Functionalized nanomaterials

Biomaterials and devices

Multifunctional material systems

Multiscale Modeling

Intelligent systems

Education and outreach

Participants and sponsors

Functionalized Nanomaterials

Fabricating functionalized nanomaterials with high strength-to-weight ratios and self-healing capabilities.

The development of nanotubes has fostered an opportunity to fabricate high strength-to-weight ratio nanocomposites. Breakthroughs in nanotube science, production and functionalization are leading to developing advanced nanocomposites for aerospace applications. This research will purify and functionalize carbon nanotubes to enable new nanotube polymeric and ceramic composites that have electrically conductive, switchable molecular properties, including nanoshells.

Further development of nanocomposites will be to make them tunable, adaptive, self-healing and stress-smart sensing systems. These materials will enable a revolution in air and space travel by increasing intelligence in aerospace systems and vehicles while reducing mass, size and power consumption.

Research goals:

• Purifying, functionalizing, separating and polarizing nanotubes.
• Synthesizing electrically conductive and switchable molecules for self-healing.
• Developing high strength-to-weight ratio and high impact nanocomposites.
• Developing polymeric nanocomposites for multifunctional use with tunable electrical properties.
• Developing a polyethylene-nanotube hybrid for structures, radiation protection and fuel storage.
• Development of thermal and structural ceramics.
• Developing smart materials for stress sensing and self-healing.
• Radiation testing and characterization of multifunctional use.
• Rheology and hypervelocity impact testing.
• Theoretical and computational modeling of rheology, nanotube-polymeric molecular architectures.

Team Leader: (click name for contact info)

Enrique V. Barrera
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Rice University

Team Members: (click name for contact info)

Ramanan Krishnamoorti
Dept. of Chemical Engineering
University of Houston

T. Randall Lee
Department of Chemistry
University of Houston

James M. Tour
Department of Chemistry
Rice University

Richard Wilkins
Center for Applied Radiation Research
Prairie View A&M University