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Orientationally Ordered Particles: Characterization and Applications

Neal, Jeremy R.

Abstract Details

2010, PHD, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Chemical Physics.
The theme of this work is orientational order of anisometric inclusions in elastomers. These inclusions can refer to rod-like molecules, which are chemical constituents of a liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE), metallic nanoparticles, which are embedded in an elastomer host, or macroscopic particles placed in the bulk or on the surface of rubber blocks or sheets. The salient feature of all these systems is that deformations of the elastomer network couple to anisometric shape of the inclusions, which results in a systematic reorientation of the inclusions. The initial chapters of this dissertation concern the synthesis and characterization of LCEs. We use novel experimental methods to characterize the anisotropic nature of the molecular ordering as a function of strain. We then show ways to exploit this coupling to do mechanical work. Metallic nanoparticles are expected to have novel optical properties due to plasmon resonance. We use the simulation scheme Discrete Dipole Approximation and the package Microwave Studio to determine the optical response of such particles. These results are used to interpret experimental measurements of the properties of metallic nanoparticles embedded in elastomers and oriented by the network. These simulations also provide insights about LCEs doped with nanoparticles which show orientational order in the absence of strain. Finally, we study the order of macroscopic particles on rubber sheets, which interact through viscous or static friction when strained. We develop a theoretical framework for this coupling and then carry out experiments to compare observations with theoretical predictions. In the Conclusion section, we discuss the common features of the materials and methods used to examine the nature of interactions between particles and elastomeric hosts and the connection which results in orientational order. We discuss practical implications and indicate directions for future work.
Peter Palffy-Muhoray, PhD (Advisor)
Robin Selinger, PhD (Committee Member)
Eugene Gartland, PhD (Committee Member)
Arne Gericke, PhD (Committee Member)
Hiroshi Yokoyama, PhD (Committee Member)
196 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Neal, J. R. (2010). Orientationally Ordered Particles: Characterization and Applications [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1271696307

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Neal, Jeremy. Orientationally Ordered Particles: Characterization and Applications. 2010. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1271696307.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Neal, Jeremy. "Orientationally Ordered Particles: Characterization and Applications." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1271696307

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)