Material Property Sensors via MRI Elastography

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The goal of this research project is to synthesize and implement combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mechanical methods that afford quantitative spatially-resolved images of material mechanical properties, with subsequent application of the methods towards the industrial sensing. The initial phases of the research will be devoted mainly to ex-situ static elastography MRI schemes that map Young's modulus in heterogeneous materials external to an applied magnetic field. The study will then move towards the development of two sensors: a macroscopic unit and a microscopic unit. While similar principles are involved in both sensors, the size and scale of the sensing units will be emphasized, with the former aimed at inch length-scales and the latter emphasizing micron length-scales. These efforts will be coordinated with the development of computer algorithms crafted to take material displacement measurements as inputs and yield spatial maps of Young's modulus as outputs. The final phase of the work will be devoted to producing microelastograms and macroelastograms of samples determined by collaboration with industry, as well as samples that might demonstrate new scientific value.