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In our approach we are producing a polymer composite material with ZnO core spike particles as concave fillers. The
core spike particles are synthesized by a high throughput method. Using PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) as a matrix
material the core spike particles achieve not only a high mechanical reinforcement but also influence other material
properties in a very interesting way, making such a composite very interesting for a wide range of applications.
In a very similar synthesis route a nanoscopic ZnO-network is produced. As a ceramic this network can withstand high
temperatures like 1300 K. In addition this material is quite elastic. To find a material with these two properties is a really
difficult task, as polymers tend to decompose already at lower temperatures and metals melt. Especially under ambient
conditions, often oxygen creates a problem for metals at these temperatures. If this material is at the same time a
semiconductor, it has a high potential as a multifunctional material. Ceramic or classical semiconductors like III-V or IIVI
type are high temperature stable, but typically brittle. This is different on the nanoscale. Even semiconductor wires
like silicon with a very small diameter do not easily built up enough stress that leads to a failure while being bent,
because in a first order approximation the maximum stress of a fiber scales with its diameter.
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