Composite Materials Research Initiatives

The current CMR program funded at a level of $1.2 million per year, focuses on innovative multifunctional lightweight hybrid composite materials that offer the potential for revolutionary improvements in material properties via tailoring the microstructures of the constituent materials at the nano-, micro-, and meso-scales.

Predictive models that bridge microstructural length scales are being developed and transitioned to enhance existing models and design tools for the optimization of integrated structures.

Current research projects

• Fabrication and Testing of Lightweight Catalytic Micropower Generators
• Conductive High Performance Polymers/ Nanofiber Reinforcement of Transparent Materials
• Nano- and Micro-scopic Structure and Response Using Microrheology
• Organic Photovoltaic Devices
• Templated Self-Assembly for Healing of Fiber Damage in Composite Materials
• Micro-Scale Optical Device Development
• Tailored Interphase Adhesion, Structure, and Size for Controlled Energy Absorption - Texturing
• Hysteresis Heating Based Induction Bonding of Composite Materials
• Photonic Bandgap Materials for IR Applications
• Creeping Flow Behavior of Dense Granular Materials Under High Confinement Pressure
• Liquid Armor: (Nanocomposites for Ballistic Threat Protection)
• Liquid Crystals as Smart Solvents for Nano-Technology and Self-Assembly of Multi-Functional Nano-Materials
• Composites Standardization

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