S. Ren
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York,
United States
Keywords: ultrahigh molecular weight polyethene, nanomanufacturing, armor, structural polymer
Summary:
Light-weight and mechanically strong polymer materials provide solutions to some of the current challenges in our future emerging structural and protection technology needs. A challenging task in this area is to design and assemble them into desired structural forms, so that their unique mechanical properties can be harvested for energy absorption capabilities. In this talk, I will discuss our research on the materials-by-design, self-assembly and nanomanufacturing of engineering polymers, such as the (p-phenylene terephthalamide) fibers (Kevlar) and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethene (UHMWPE). Specifically, I will focus on engineering the structure and interface of polymer armor materials for their superior tensile-strength-to-weight ratio, high modulus and toughness, thermal stability and energy absorption ability.