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Nanocomposite Polymer Networks For Reconfigurable Materials, Adam W. Hauser
Nanocomposite Polymer Networks For Reconfigurable Materials, Adam W. Hauser
Doctoral Dissertations
This thesis broadly aims to design reconfigurable materials through complementary combinations of nanoparticles and polymers. Understanding nanoparticle dispersion pathways and mechanisms is a critical first step in any polymer nanocomposite work as it continues to be a non-trivial subject. To this end, Chapter 2 describes a simple method to control nanoparticle dispersion within polymer melts by photografting random copolymers to selectively reactive nanoparticle ligands. The chapters following focus on harnessing the functionality of well dispersed nanocomposite networks to elicit macro-scale responses. Chapter 3 exploits the unique optical properties of gold nanoparticles in combination with thermally responsive hydrogels and liquid crystalline …