MRI: Acquisition of a Material Testing System for Research and Educational Training in Static and Dynamic Characterization of Advanced Structural Nanocomposites

摘要(技术)聚合物纳米复合材料是几个高科技领域的研究热点。虽然应用是多样的，但由纳米复合材料组成的结构所承受的载荷范围是相当复杂的。塔斯基吉大学先进材料中心(T-CAM)的研究人员成功地利用了纳米技术，并通过NSF-CREST、-IEGRT、PREM、EPSCoR、ARO、AFRL和ONR的支持，能够制造出新型结构复合材料。到目前为止，所做的大部分工作是在静态条件下在室温下的单轴载荷下对材料进行表征。T-CAM现有的设备不足以在多轴加载条件下进行测试。目前还没有关于纳米复合材料在扭转-轴向联合加载条件下以及暴露在不同环境条件下的特征的数据。这些数据将对设计者设计结构部件和开发准确的寿命预测模型非常有用。因此，这项提议的主要目的是获得一种新的具有环境室的双轴材料测试系统(MTS)，以增强目前的研究能力，并促进正在进行的纳米复合材料领域的研究活动。该系统的获得将使大量非裔美国学生从科学和工程学科的本科生到博士生受益。摘要(非技术)塔斯基吉大学先进材料中心(T-CAM)正在进行一项涉及纳米技术的研究，通过国家科学基金会、联邦实验室和工业界的资助，利用至少一维尺寸约为人类头发大小的纳米材料来增强纤维增强复合材料的性能。当这些材料用于飞机、火箭、汽车和网球拍时，它们会变得更坚固，同时也更轻。然而，在这些应用中可以放心地使用它们之前，它们需要在不同的加载条件下进行测试，如组合扭转、弯曲或拉伸。此外，这类测试需要在非常低到很高的温度下进行。通过这项提议，我们正在寻求购买一种新的最先进的材料测试系统，以促进这些测试。大量非裔美国学生，从科学和工程专业的本科生到博士生，目前在T-CAM从事纳米技术研究。收购这一设施将使这些学生能够在新兴的纳米技术领域获得实践经验，从而为这个拥有高技能和技术能力的国家培养出急需的技术劳动力。

Abstract (Technical)Polymeric nanocomposites are of interest to several high technology sectors. While the applications are diverse, the range of loadings that a structure made up of nanocomposites will be subjected to is quite complex. Researchers at Tuskegee University's Center for Advanced Materials (T-CAM) have successfully utilized nanotechnology and are able to produce new types of structural composites through the support from NSF-CREST, -IEGRT, PREM, EPSCoR, ARO, AFRL, and ONR. Most of the work done to date is in the characterization of materials under uni-axial loading at room temperature under static conditions. The existing facilities at T-CAM are inadequate to carry out testing under multi-axial loading conditions. No data is currently available on the characterization of nanocomposite materials under combined torsion-axial loading conditions and also when exposed to different environmental conditions. Such data will be extremely useful to the designers in designing structural components and also in developing accurate life prediction models. The thrust of this proposal is, therefore, primarily directed towards acquiring a new biaxial material testing system (MTS) with an environmental chamber to enhance the current research capability and facilitate the execution of on-going research activities in the area of nanocomposites. Acquisition of the system will benefit a large number of African American students from undergraduate to Ph.D. level in science and engineering disciplines. Abstract (Non-Technical)The Center for Advanced Materials (T-CAM) at Tuskegee University is conducting research involving nanotechnology in which nanomaterials which have at least one dimension of the order of thousandth of a human hair size are utilized to enhance the properties of fiber reinforced composite materials through grants founded by National Science Foundation, Federal Labs and industry. These materials when used in airplanes, rockets, cars, and tennis racquets make them stronger at the same time much lighter. However, before they can be utilized with confidence in these applications, they need to be tested under different loading conditions like combined twisting, bending or stretching. Further, these kinds of tests needs to carried out at very low to high temperatures. Through this proposal, we are seeking to purchase a new state of the art material test system that would facilitate these tests. A large number of African-American students from undergraduate to Ph. D level in science and engineering are currently involved with nanotechnology research at T-CAM. Acquisition of this facility will enable these students to have a hand-on experience in the emerging areas of nanotechnology, thereby creating much needed technical work force for the nation that is highly skilled and technically competent.