Title: Boron nitride nanosheets / polymer nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical & thermal properties

Project Description:
The excellent mechanical properties, high thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity make BN nanostructures promising additives for creating highly thermally conductive and electrically insulating polymer composites with excellent overall performance. Recently, polymer composites incorporating BN nanostructures have attracted great interest from the rapidly advancing electronic industry, where high value-added, efficient heat dissipating materials are demanded for electronic packaging and other related accessories.  

The investigations on BN nanocomposites are still at their very early stage. The limitation is mostly caused by the difficulties of large scale synthesis of BN nanostructures. Currently gram level BN nanotubes are available, which restricts the scale at which polymer composite studies can be performed. For BN nanosheets (BNNS), although it seems liquid exfoliation is an effective method to process a large amount of samples, the challenge of producing high yield single/few layer BNNS with controlled quality has yet to be resolved. With respect to the fabrication processes, the properties of the interface and dispersion, create extensive complications in BN polymer composites. With respect to composite manufacturing, mechanical reinforcement can only be achieved at a low fraction of BN nanostructures, i.e. < 5 wt%, beyond this the composite mechanical properties deteriorate drastically due to BN agglomeration and poor interfacial interaction. On the other hand, effective thermal conductivity can only be achieved at high filler fraction.

In this project, we aim to investigate the properties of melt processed, BNNS/polymer nanocomposites from initial compounding stage, through to behaviour under large strains, typical of industrial manufacturing. A thorough understanding of the materials structure-properties relationship would lead to the manufacturing of composites with tailored structures and enhanced mechanical/thermal/dielectric properties suitable for a wide range of applications. Specific objectives are: 1) Use various characterization techniques (e.g., DSC, XRD, SEM etc) to determine the influence of processing and material parameters on the dispersion/exfoliation of BNNS in melt compounded polymers. 2) Determine the effect of elongational deformation on the structure development and properties of melt compounded BNNS-polymer composites. 3) Develop strategies for out of plane BNNS orientation and create composites with 3D thermal conductive pathway and demonstrator material will be tested. 4) Determine the relationship between material-process-structure-properties of BNNS-polymer composites

Key Skills Required for the post:
Candidate should demonstrate knowledge/experience/skills in at least one of the following areas:

•        Polymer/composite science
•        Nanomaterials (e.g., nanocarbon, boron nitride) synthesis and characterization
•        Composites fabrication/processing and characterization (mechanical, electrical, dielectrical, thermal, etc)

Key Transferable Skills that will be developed during the PhD:
The training approach utilised will be targeted specifically towards PhD graduates securing employment in manufacturing industry, academic institutions and national & international government agencies. Training areas will include four domains encompassing; knowledge & intellectual abilities, personal effectiveness, research governance & organisation, engagement influence & impact.

导师联系方式及简介：
First/Lead Supervisor and their contact details：        Dr Dan Sun       d.sun@qub.ac.uk
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Sc ... emicStaff/DrDanSun/

Second Supervisor and their contact details:             Prof Brian Falzon    b.falzon@qub.ac.uk （Head of school）
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Sc ... ff/ProfBrianFalzon/

贝尔法斯特女王大学（Queen\'s University Belfast）于1845年由维多利亚女王建校，因此为女王大学。为英国顶尖名校，全球百强名校。是一所享誉欧洲的公立顶级研究型大学，该校拥有全英国和爱尔兰顶级医学院和工程学院，该校的医学院，商学院，工学院以及管理学院也都在全爱尔兰名列前茅。该大学位于英国的北爱尔兰首府贝尔法斯特，其教研历史悠久，学术成就昭著，是英国和爱尔兰历史最悠久的大学之一，并且也是英国著名的常青藤名校罗素集团大学成员之一。
https://baike.baidu.com/link?url ... ffxyY6DZ_qrSWrVS8hj

贝尔法斯特女王大学机械与航空航天学院官网：
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Sc ... rospaceEngineering/
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