Expert Lecture Spotlight | Prof. Nancy Sottos
Control of Reaction Fronts for Rapid, Energy-Efficient Manufacturing of Composites
Imagine fabricating high-performance composites in minutes—not hours—using near-zero energy. In this groundbreaking lecture, Prof. Nancy Sottos introduces a revolutionary manufacturing approach based on frontal polymerization—a self-propagating reaction wave that radically redefines composite production.
What is Frontal Polymerization?
A self-sustaining, exothermic reaction front travels through the material, rapidly curing thermosets like polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD), requiring only minimal external energy to initiate.
Key Highlights Include:
- Frontal Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (FROMP) of endo-DCPD using a ruthenium catalyst
- Cure times of <5 minutes for carbon fiber composites
- Energy consumption of just 50 J for a 30×30 cm panel—vs. ~500 MJ using traditional autoclave methods
- Tunable resin rheology—from low-viscosity liquid to printable gels
- Simultaneous 3D printing and curing of thermoset polymers, enabling complex, freeform architectures
Inspired by Alan Turing’s reaction-diffusion theory, this method enables emergent pattern formation, in-situ vascular networks, and novel control over material topology and functionality.
This lecture presents frontal polymerization as a transformative platform for sustainable, rapid, and cost-effective composite manufacturing—with potential applications in aerospace, automotive, energy, and additive manufacturing.
Watch the full talk now on the cdmHUB YouTube channel as part of the Global Composites Expert Webinar Series.