Thermo-active polymer nanocomposites: a spectroscopic study

A. Douglas Winter; Eduardo Larios; Cherno Jaye; Daniel A. Fischer; Mária Omastová; Eva M. Campo

doi:10.1117/12.2064904

15 September 2014 Thermo-active polymer nanocomposites: a spectroscopic study

A. Douglas Winter, Eduardo Larios, Cherno Jaye, Daniel A. Fischer, Mária Omastová, Eva M. Campo

Proceedings Volume 9170, Nanoengineering: Fabrication, Properties, Optics, and Devices XI; 917003 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2064904
Event: SPIE NanoScience + Engineering, 2014, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Photo- and thermo-mechanical actuation behaviour in specific polymer-carbon nanotube composites has been observed in recent years and studied at the macroscale. These systems may prove to be suitable components for a wide range of applications, from MOEMs and nanotechnology to neuroscience and tissue engineering. Absence of a unified model for actuation behaviour at a molecular level is hindering development of such smart materials. We observed thermomechanical actuation of ethylene-vinyl acetate | carbon nanotube composites through in situ near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy to correlate spectral trends with macroscopic observations. This paper presents spectra of composites and constituents at room temperature to identify resonances in a building block model, followed by spectra acquired during thermo-actuation. Effects of strain-induced filler alignment are also addressed. Spectral resonances associated with C=C and C=O groups underwent synchronised intensity variations during excitation, and were used to propose a conformational model of actuation based on carbon nanotube torsion. Future actuation studies on other active polymer nanocomposites will verify the universality of the proposed model.

Citation Download Citation

A. Douglas Winter, Eduardo Larios, Cherno Jaye, Daniel A. Fischer, Mária Omastová, and Eva M. Campo "Thermo-active polymer nanocomposites: a spectroscopic study", Proc. SPIE 9170, Nanoengineering: Fabrication, Properties, Optics, and Devices XI, 917003 (15 September 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2064904

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