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Complex Fluids 2007
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Origins of Mechanical and Rheological
Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites
CSIC Building (#406),
Seminar Room 4122.
Directions: home.cscamm.umd.edu/directions
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Origins of Mechanical and Rheological Properties of
Polymer Nanocomposites
Professor
Venkat Ganesan
University of Texas
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Abstract:
Methods for studying the nonequilibrium aspects in
polymer-nanoparticle mixtures are much less
developed and have proceeded mainly by ignoring the
presence and dynamics of the polymeric solvent. This
approximation breaks down dramatically when the
correlation lengths and the size of the solvent
become comparable to the particle size or the
interparticle distances. To address these issues, we
have developed a new, coarse-grained explicit
solvent approach, which faithfully accounts for the
dynamical response of the solvent on the same
footing as that of the particles. Our applications
in this area have so-far focused on addressing the
fundamental question, What are the mechanisms
underlying the dynamics and mechanical properties of
polymer-nanocomposites? Our recent works used the
above simulation approach to study the mechanisms
governing the mechanical behavior of composites of
spherical nanofillers dispersed in polymer melt
matrices. Our results provided new insights into the
different origins of mechanical properties in the
system. Specifically, a combination of (i) The
particle-induced effects on the dynamics of polymer
monomers; (ii) Particle jamming effects: and (iii)
Modified nanoscale continuum mechanical effects,
together was shown to be responsible for the overall
mechanical behavior of the composite. This talk will
present a summary of the developments and results.
[slides] |
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