Award Abstract #0102166
NER: Nanoscale Composites Based on Carbon Ribbons

NSF Org:	CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation
Initial Amendment Date:	August 21, 2001
Latest Amendment Date:	May 14, 2003
Award Number:	0102166
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Ken Chong CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation ENG Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:	September 15, 2001
Expires:	August 31, 2004 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$69998
Investigator(s):	Lynn Penn Lynn.S.Penn@drexel.edu (Principal Investigator) Frank Mallory (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of Kentucky Research Foundation 201 Kinkead Hall Lexington, KY 40506 859/257-9420
NSF Program(s):	CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS, MECHANICS OF MATERIALS
Field Application(s):	0106000 Materials Research
Program Reference Code(s):	AMPP, 9162, 9150, 1676
Program Element Code(s):	1631, 1630

ABSTRACT

Abstract

This proposal was received in response to NSF-0019. Research is planned in which phenacenes, which are ribbon-like molecules of fused rings, are examined for their potential to reinforce polymer matrices with unprecedented effectiveness. The research activities incl3de synthesis of the desired phenacenes in monodisperse populations of selected lengths, preparation of microscopic mechanical test specimens, and small-scale mechanical testing to demonstrate the hypothesis that the strength and stiffness of nanocomposites made with phenacenes are significantly higher than those of the corresponding nanocomposites made with carbon nanotubes. The research is a collaboration that combines fundamental chemistry with materials engineering and that targets undergraduate women being trained in the basic physical sciences for the field of post-graduate engineering.

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