Duration of the project
05.04.2011. - 15.10.2011.
Countries and institutions involved in the project
Description of the project
The project „Complex investigations of structure and exploitation properties of nanostructured polymer composites” was carried out from 05.04.2011.-15.10.2011, during this time period two RTU students, Madara Bārtule (from 02.07.-19.08.2011) and Santa Strode (from 15.08.-30.09.2011) did fieldwork in the Institute of Technology of Materials of the University of Kassel, Germany (KU MPRTI).
The aim of the project was to carry out joint research on the development of nanostructured composites as well as to improve professional and practical skills of perspective young scientists under the guidance of qualified specialists by studying novel methods of investigations of structure and exploitation properties of materials. The target group of the project was bachelor and master program students of Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry of RTU.
In the framework of the project various polymer nanocomposites were produced and their structure and exploitation properties were investigated by using the latest material testing equipment available in the Institute of Polymer Materials of Riga Technical University (RTU PMI). Extended investigations of the aforementioned polymer nanocomposites were made in KU MPRTI.
Bachelor and master program students of the Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry of RTU acquired skills in working with most advanced equipment for investigation of structure and exploitation properties of materials: scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, confocal microscope, dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer, instrumented universal micro-hardness tester and instrumented drop weight impact tester.
During the project useful literature about polymer nanocomposites was obtained using data bases of KU MPRTI library. In addition new contacts were made as well as the existing ones were strengthen with the KU MPRTI personnel.
The results obtained in the joint research were summarized, analyzed and reported in various international scientific conferences in Estonia (Baltic Polymer Symposium 2011, from 21.09.-24.09.2011, Parnu, Estonia), Poland (Recycling Problems 2011, from 5.10.-8.10.2011, Jozefow near Otwocka, Poland) and Latvia (RTU 52th International Scientific Conference, from 13.10.-15.10.2011, Riga, Latvia).