Nanomechanics of Aerogels

The goal of this project is to study and analyze the nanomechanics of aerogels that are doped with materials like Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) and Graphene. Aerogels provide the framework for nanomaterials to exist in a three dimensional space. Doped Aerogels can potentially be used in applications like enhanced thermal insulation and effective light trapping due to its multi-functionality and superior mechanical properties. These hybrid aerogels are cheaper and easier to fabricate than pure carbon aerogels, which are known to exhibit catalytic properties. By analyzing the physical quantities in the aerogels such as molecular dynamics and mass, thermal fluctuations, electrical conductivity, we can explore new areas of material science with carbon nanotechnology