Education This grant currently supports a graduate student (Yan Zhang) pursuing her Ph. D. degree.

1. Mechanical Properties of High Cis-1,4-Polybutadiene (PBD) Improved with Octadecylamine-Modified Graphene Oxide James E. Mark, University of Cincinnati Main Campus, DMR 0803454 Natural rubber and synthetic elastomers based on cis-1,4-polybutadienes (PBD) are produced on a million tons per year scale for many practical applications. They are typically in the form of composites charged with inorganic fillers such as carbon black and/or silica. They have been used for tires, soles, gaskets, seals, rubber bands and belts. PBD rubber often possess weak mechanical properties and must be reinforced with fillers. The reinforcement of such elastomers enhances their properties, such as their tear strength, tensile strength, hardness, and abrasion resistance. Sheets of graphene or graphene oxide are of interest because of their exceptional thermal conductivity, mechanical stiffness and electrical properties. Modified graphene oxide (MGO) via treatment of GO with octadecylamine, was used to improve the mechanical properties of PBD through the formation of MGO/PBD nanocomposites. The toughness and elongation at break of PBD were found to be improved greatly. As the filler content was increased, toughness and the elongation at break increased as well. Optimizing these improvements are underway.

2. Mechanical Properties of High Cis-1,4-Polybutadiene (PBD) Improved with Octadecylamine-Modified Graphene OxideJames E. Mark, University of Cincinnati Main Campus, DMR 0803454 Work continues on the following three books relevant to the NSF program: “Structures and Properties of Rubberlike Networks", 2nd Edition, B. Erman, J. E. Mark, and C. Cohen, Oxford University Press, New York. “Science and Technology of Rubber”,4th Ed., ed. by J. E. Mark, B. Erman, F. R. Eirich, and C. M. Roland, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2012. "The Polysiloxanes. Fundamentals, Contemporary Issues, and Future Directions”, J. E. Mark and G. Lin, Oxford University Press, New York. Education This grant currently supports a graduate student (Yan Zhang) pursuing her Ph. D. degree. Outreach Presentations have been given at several national and international conferences.