U.Va. Engineering School-Developed Nanocomposite Material Wins Award

Mool Gupta headshot

Mool Gupta(Photo: Tom Cogill)

June 28, 2007 -- Sensitive electronic devices like cell phones and computers require shielding from electromagnetic interference (EMI). Such shielding — which must be electrically conductive — has traditionally been metal, which poses a weight problem in the push to miniaturize and lighten electronics. In response, Mool C. Gupta, professor in the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, led a team that has developed an ultra-lightweight nanocomposite that outperforms conventional shielding. The team's innovation will be honored with a Nano50 award from Nanotech Briefs magazine, which “recognizes the top 50 technologies, products and innovators that have significantly impacted nanotechnology.”

This new nanocomposite material is a mixture of plastic, carbon nanotubes and a foaming agent, making it extremely lightweight, corrosion-proof and cheaper to produce than metal. The carbon nanotubes played a key role in creating these unique properties, explained Gupta. Most notably, experiments revealed that only 1 percent to 2 percent of the material’s composition needed to be comprised of nanotubes to increase the electrical conductivity by 10 orders of magnitude. The addition of carbon nanotubes also increased the material’s thermal conductivity, improving its capacity to dissipate heat.

“Metal is not only heavy; it corrodes easily,” Gupta said. “And plastic insulators are lightweight, stable and cheaper to produce, but cannot conduct electricity. So the goal,  originally, was to take plastic and make it electrically conductive.”

After experimenting with adding metal powder to plastics without impacting the weight of the material significantly, Gupta turned to carbon nanotubes. With their ultra-small diameter, high aspect ratio, high mechanical strength, good electrical and thermal conductivity and light weight, Gupta and his team found that carbon nanotubes had all of the properties necessary to accomplish the objective.

“The long length and small diameter of carbon nanotubes forms an interconnectivity within the plastic that makes it electrically conductive,” said Gupta, the Langley Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at U.Va. “The structures work well for electromagnetic interference shielding. Once we reached this milestone, we began investigating ways to reduce the weight even further.”

Gupta’s team then added a foaming agent — a chemical that creates air pockets — to the material. The results astounded even the researchers; this extra step reduced the weight of the material by 50 percent and increased its flexibility.

Gupta's team included U.Va. postdoctoral fellow Dr. Y. Yang, and colleagues at the National Institute of Aerospace and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. They will receive the Nano50 award in November 2007 at the NASA Tech Briefs National Nano Engineering Conference in Boston.

“We are very excited to see Professor Gupta’s work receive this recognition as a key breakthrough technology,” said Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, NIA president and executive director. “It’s an excellent example of technology enabled through innovative research collaboration between the university community and NASA.”

“The applications for this new material range from thermal insulation, EMI shields for commercial and aerospace applications, advanced sensors, lightening protection and more,” said James H. Aylor, dean of U.Va.’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. “This is a sample of the work in nanotechnology taking place here — work that has the potential to positively impact the future for consumers, astronauts, military personnel and others.”

The potential uses for this new lightweight metal alternative may be further harnessed in the future with the help of a patent application that was filed through the U.Va. Patent Foundation.


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