RII Track-4:@NASA: Process-Structure-Property Relationship of the Hybrid Manufactured Multifunctional Mechano-Luminescence-Optoelectronic Fibers

New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology, Socorro NM

Investigators

Abstract

A health monitoring wearable has been considered as one of the promising technological solutions to better understand how the human body behaves for health diagnosis/prognosis, fitness improvement, and human-machine interaction. However, the state-of-the-arts suffer from the battery-dependent external energy supply. This project aims to provide a technological breakthrough with the multifunctional mechano-luminescence-optoelectronic (MLO) fiber that is self-powered for strain sensing and generates electrical energy via two-step mechanical-radiant-electrical energy conversion. Additionally, this project aims to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare and to secure the national defense by promoting the progress of science through in-depth understanding of the process-structure-property (PSP) relationship of the MLO fiber’s functional building blocks. The gained knowledge can help enhance human presence in space. This project can provide opportunities for students underrepresented in STEM at New Mexico Tech (NMT) by visiting NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) to work with world-renowned scientists in cutting-edge facilities on the novel research topics and potentially work for NASA. Also, a transdisciplinary graduate course will be created at NMT on a topic of advanced manufacturing with an emphasis on the PSP relationship. The project is envisioned to contribute to four key industries in New Mexico, including Aerospace & Defense, Biosciences, Intelligent Manufacturing, and Sustainable & Green Energy. In this project, in collaboration with Dr. Koehne at NASA ARC, the PI aims to advance knowledge in the PSP relationship of the functional building blocks of the MLO fibers that are fabricated using a hybrid manufacturing. The MLO fibers are composed of two functional building blocks: 1) mechano-luminescent (ML) copper-doped zinc sulfide (ZnS:Cu) and 2) mechano-optoelectronic poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). In the design of the MLO fiber, the mechanical-radiant and radiant-electrical energy conversions of the ML ZnS:Cu and MO P3HT, respectively, are coupled to generate direct current (DC) when exposed to external mechanical stimuli. The generated DC varies with a strain and a strain rate, which makes the MLO fiber multifunctional to perform as a self-powered strain sensor and a mechanical-radiant-electrical energy harvester. Knowledge can be acquired about how the MO P3HT that are deposited in thin film using air-brushing form lamellae and exhibit MO properties. Also, the PI expects to uncover the light emission mechanism of the ML phosphors that are embedded in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) under mechanical deformation and how the ML light emission is affected by the profile (e.g., shape, size, and doping concentration) of the ML microparticles and related to a strain and a strain rate. In addition, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) will be used for designing the nano-structures of P3HT to attain target functionalities. The PI plans two research tasks on PSP studies on MO P3HT-SWNT and ML ZnS:Cu-PDMS to conduct at NASA ARC during three-month summer visits in Y1 and Y2. Also, before each summer visit, preliminary studies will be conducted at NMT for accumulating database to be used for designing nano-/micro-structures of the MO and ML functional building blocks through molecular dynamics modeling and simulations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.