Oxide Nanoparticle Catalyzed Bottom-up Nanostructure Growth for Carbon Fiber Reinforcement
Abstract
Carbon fiber composites (CFCs) allow for lightweight, high-strength materials enabling transformative advances in structural materials, exoskeletons, automotive, aerospace and energy applications integral to the mission of the Army Research Office (ARO). The synthesis of CFCs typically involves embedding carbon fibers in a resin matrix and subsequent chemical bonding between the fibers and the resin matrix. An increase in surface area of the carbon fibers enables better bonding with the resin matrix enabling higher CFC strength. The growth of nanostructures directly on the carbon fiber surface can indeed increase the surface area for bonding with the resin matrix and allow for superior CFC strength. However, most metallic catalysts used for nanostructure growth typically exhibit high carbon solubility. The high carbon solubility of the catalyst inevitably causes carbon dissolution from the carbon fiber into the metallic catalyst nanoparticle leading to structural damage of the fiber, thereby, compromising fiber strength. Hence, increasing the surface area of carbon fibers without compromising their strength remains a non-trivial challenge and hinders the realization of advanced CFCs of interest to ARO. The proposed research aims to resolve these fundamental scientific challenges by enabling the development of catalysts with negligible carbon solubility for bottom-up nanostructure growth directly on the carbon fiber. Specifically, we propose to systematically study oxide nanoparticle catalyzed growth of nanostructures and use state-of-the-art complementary in-situ metrology to elucidate fundamental mechanisms of nanostructure nucleation and growth. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed complementary in-situ experiments will be the first of their kind in the field and will provide unprecedented fundamental insights. Such a fundamental understanding is critical to allow for tangible and impactful progress in this field but has remained elusive for decades. A detailed fundamental understanding of oxide nanoparticle catalyzed nanostructure growth will allow for the development of novel processes to increase the surface area of carbon fibers without compromising their structural integrity. Such advances will enable disruptive applications for CFCs in structural materials, mission equipment, exoskeletons, automotive, aerospace and energy applications furthering the mission of ARO. The proposed research will also result in the scientific training of a graduate student and result in the development of scientific methods, approaches and techniques of interest to ARO.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 15, 2023
- Source ID
- W911NF2310042
Entities
People
- Piran Kidambi
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- United States Army
- Vanderbilt University