Shu-Lin Bai
Professor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, China

Speech Title: Thermal and mechanical performance of graphene filled polymer nanocomposites

Abstract: Due to its astonishing thermal and mechanical properties, graphene is a perfect candidate for nanocomposites possibly applied in industries. A lot of research works have been made to make graphene filled polymer nanocomposites with high thermal conductivity (TC). However, the agglomeration of graphene sheets limits their loading and has been a bottleneck to effective increase TC of polymer composites. Therefore, the key technique to solve this problem is to invent new methods to get homogeneously dispersed graphene or construct interconnected graphene network in matrix. Based on our recent study and results, I summarize the current development on high TC polymer composites filled with graphene. From graphene foam, graphene interconnected network, well dispersed graphene to continuous graphite film, our study covers diverse methods to make graphene filled thermoplastic and elastomer composites and shows great enhancement of TC. For example, the graphene filled polyamide 6 (PA6) has a TC of 6.1 Wm-1K-1. The flexible graphene foam (GF) and hollow Fe3O4 (h-Fe3O4) filled polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites for which h-Fe3O4 spheres are in-situ grown onto the surface of three dimensional (3D) interconnected GF. The composites are found to have high in-plane TC of 28.12 Wm-1K-1, through-plane TC of 2.0 Wm-1K-1. The excellent performance of composites can be attributed to high degree interconnected networks and uniform dispersion of graphene sheets inside the composites. The results provide effective and facile routes for developing high TC polymer composites, as well as open new possibility to engineering application of such composites.

Cun-Yue Guo
Professor
School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

Speech Title: Conducting Polymers/Carbon Nanotubes Thermoelectric Composites

Abstract: Thermoelectric (TE) materials can interconvert heat and electricity without the need for mobile parts, thus efficiently utilizing large quantity of waste heat at low cost in an eco-friendly way. The formation of composites consisting of conducting polymers (CPs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) overcomes many inherent disadvantages existing in inorganic TE materials and organic TE materials, hence benefiting the manufacture of wearable electronics, vehicle-mounted refrigerator, etc.
This presentation will introduce several types of flexible CPs/CNTs composites with high TE performance.
Both polypyrrole/single walled carbon nanotubes (PPy/SWCNT) nanocomposites and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/single walled carbon nanotubes (PEDOT/SWCNT) nanomposites possessed greatly enhanced power factors due to the tuning of polymerization parameters and the modification of SWCNTs. The PPy/SWCNT nanocomposites possessed large-area, super flexibility, stretchability and mechanical stability, affording maximal power factor of 21.7 ± 0.8 μW m−1 K−2 at room temperature. After chemical doping of SWCNTs with mixed acids of sulfuric acid and nitric acid, together with the preparation of PPy through electropolymerization of pyrrole, the power factor rose to 240.3 ± 5.0 μW m−1 K−2 at room temperature.
The PEDOT/SWCNT nanocomposites prepared by dynamic 3-phase interfacial polymerization and subsequent physical mixing afforded maximum power factor of 253.7 ± 10.4 W m−1 K−2 at room temperature; chemical doping of SWCNT further enhanced the power factors of such composites to much higher values, 350.0 ± 47.6 W m−1 K−2 at room temperature and 510.2 W m−1 K−2 at 412 K. Following similar routes, PEDOT/Te/SWCNT composites were prepared with significantly enhanced power factor of 169.8 ± 7.8 μW m−1 K−2 at room temperature. Further attempts are well underway and the development of new fabrication methods is worth expectation.

James Ren
Professor
Liverpool John Moores University, UK

Speech Title: Data-led structure analysis and development of mulicomponents complex material systems

Abstract: Integrated experimental and modelling is leading the developments of many new complex material systems with multiple elemental components. Data science and collaborative system plays a key role in linking material research at different length scales. These developments have opened up many new opportunities for designing complex alloys and processing schemes. In this talk the use of data led research for complex materials design is presented and discussed. As part of EU projects in developing advanced metal and welding materials, first principles calculation and python program based data analysis is combined to establish systematic data of traditional simple carbides and multicomponent carbides with a particular focus on the trade-off between critical properties (e.g. anisotropy, strength/hardness-toughness). A python program is developed to integrate systematic structural characteristics and lattice data between different compounds based on Atomic Simulation Environment (ASE) and Crystallographic Files of different format. The use of inter-scale data for potential interruptive materials design and production technologies is outlined. The work shows that the combined approach is effective in developing deep data linking physical data to functional properties. The critical factors and limitation of data related approaches (data driven and data informed approaches) in new materials discovery and development is also highlighted.

Tien-Chien Jen
Professor
University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Speech Title: Nano-precision: The Gate Keeper for the Next Generation Thin Film Technology

Abstract: Nanotechnology fabrication has become a popular field in the development of advanced and cutting-edge technologies. Deposition processes are industrialized to achieve nano-thin films that are accompanied by some exceptional attributes to meet the requirements for the manufacture of components with desired durability, efficiency and performance. The industry, however, is in constant pursuit to optimize and make the Nano-manufacturing process economically prudent. The research endeavour within nanotechnology fabrication and the implications of smart factories is studied by collaboration of Prof TC Jen and his team of researchers. The team continually fathom and strive to refine the knowledge of the Nano-fabrication processes and the incorporation of advance manufacturing techniques into the realization of smart factories. This keynote reports on the current findings of the numerous research endeavours. This includes an in-depth study of atomic layer depositions (ALD) and its unique behaviours and optimization requirements towards its operations and dependency towards geometrical designs. Additionally, the application of ALD into the product fabrication of fuel cell and membrane technology. These approaches utilize numerical methods, such as the computational fluid dynamics, lattice Boltzmann, density function theory, and molecular dynamics to describe the Nano-precision attributes of the film products and during the fabrication process. The pursuit of development of smart factories is introduced and discussed. In actualization, Nano-manufacturing holds great potential and requires the collaboration of engineers, researchers and scientists of multiple disciplines to advance and produce creative nano-material, cutting-edge technologies and innovative products. The manufacturing scale, though, still remains a challenge, and requires new studies to investigate the fundamental physics and chemistry principles and then apply the findings to optimize the production process. By doing so, the limitations currently faced by nanotechnology manufacturing can be addressed and overcome.

Sam Zhang
Professor
Faculty of Materials and Energy, Southwest University

Speech Title: Coming soon…