| Overview: Interfaces between polymers and hard surfaces, such as ceramics and metal oxides, dominate many properties of composite materials and coatings. The proposed research would build a fundamental understanding of how chemical bonding between these dissimilar materials at the atomic level determines macroscopic properties such as structure, adhesion, friction, stiffness, fracture toughness, and chemical stability. This will require linking a variety of calculational techniques designed for different materials and different length scales. |