(116e) Quantifying Nanoscale Dynamics in Polymer Nanocomposites Via in-Situ Coherent X-Ray Scattering Techniques

Polymer nanocomposites (PNC) are desirable engineering materials due to their tunable and enhanced properties. The morphology and macroscopic properties of PNCs are directly coupled to the dynamics of both polymer chains and particles on the nanoscale. Understanding the relationship between structure-property-dynamics in PNCs is necessary to design future materials with improved mechanical properties. A comprehensive understanding of multi-scale dynamics is especially important for advanced manufacturing and processing. However, characterization and quantification of such out-of-equilibrium physical processes is non-trivial, especially for industrially relevant environments. We believe coherent scattering techniques, such as X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS), are well-suited to resolve quantitative dynamic behavior unobtainable by other techniques. XPCS is a powerful tool to measure multi-scale dynamics across a wide range of time scales (sub millisecond up to tens of thousands of seconds) over relevant length scales (nm to μm) in PNCs with precise spatial and temporal resolution. We investigate the “structure-property-dynamics” relationships in model mechanically enhanced PNCs as well as industrial thermoset resins processed by direct ink write (DIW) 3D printing. Complementary macroscopic material properties are resolved by rheology and discussed in the context of the observed nanoscale behavior. The measurement of multi-scale, out-of-equilibrium dynamics is used to explain the fundamental polymer physics dictating both material design and advanced manufacturing. In-situ XPCS demonstrates an unprecedented opportunity to study a wide variety of nonequilibrium phenomena in polymeric materials under external stimuli.