Gel Permeation Chromatograph for Complex Polymer Composites
Abstract
This DoD DURIP will enable the acquisition of a Gel Permeation Chromatograph (GPC), an instrument used to characterize polymeric materials. The Macfarlane lab is engaged in research both supported by the AFOSR and in line with the research aims of multiple DoD agencies, utilizing polymers, inorganic nanoparticles, and biomaterials to synthesize nanocomposites via directed assembly. Composites are a class of materials based on combining multiple building blocks of different chemical compositions into a single substance, where each component provides a unique set of physical characteristics that allow the composite to possess properties that cannot be achieved through any single phase material. Importantly, these physical properties are dictated by both the composition and the relative spatial arrangements of the different phases, necessitating methods to manipulate the internal structure of these novel hybrid materials. The Macfarlane lab has developed new technologies to use both synthetic polymers and DNA as structure directing agents, enabling one to program the internal structure of a composite by design. Importantly, these materials require the use of sophisticated polymers as building blocks, and knowledge of the molecular structure, size, shape, and dispersity of these polymers is critical to properly manipulating composite assembly. The proposed acquisition of a GPC through this DURIP will enable more complex polymer topologies and chemical compositions to be analyzed that can be achieved with currently available equipment, which in turn will increase the level of control over material structure. As a result, this GPC will enable the synthesis of multiple different composite materials with highly tunable mechanical, chemical, optical, and other physical properties. Such materials show promise for a wide range of DoD relevant applications, including protective coatings, low limit-of-detection sensing devices, and energy storage materials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 14, 2019
- Source ID
- W911NF1810197
Entities
People
- Robert J Macfarlane
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- United States Army