Space processing of biopolymer/metal composites for NLO applications

Debra J. Trantolo; Marc G. Mogul; Donald L. Wise; Gary E. Wnek; Donald O. Frazier; Joseph D. Gresser

doi:10.1117/12.244319

12 July 1996 Space processing of biopolymer/metal composites for NLO applications

Debra J. Trantolo, Marc G. Mogul, Donald L. Wise, Gary E. Wnek, Donald O. Frazier, Joseph D. Gresser

Proceedings Volume 2809, Space Processing of Materials; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.244319
Event: SPIE's 1996 International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1996, Denver, CO, United States

Abstract

Crystals grown in space have been shown to be of higher quality than 'earth-grown' crystals because defect-free specimens are obtained in the absence of gravity-fueled convection. Defect-free organic crystals are of particular interest because they can exhibit high optical nonlinearities. However, as these are molecular crystals, they tend to be brittle and cannot be easily fabricated into thin films or fibers as can polymer analogs. Polymers having a controlled supramolecular structure and morphology are even more promising candidates as nonlinear optical materials (NLOM). We have previously demonstrated the rationale for orienting biopolymers, materials with known supramolecular structure, in an electric field under microgravity conditions in order to optimize the nonlinearity of the biopolymer. Now focusing on the feasibility of improving upon the NLO activity of the biopolymer system by using a metal dopant, we report on the morphological characterization of electric field aligned polymer/silver colloid composites. By analogy to the microgravity processing of metal/ceramic alloys (known as 'cermets'), the resulting 'polymet' should benefit from homogeneous orientation of the minor metal phase within the polymer phase and further contribute to the potential of polymeric NLOM.

Citation Download Citation

Debra J. Trantolo, Marc G. Mogul, Donald L. Wise, Gary E. Wnek, Donald O. Frazier, and Joseph D. Gresser "Space processing of biopolymer/metal composites for NLO applications", Proc. SPIE 2809, Space Processing of Materials, (12 July 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.244319

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