer nanocomposites with controllable properties. The project involves layer dependent control of graphene based nano-composite properties and their eventual scalable manufacturing with an emphasis on photomechanical actuation. Microscopic models will be developed for describing the photomechanical response of graphene/polymer composites. Experiments involving separation of graphene based on the number of layers, investigating the layer dependency of mechanical strength, percolation threshold, and electrical conductivity of graphene based composites and utilization of such controllable nanomanufacturing techniques for creation of advanced composites with high energy conversion efficiencies will be investigated.
If successful, the results of this research will lead to energy efficient materials and composites based on graphene with predictable and controllable properties such as percolation threshold, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength and photomechanical actuation. Scalable nanomanufacturing of graphene composites could eventually lead to a myriad of technologies such as smart artificial skins for sensing strain and pressure and for converting solar energy into electricity, heat and mechanical motion. The proposal will make advanced contributions to the separation of graphene based on the number of layers, into using graphene layers as nuclei for enhanced polymerization and cross-linking, layer dependent photomechanical responses and rubbery elasticity of graphene composites with varying levels of percolation threshold and nanomanufacturing techniques for advanced composites and photomechanical actuators. The proposed will work will also make contributions to microscopic mathematical modeling and Raman spectroscopy of graphene composites.
