| Biography | |
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 Prof. Noa Lachman Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Israel |
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| Title: How to achieve the full potential of nano-carbon based composites | |
| Abstract: Carbon based nanomaterials, namely graphene and Carbon Nanotubes (CNT), are among the most promising nanomaterials for composite reinforcement. Their ultra-high surface-to-volume ratio and nearly defect-free structure result in exceptional mechanical (1TPa – five times the modulus of steel), thermal (2000-6000 Wm-1K-1 – four to ten times the conductivity of silver) and electrical (conductivity roughly equivalent to copper) properties, and very many possible applications. However, these same scale and properties significantly affect the processing of polymer based nanocomposites: melt viscosity, heat transfer and other process-affecting characteristics are highly susceptible to surface area, and so even small filler concentrations will drastically change these properties. Dispersion and orientation are also an issue with nanomaterials, and so morphology control, and thus post-processing behavior prediction, are also challenging. Moreover, different mechanisms are dominant at different length-scales, further complicating prediciton. Therefore, the measured mechanical, electrical and thermal properties of the nanocarbon based nanocomposites are usually lower than predicted by rule-of-mixture calculations. In this talk, a few of the major issues inhibiting nanocarbon based composites from achieving their true potential will be highlighted. Various approaches for carbon nanocomposite fabrications, both “top-down” and “bottom-up”, will be presented in case-studies demonstrating different fabrication techniques, including 3D printing. The morphology of nanocomposites and the resultant behavior as a function of these fabrication techniques will be discussed, and possible solutions to the aforementioned issues will be presented. The new methods can provide better control for improved planning and designing of nano carbon based composites. | |
| Biography: Dr. Noa Lachman is a young member in the department of materials science and engineering in Tel Aviv University. She received a B.S. (2003) in Chemistry and Physics from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, and completed her Ph.D. work (2010) at the Weizmann Institute of Science, in the department of Materials and Interfaces, followed by a post-doc with Prof. Brian Wardle at the department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT. Dr. Lachman’s major interests are the effects of nanocomposites micro- and nanostructure, and interfacial characteristics, on the composite behavior, and developing and optimizing real-time visual methods to compliment mechanical testing at various length-scales, including nano-scale. She uses fabrication techniques such as additive manufacturing and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) to control the composite’s nanostructure, which will enable the design of new materials with improved efficiency and performance. Dr. Lachman has authored and co-authored 27 journal articles, which have been cited together more than 750 times. | |
