Staudinger imagined the ultimate structure of a perfect polymer continuous crystal in 19321. Since then, many have attempted to achieve such perfection in the form of fibers, the goal of which is to reach very high levels of axial mechanical strength, stiffness, and toughness. Ned Thomas worked in his early decades on both polyethylene and �rigid rod� polymers, and many of his publications explored both structure and properties of these high performance materials. He touched briefly on carbon fibers as well, but he has not yet jumped into the newer world of pure carbon nanotube fibers. Perhaps his new academic home in a warmer climate will enable his attention to return again to the newest and maybe ultimate high performance polymer � the single wall carbon nanotube. This presentation, in honor of Ned's prodigious productivity in the field of high performance polymers, will survey his and the authors' research in the field, ending with recent work that has shown continuing hope of approaching Staudinger's model for both morphology and performance2.    1.     Staudinger, H. Die Hochmolekularen Organischen Verbindungen. Berlin: Springer, 1932. 2.     Chae, H. G.; Kumar, S. Science 2008 , 319, 908.

Are we approaching the Staudinger continuous crystal limit? 34 years of research with Ned Thomas in polymer fiber deformation and morphology: From polyethylene to polyparaphenylene benzobisoxazole to carbon fibers and single wall carbon nanotubes

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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