Polymer composites are one of the most attractive near-term means to exploit the unique properties of carbon nanotubes and graphene. This is particularly true for composites aimed at electronics and photonics, where a number of promising applications have already been demonstrated. One such example is nanotube-based saturable absorbers. These can be used as all-optical switches, optical amplifier noise suppressors, or mode-lockers to generate ultrashort laser pulses. Here, we review various aspects of fabrication, characterization, device implementation and operation of nanotube-polymer composites to be used in photonic applications. We also summarize recent results on graphene-based saturable absorbers for ultrafast lasers.

Nanotube–Polymer Composites for Ultrafast Photonics

This paper provides a detailed overview of developments in transducer materials technology relating to their current and future applications in micro-scale devices. Recent advances in piezoelectric, magnetostrictive and shape-memory alloy systems are discussed and emerging transducer materials such as magnetic nanoparticles, expandable micro-spheres and conductive polymers are introduced. Materials properties, transducer mechanisms and end applications are described and the potential for integration of the materials with ancillary systems components is viewed as an essential consideration. The review concludes with a short discussion of structural polymers that are extending the range of micro-fabrication techniques available to designers and production engineers beyond the limitations of silicon fabrication technology.

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New materials for micro-scale sensors and actuators An engineering review

Thermal polydimethylsiloxane degradation. Part 2. The degradation mechanisms

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00378323/document

Flame retardancy of silicone-based materials

To investigate the failure of the poly(dimethylsiloxane) polymer (PDMS) at high temperatures and pressures and in the presence of various additives, we have expanded the ReaxFF reactive force field to describe carbon−silicon systems. From molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using ReaxFF we find initial thermal decomposition products of PDMS to be CH_3 radical and the associated polymer radical, indicating that decomposition and subsequent cross-linking of the polymer is initiated by Si−C bond cleavage, in agreement with experimental observations. Secondary reactions involving these CH_3 radicals lead primarily to formation of methane. We studied temperature and pressure dependence of PDMS decomposition by following the rate of production of methane in the ReaxFF MD simulations. We tracked the temperature dependency of the methane production to extract Arrhenius parameters for the failure modes of PDMS. Furthermore, we found that at increased pressures the rate of PDMS decomposition drops considerably, leading to the formation of fewer CH_3 radicals and methane molecules. Finally, we studied the influence of various additives on PDMS stability. We found that the addition of water or a SiO_2 slab has no direct effect on the short-term stability of PDMS, but addition of reactive species such as ozone leads to significantly lower PDMS decomposition temperature. The addition of nitrogen monoxide does not significantly alter the degradation temperature but does retard the initial production of methane and C_2 hydrocarbons until the nitrogen monoxide is depleted. These results, and their good agreement with available experimental data, demonstrate that ReaxFF provides a useful computational tool for studying the chemical stability of polymers.

Simulations on the thermal decomposition of a poly(dimethylsiloxane) polymer using the ReaxFF reactive force field.

Polydimethylsiloxane thermal degradation Part 1. Kinetic aspects

Thermal Degradation of Various Types of Polylactides Research. The Effect of Reduced Graphite Oxide on the Composition of the PLA4042D Pyrolysis Products

Sm Lomakin

Papers

Polydimethylsiloxane thermal degradation Part 1. Kinetic aspects

Thermal Degradation of Various Types of Polylactides Research. The Effect of Reduced Graphite Oxide on the Composition of the PLA4042D Pyrolysis Products

Polymer Composites Based on Polylactide and Reduced Graphene Oxide

Influence of the Method of Obtaining Filled Polymer Nanocomposites of Polylactide Reduced Graphene Oxide on Their Properties and Structure

The effect of pyrolysis temperature on the volatile products composition of polylactide thermal degradation