US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Randy A Mrozek

Joseph L Lenhart

Michael C Berg

Jan W Andzelm

Robert H Lambeth

Geoffrey A Slipher

Gregory William Peterson

Justin L Shumaker

Eric J Robinette

Joesph L Lenhart

Timothy W Sirk

Juan De Pablo

Joseph M Dennis

In various aspects, a cured polymer glass may be provided. The cured polymer glass may include a polymer glass component (such as an epoxide component and an amine component), and an azobenzene photo-responsive modifying agent. The modifying agent may cause a reversible transition in the cured polymer glass from a first state to a second state when the modifying agent is exposed to a light condition (such as specific wavelengths of light). The glass transition temperature (T) of the cured polymer glass may be at least 100° C. The first state may have at least one different mechanical property than the second state. The reversible transition may be configured to occur when the cured polymer glass is at a first temperature below a Tof the cured polymer glass.

Photo-responsive dampening and toughening agents

A composite material is provided comprising a porous polymeric matrix having metal-organic framework (MOF) domains dispersed within the porous polymeric matrix, each of said MOF domains in fluid communication with the external environment through the pores in the porous polymeric matrix. A process of using the composite material to chemically modify or detoxify a chemical warfare agent or a toxic industrial chemical is also provided. The chemical warfare agent or the toxic industrial chemical is brought into contact with a MOF domain within the porous polymeric matrix so that the MOFs adsorb and chemically modify the chemical warfare agent or the toxic industrial chemical. A process for producing such a composite material is also disclosed.

Metal-organic framework/polymer foam composite materials and their uses in decontamination and/or ballistic protection

Toughened polymeric materials and methods of forming toughened polymeric materials are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming toughened polymeric materials may include preparing a branched polymeric additive; mixing the branched polymeric additive with a polymer to form a polymeric mixture, wherein the branched polymeric molecule either mixes and/or bonds with the polymer to reduce mobility in the polymer; and curing the polymeric mixture. In some embodiments, a toughened polymeric material comprises a polymer network; and a branched polymeric molecule bonded to the polymer network.

Branched additives for polymer toughening

Porous polymer composites and methods of preparing porous polymer composites are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for preparing porous polymer composites may include mixing a first polymer with a solvent and a particulate filler to form a first polymer composition, wherein the amount of particulate filler in the first polymer composition is below a mechanical percolation threshold; and removing the solvent from the first polymer composition to concentrate the first polymer and particulate filler into a second polymer composition having a porous structure, wherein the particulate filler concentration in the second polymer composition is increased above the mechanical percolation threshold during solvent removal.

Porous polymer composites

This application generally relates to deformable elastomeric conductors and differential signaling transmission techniques. According to one embodiment, a deformable elastomeric conductor is configured to transmit electrical signals. It comprises: an elastomeric polymer matrix; and conductive filler material uniformly dispersed in the elastomeric polymer matrix sufficient to render the material electrically conductive. The conductive filler material may include substantially non-entangled particles having an aspect ratio sufficiently large to enable the particles to substantially remain in contact and/or in close proximity with adjacent particles so as to maintain conductive pathways in the material when the material is subjected to deformation up to and exceeding 10% strain. Thus, over a transmission distance of an electrical signal through the conductor, the transmission does not suffer greater than about 3 dB of signal attenuation when subjected to the deformation.

Deformable elastomeric conductors and differential electronic signal transmission

The present invention generally relates to deformable polymer composites, and more particularly to, deformable polymer composites with controlled electrical performance during deformation through tailored strain-dependent conductive filler contact. According to embodiments, a deformable elastomeric conductive material includes: an elastomeric polymer matrix; and conductive filler material uniformly dispersed in the elastomeric polymer matrix sufficient to render the material electrically or thermally conductive. The conductive filler material comprises a plurality of substantially non-entangled particles having an aspect ratio sufficiently large to enable the particles to substantially remain in contact and/or in close proximity with adjacent particles so as to maintain conductive pathways in the material when the material is subjected to deformation up to and exceeding 10% strain.

Deformable polymer composites with controlled electrical performance during deformation through tailored strain-dependent conductive filler contact

Electrically and/or thermally conductive polymer composites and methods of preparing same are provided. In some embodiments, a method for preparing an electrically and/or thermally conductive polymer composite may include (1) mixing a polymer, a conductive particulate filler, and a solvent to form a non-conductive polymer solution or melt; (2) processing, the non-conductive polymer solution or melt to form a non-conductive polymer network composition; wherein the presence of solvent during three-dimensional network formation manipulates the polymer network structure; and (3) removing the solvent from the non-conductive polymer network composition to form an electrically and/or thermally conductive polymer composite. The altered polymer chain structure present in the non-conductive polymer network composition is maintained in the composite, and offsets the impact of particulate filler addition including increased modulus, decreased elasticity, and decreased elongation at break. This method enables development of composite materials with electrical/thermal and mechanical performance that can be tailored independently.

Solvent assisted processing to control the mechanical properties of electrically and/or thermally conductive polymer composites

Methods of adjusting the mechanical properties of a polymeric material may include forming a polymer network having a plurality of permanent cross-links and coupled to a plurality of reversible cross-links, wherein the polymer network has a shear storage modulus of greater than about 4&#xd7;10Pa; and heating the polymer network using a heat source to dissociate the reversible cross-links, wherein heating the polymer network reduces the shear storage modulus to less than about 4&#xd7;10Pa. In some embodiments, a polymeric material may include a polymer network comprising a plurality of permanent cross-links and coupled to a plurality of reversible cross-links that are dissociable with the application of a stimulus and associable with the removal of the stimulus, wherein the shear storage modulus of the polymer network is less than about 4&#xd7;10Pa in the presence of the stimulus and greater than about 4&#xd7;10Pa in the absence of the stimulus.

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Port Deposit, MD, United States of America

Randy A Mrozek