Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Engineering polymers such as polyether ether ketones (PEEKs), polyether imides (PEIs), polysulfones (PSU), etc., display superior mechanical properties compared to commodity plastics, and stability even at very high temperatures. For example, the glass transition of PEEK is around 150°C and its melting temperature is about 340°C, with an elastic modulus of approximately 4 GPa and a density of 1.3 g/cm3. As a result, these materials are quite interesting when both strong mechanical properties are required, with the need to minimize the weight - e.g. in fields of applications such as the aerospace, aeronautic and automotive industries, which are all important sectors of Canada's economy. In addition, it is possible to modify, enhance and tailor the properties of these high performance polymers by adding solid fillers such as carbon fibers, or other (nano)particles (carbon black, carbon nanotubes, etc). Developing new engineering polymer blend formulations and (nano)composites represents an important and low-cost approach to enhance and develop entirely new material properties for the targeted applications. The main objective of this research program is to develop high performance engineering polymer blends and (nano)composites by melt extrusion for applications in the aerospace, aeronautic, automotive and biomedical sectors in which strong, lightweight and durable materials are required. To realize this objective, our team request funds to upgrade one of our twin-screw extruder, in order to be capable of processing engineering polymers, their blends and (nano)composites in a temperature range of 350°C to 425°C, with the accessories to prepare filaments for Fused Filament Fabrication 3D printing machines. Our team is composed of 7 applicants with backgrounds in chemical, mechanical and engineering physics, from Polytechnique Montreal (PM), École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS), and McGill University, and of 6 collaborators with complementary expertises. A variety of projects already in progress and requiring engineering polymer-based blends and nanocomposites are realized in partnerships with The Canadian Space Agency, ArianeGroup, Hutchinson Aerospace and Industry, NanoXplore, Dyze Design and MEKANIC. The requested extruder will be a unique instrument for academic institutions in the Montreal area - no academic institution in Quebec has the required equipment to process high temperature engineering thermoplastics. Since the equipment will be part of the CREPEC infrastructure, it will be available for use by all 78 professors, supervising more than 400 graduate students, from the 8 university institutions (Polytechnique, McGill, Concordia, ETS, ULaval, Sherbrooke, UQTR and UQAC) comprising this strategic cluster.