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Manufacturing
Using highly intense neutron beams
to understand materials at the molecular level
could lead to improved materials that we use every
day, for example, synthetic fibers and
complex fluids such as paint and shampoo. |
Shampoos, paints, lubricants, and other commonly
used "complex fluids" and
soft materials have remarkable properties. Shampoo
in a pump dispenser must be thick enough to stay
in your hand, yet be thin enough to pump easily from
the dispenser and spread into your hair. The key
to these properties is shear thinning—applying a force
in one direction to make thick become thin (like
spreading soap solution by rubbing your hands together).
How the molecular structure of a complex fluid changes
during shear thinning can be seen using neutrons.
When the material is thick, the molecules are tangled,
but when a one-directional force is applied (e.g.,
by a paint brush), the molecules become ordered under
flow, making the material thin. Research at SNS could
lead to development of better complex fluids and
soft materials used in the manufacturing industry.
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Paint
is another example of a complex
fluid whose change in molecular
structure during shear thinning
can be studied with neutrons.
To work well, paint must be both
thick enough to stick to your brush
and thin enough to spread smoothly
over a wall. |
A related area of study is microemulsions (droplets of one liquid dispersed in another). Microemulsions are used, for example, in food processing and cosmetics products, lubricants, and additives that control industrial processes. Neutron research could also lead to advancements in the study of elastic materials, such as rubber.
In addition, structural information
from neutron-scattering studies has aided
in the improvement of many manufactured
materials we use every day, such as:
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Neutron scattering has guided the development of giant molecules that make up synthetic fibers for clothes.
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- drugs
- plastics
- cosmetics
- synthetic fibers for clothes
- healthier foods
- new materials for buildings, cars,
and aircraft
- better lubricants for machines
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