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

（技术）聚合物纳米复合材料是一些高科技部门感兴趣的。虽然应用是多种多样的，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）的研究人员已经成功地利用纳米技术，并能够在NSF-CREST、-IEGRT、PREM、EPSCoR、ARO、AFRL和ONR的支持下生产新型结构复合材料。迄今为止所做的大部分工作是在室温下静态条件下单轴载荷下材料的表征。T-CAM的现有设施不足以进行多轴载荷条件下的测试。目前还没有关于纳米复合材料在扭转-轴向复合载荷条件下以及暴露于不同环境条件下的特性的数据。这些数据对设计人员设计结构部件和开发准确的寿命预测模型非常有用。因此，该提案的主要目的是获得一个新的双轴材料测试系统（MTS），该系统带有一个环境室，以增强当前的研究能力，并促进纳米复合材料领域正在进行的研究活动的执行。该系统的获得将使大量的非裔美国学生受益，从本科到博士水平的科学和工程学科。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，在这项研究中，纳米材料的尺寸至少是人类头发大小的千分之一，通过国家科学基金会、联邦实验室和工业界的资助，这些纳米材料被用来增强纤维增强复合材料的性能。这些材料用于飞机、火箭、汽车和网球拍时，使它们更坚固，同时更轻。然而，在这些应用中使用它们之前，它们需要在不同的载荷条件下进行测试，例如组合扭曲，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。大量的非裔美国学生从本科到博士水平的科学和工程目前参与纳米技术研究在T-CAM。获得这一设施将使这些学生在新兴的纳米技术领域获得实践经验，从而为国家创造急需的高技能和技术能力的技术劳动力。

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.