GOALI/FSI/Postdoctoral Industrial Fellowship: Damage Evolution During Manufacturing of Advanced Materials -- Experiments and Modelling

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9510572 Lewandowski In this GOALI project, one postdoctoral researcher works at the site of an industrial partner to collaborate on fundamental research related to advanced materials processing. The composite material chosen for this study is discontinuously reinforced aluminum alloy. The processing step for focus is secondary operations and the damage accrued as a result of particle size and distribution, matrix microstructure and the stress state. In order to assess a sufficiently broad range of processing conditions and reinforcement sizes, discontinuously reinforced aluminum (DRA) with average particle sizes of 5um, 15um and 50um will be produced and extruded to extrusion ratios of 1:2 - 1:20 to study the effects of particle size and processing parameters on the evolution of damage during manufacturing of a component as well as to relate these to the final properties of the component. The level of microstructural damage will be evaluated through measurements of elastic modulus and poisson ratio evolution, as well as by quantitative evaluation of cracked particles and other damage on polished sections. In parallel with the experimental program where work is carried out at the industrial site, a simple model using Monte Carlo simulation approach will be developed at the university to predict the probability of significantly large defects arising in the final components via coalescence of the micro damage. This study will be essential in understanding of the evolution of microstructures and property changes which accompany various processing conditions and thereby aid in the manufacturing of reliable DRA components. Advanced composites using continuous fiber reinforced materials are currently used in niche applications such as military aircrafts and sporting goods. While continuous fibers mandate specialized processing, discontinuous fibers offers the opportunity to fit into conventional processing with minimum capital implications. Successful completion of this research has the po tential to expand the composite use into automotive and other high volume applications. Further, by supporting a researcher from academe to live and breathe in the industry setting, a greater collaboration between research and practice may be realized.