![]() ![]() On the strength of the results from those tests, they have turned their attention to creating an innovative manufacturing approach that will allow for the mass production of the polymer nanofibers. To date, Shen and his team have tested single nanofibers. “They can also be bio-compatible heat spreaders for improving patient care.” “These nanofibers provide a low-cost route to achieving highly effective heat removal in electronic systems,” said Shen. On average, the conductivity rate of steel is 54 W/mK and the rate of iron is 73 W/mK. The resulting polymer nanofiber has a Young’s Modulus (the measure of the stiffness of a solid material) and a strength that Shen said are 300-times greater than bulk polymers.Īs for thermal conductivity, Shen reports that his polymer nanofiber measures a conductivity rate of 100 W/mK. “At the nanoscale, the polymer chains become highly oriented and defects that lower strength and thermal conductivity can be eliminated,” Shen said. At this level-one-billionth of one meter- Shen can engineer individual molecules to join together in exactly the way he wants them to join together. The challenge was to develop a polymer that is both ultra-strong and thermally conductive.įor Shen, the place to do this was at the nano-level. This lack of definition can lead to reduced strength, reduced thermal conductivity, and increased defects like voids and molecule entanglements. Prototypical bulk polymers are often amorphous, meaning their molecule chains are randomly coiled and lacking a defined shape and form. Polymers are easily processed at relatively low price points, but do have their drawbacks. Traditionally, said Shen, polymers are “the general material platform (used) to develop multifunctional materials,” including plastics, nylons, and rubbers. This means a polymer could be sticky, solid, pliable, or any number of other physical characteristics contained in its molecules. ![]() Either way, the resulting polymer has the same characteristics as the molecules used to create it. The molecules could be joined in “simple” chains or more complicated structures. In their simplest form, polymers are lots of identical molecules joined together over and over. Mechanical Engineering faculty member Sheng Shen describes his work developing low-density, multi-functional materials that have a broad range of applications in aerospace, automotive, and biomedical technologies. The characteristics of his polymer nanofiber give it application in aerospace and automotive systems, civil and structural engineering, medical devices, and robotics. They accomplished all of this in a single polymer fiber strand measuring less than 100 nanometers ( Nature Communications, "Crystalline polymer nanofibers with ultra-high strength and thermal conductivity").Īccording to Shen, the potential impact of this development is tremendous. Shen and his team have developed a polymer nanofiber that is strong, lightweight, thermally conductive, electrically insulating, and bio-compatible. “Just as a spider synthesizes silk from protein polymer to form a fiber with strength similar to high tensile steel, polymers can be spun and drawn to form high-strength materials with exceptionally high thermal conductivity,” said Shen, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. It’s no coincidence then that when Sheng Shen talks about his work with polymer nanofibers he compares it to a spider spinning its web. ( Nanowerk News) Spiderman has it figured out. Nanotechnology and the concept of friction.Nanotechnology Examples and Applications. ![]() The best trial offers and discounts for students.How to become a science blogger and set up a science news site in 4 steps.A Guide to Funding Nanotechnology Ventures.10 Things You Should Know About Nanotechnology.Nanotechnology Companies & Laboratories.Subscribe to one of our Daily Newsletters.
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