Current Areas of Research

High Temperature Resins

Three avenues are being pursued

1. Linear polymers are being synthesized and characterized based on carbon, silicon, POSS, unsaturated units, metal, and boron for conversion to themosets (plastics, elastomers, and/or coatings), which are oxidatively stable to 500 °C, and subsequently charred to ceramic type materials – some can withstand temperatures up to 1500 °C in an oxidizing environment.
   
   
2. Carbon and glass fiber reinforced phthalonitrile composites capable of withstanding temperatures up to 500 °C under oxidative conditions and exhibiting outstanding flame resistant properties are being investigated for railgun insulation applications.
   
   
3. New low melting oligomeric phthalonitriles, divinylsilane-terminated oligomers and cyanate ester (CE) resins are being characterized and developed for potential marine, aerospace, microelectronic, optical, and geothermal applications.
   

Metal Nanoparticle Carbon Nanotube Compositions

1. Research efforts are being pursued to control the size and concentration of various metal nanoparticles embedded homogeneously in polymeric, carbon, and ceramic domains.
   
   
2. Carbon nanotubes are being produced from inexpensive precursor compounds, polymeric resins, and linear polymers.
   
   
3. Materials are being evaluated for potential fuel cell, battery, nanodevice, and hydrogen storage applications.
   
   
4. Magnetic and superconductive studies are being pursued on selected candidates.
   
   
5. Various compositions are being formulated and evaluated for air filtration applications.

Peptide Nanotube Polymers (PNPs) for Smart Materials

1. Synthesis and development of bioinspired smart materials such as PNPs with properties such as (a) healing and toughness, (b) self-reporting ability and (c) tunability and actuation is underway. The architectural motifs of these PNPs will be based on a mechanical protein such as titin and a natural fiber such as spider silk.
   
   
2. The synthesis of the proposed PNPs will involve a new approach for building bioinspired nanomaterials.
   
   
3. Potential applications of the PNPs are in active/smart coatings and fibers. Navy S&T areas to be impacted include: Affordability, Maintainability and Reliability; Maritime Domain Awareness and Operational Environments.