Due to their fractal nature, nanofibrillated dendritic polymer particles have enormously increased surface area compared to regularly shaped nanoparticles. These particles exhibit high adhesive or "sticking" behavior. Their functional uses are in coatings, gels, textiles, nonwovens, personal care, agricultural and biomedical products. This award introduces a new nanomanufacturing method, where a multitude of polymers used in industrial and consumer products are converted into this novel nanomaterial. The introduction of processes for efficient manufacturing of nanofibrillated polymer particles could have a transformative impact on the fabrication of numerous high-volume and high-value products made by large and mid-sized U.S. companies. The introduction of such a capability to manufacture advanced polymer nanomaterials greatly impacts the nation's prosperity, health and security. The novel nanomanufacturing process involves turbulent liquid shear and is simple, efficient, and scalable. This project develops fundamental understanding of the complex mechanisms of nanofibrillar polymer materials formation under turbulent liquid shear and provides the scientific basis for their large-scale continuous manufacturing. The project also serves as grounds for nanofabrication and innovation training of graduate and undergraduate students. It fosters student entrepreneurship and soft skills in an exciting environment combining innovative science, manufacturing technology and industrial collaborations. Related hands-on experiments provide the basis for visually impressive undergraduate projects and enable numerous science outreach activities.
The new process for making of dendritic particles by polymer precipitation under shear is simple and versatile. However, it poses many fundamental scientific challenges. The complexity of the process of multiphasic polymer precipitation requires systematic experimentation and characterization, supported through modeling. The comprehensive research plan includes two complementary thrusts. The first thrust generates understanding of the physical mechanisms by which polymer precipitation in turbulent liquid flow leads to the formation of the dendritic particles. The team elucidates the role of interfacial mass transport, solvent-solvent and solvent-polymer interactions, polymer precipitation rates, and turbulent liquid shear rates on the morphology of the precipitated nanofibrillated particles. The second thrust applies these fundamental insights to design and test efficient and scalable nanomanufacturing processes. The research and process modelling enable controlled scalable fabrication of dendritic nanofibrillar particles at present, and potentially of numerous other polymeric nanomaterials, including nanosheets, nanoribbons and nanorods, in the future. Overall, the liquid-based shear nanomanufacturing can become a platform technology for efficient manufacturing of polymeric nanomaterials with extraordinary 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.
