A NOVEL MULTIFUNCTIONAL MATERIAL WITHAPPLICATIONS TO POLYMER COMPOSITES

摘要

The development of new materials, together with advances in computational power,rnsensors, actuators, and micro-electronic architecture, have enabled an evolving shift fromrnsingle purpose materials to multifunctional systems that can provide greater value thanrnthe base material alone. This shift is fundamental, and it is increasingly resulting inrnsolutions that are truly more than the sum of individual parts, components, or materials.rnFor example, it is now possible to conceive of practical multifunctional materials that canrn"heal themselves" after experiencing some level of damage or perform both structuralrnand ballistic functions indistinguishably. Multifunctional materials are unique in thatrnthey can either be passive or active depending on the unique set of overall functionalityrnthat is required. Passive systems could, for example, simply be the transmission of stressrnand the management of a ballistic event simultaneously. Active materials, by contrast,rnemploy at least one or more forms of energy to locally or globally change the state of arnmaterial and thereby provide a deliberate and controllable means of invokingrnmultifunctional properties in a material. The focus of current research is the developmentrnof active materials that can be applied as coatings onto and into a variety of substratesrnincluding polymer composites, plastics, and a host of other structural and non-structuralrnmaterials. The technology was invented as a means of actively shifting the color of therncomposite matrix material (e.g., epoxy resin) without impairing the load transmissionrncapability of the host material. Applications of this technology will be demonstrated inrnseveral areas, as well as the low cost manufacturing methods that would enable its ultimate implementation.