This is a past event
From Nanostructure to Infrastructure: Nano Particle Reinforced Composites for Critical Infrastructure Protection.
During the last two decades, tremendous progress has been made in nanoscience. New classes of nano materials, such as carbon nanotubes, nanowire, quantum dot, are being assembled, atom by atom, with high-tech applications in mind—electronics, biomedicine, energy, etc. These materials are generally rare and expensive. For the protection of the nation's critical infrastructure, such as buildings, bridges, tunnels, transmission towers, pipelines, against terrorist threats and natural disasters, we need nano materials that are low cost and in huge quantity. Not all nano materials are man-made and expensive. There are many naturally occurring materials that are at or near nano size, such as nanoclay, volcanic and fly ash, and certain minerals. There are also materials that are not nano particles per se, but they create nanostructures that significantly modify material's mechanical properties, when mixed with the traditional materials such as polymers and ceramics in small quantity. The understanding of mechanical principals from the atomic level, to micro, macro, and all the way up to the infrastructure system level is the goal of this research. We don't have all the answers yet, but certain connections are being made.
- Speaker
- Professor Alexander H-D Cheng (University of Mississippi)
- Venue
- FN, G011