PhD Thesis Defense - Adarsh Suresh

Light and Strong? Creating lightweight 3D Carbon Architectures with Multiscale Porosity and Tunable Mechanical Properties

The strength of a material originates from properties that span multiple length scales, from the macroscale down to the atomic level. At the nanoscale, the bond strength of individual atoms establishes the theoretical limit of a material's strength. Beyond intrinsic bond strength, material density largely governs strength: low-density materials, such as foams, exhibit weakness, while high-density materials, like metals, are typically strong. Consequently, accessing materials that are both light and strong is a grand challenge in materials science, as these are frequently mutually exclusive properties. Remarkably, materials in nature—such as bone, wood, and enamel—defy this trade-off through hierarchical architecture that spans multiple orders of magnitude in length scale. Inspired by these natural systems, my research explores the design principles for creating synthetic 3D porous carbon structures that can challenge such enduring trade-offs. In this talk, I will discuss synthetic strategies for the macroscale fabrication of 3D porous carbon architectures with complex geometry, tunable density, and outstanding mechanical properties, offering transformative potential for various industries, including construction, packaging, and transportation, all of which are concerned with weight reduction and simultaneous mechanical enhancement.

Zoom Link: https://uchicago.zoom.us/j/95135799291?pwd=fE6OQgqpiipqiHWjwXsfm4KBWjCOYa.1