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Scientific Opportunities: NanoscienceOverview | Nanoelectronics | Nanomagnetics | Nanoscale Functional Materials | Nanoscale Strongly Correlated Systems | Polymer Nanocomposites | Biomimetic Devices Polymer NanocompositesNanocomposites are a broad family of materials consisting of two or more components, with at least one having dimensions between one and 100 nanometers. Polymer nanocomposites are a special class of materials, consisting of a soft condensed matter matrix (such as a synthetic or natural polymer) and nanoscale inorganic particles. These materials can exhibit markedly improved mechanical and other properties compared to conventional composites. Thus, they may eventually replace traditional materials in many applications where high strength-to-weight or high surface-to-weight ratios are required. The nanoscale structures in polymer nanocomposites can be thoroughly characterized by microscopic techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. However, preparing the samples for these techniques is often tedious and difficult. The high brightness of NSLS-II will enable time-resolved small-angle x-ray scattering and wide-angle x-ray diffraction experiments to be carried out on very small speciments, using small beam size (~ 1 m). This will significantly advance the development of these unique materials.
Last Modified: March 4, 2008 |
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