Conférence CQMF Prof. Kenan Song, University of Georgia

Titre: Multiscale Polymer–Nanoparticle Assembly via Advanced Manufacturing: From Nonequilibrium Processing to Functional Materials

Résumé :

Advanced composite materials, particularly nanoparticle-reinforced polymer composites, provide a versatile platform for engineering lightweight materials with exceptional mechanical, thermal, and functional properties. However, achieving predictable performance requires fundamental control over multiscale assembly processes that govern nanoparticle dispersion, polymer–nanoparticle interfacial interactions, and orientation of structural elements during fabrication. This seminar explores how advanced manufacturing techniques, including additive manufacturing and fiber-based fabrication, enable nonequilibrium assembly of polymer–nanoparticle systems across nano-, micro-, and macro-length scales. By integrating polymers with nanoparticles of different dimensionalities (e.g., 1D nanotubes and 2D nanosheets), we demonstrate how controlled processing fields, such as shear, confinement, and flow, can direct particle organization and polymer chain alignment to generate hierarchical layered architectures. Our recent work on the scalable fabrication of fibers, coatings, and three-dimensional architectures that exhibit tunable structural and functional properties will be discussed. These systems reveal fundamental relationships between processing conditions, nanoparticle assembly mechanisms, and resulting material performance. Examples include nanostructured composites for mechanical reinforcement, thermal management, electrical conductivity, stimuli-responsive materials, and biodegradable scaffolds for tissue regeneration. By connecting materials chemistry, interfacial physics, and advanced manufacturing, our work establishes new pathways to design programmable polymer–nanoparticle materials for applications ranging from energy and infrastructure to biomedical devices and regenerative medicine.