Dr. Hao Fong, assistant professor of chemistry, has been awarded $750,000 by the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA). The award, funded through the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), begins September 1st, 2007 and continues over a period of three years. The project entitled "Continuous Nano-Scaled Carbon Fibers with Superior Mechanical Strength and their Innovative Composites for Aeronautics and Space Applications" will not only significantly improve the scientific understanding of electrospinning and nanofibers but also create a new synthetic route for the development of extremely high performance carbon fibers and their composites. The continuous, nano-scaled and extremely high performance carbon fibers will be prepared by stabilization and carbonization of highly aligned and stretched (up to 10 times their original length) electrospun polyacrylonitrile copolymer (precursor) nanofibers under optimal tension. The proposed carbon fibers will also be utilized to develop innovative composites, particularly with the recently developed nano-epoxy resins. This is expected to yield the next-generation structural materials of particular relevance to aeronautics and space applications
Co-P.I.s for the project are Dr. Shawn Decker, director, Center for Accelerated Applications at the Nanoscale, and Dr. Myung-Keun Yoon, assistant professor, mechanical engineering.
The NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research is designed to enhance NASA-related research in earth system science and to develop the state's infrastructure for research and technology-based economic development.