Development of a Method for Selecting Components for Nanocomposite Membranes and Its Application in Civil Engineering and Protection

PROJECT COST:

600 000 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

240 000 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

Polymer membranes have gradually replaced certain traditional materials in the fields of civil engineering and protection. Depending on the application, they serve functions such as moisture management, containment of chemical contaminants, mechanical strength, and thermal and acoustic insulation, for example. The use of nanocomposites is an avenue worth exploring to enhance their mechanical, thermal and barrier properties, and to enable them to meet new challenges related, among other things, to growing health and environmental concerns, the shift toward sustainable manufacturing, the impact of climate change, increasingly severe environmental and industrial operating conditions, and a desire for better protection against chemical and biological weapons. However, one of the challenges lies in achieving optimal distribution, dispersion, and adhesion of nanoparticles within the polymer matrix. As an alternative to traditional trial-and-error or numerical optimization strategies, this project aims to develop a method for selecting the components of nanocomposite blends based on considerations of physical and chemical compatibility and to apply it to the development of high-performance membranes for civil engineering and protection.