Manufacturing USA: Microwave Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) with Metamaterial Lens for High Resolution Characterization of Multimaterial Interfaces in Composites

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Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are used in manufacturing of automotive, aircraft, bridges and civil infrastructures, since they offer excellent strength-to-weight ratios that allow for weight reduction without sacrificing performance. One of the limitations for wide acceptance of FRPs in mass-produced vehicles and structures is joining technology for dissimilar materials, specifically adhesive bonding of FRPs to metals. This award supports fundamental research needed for developing an non-destructive evaluation (NDE) system that will detect manufacturing defects in FRPs such as disbonds, delaminations, resin rich areas, fiber waviness, etc. that need to be captured early to ensure safety and reliability of resulting structures. While the immediate impact area of this award is in NDE imaging for manufacturing innovation, the research has broader applications and impacts to many industry sectors critical to the U.S. economy including biomedical, energy, aerospace, automotive and civil infrastructure. This research crosses the disciplines of manufacturing, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science and imaging science. It is focused on basic research that impacts the aerospace, automotive, medical products, defense and civil infrastracutre sectors, and therefore directly impacts economic welfare and national security. The multi-disciplinary approach will help broaden participation of underrepresented groups in research and positively impact engineering education. The PIs are active participants in MSU's existing ENSURE program (Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Experience) and NSF funded HSHS program (High School Honors Science), which are both excellent avenues to recruit a diverse set of students from underrepresented and minority groups to engage in this project.The main objective of this project is to develop a novel, hybrid electromagnetic imaging system (HEMIS) that combines microwave NDE measurements, time reversal data-processing and a specially designed metamaterial lens that will allow focusing of energy at selected locations such as the bond lines in multimaterial composite joints. The major research contributions of the project include: 1) design of a novel antenna with appropriate bandwidth, 2) design and fabrication of a metamaterial lens with desired material properties such as negative refractive index and 3) development of time-reversal processing algorithms for interpreting measurement data in terms of bond integrity. An integrated experimental and simulation-based study will be conducted to get a better understanding of the phenomenological aspects of these sensor systems and their interaction with the interfaces. Such an approach will allow exploitation of these sensor systems for a wide range of applications. Successful completion of the project goals will result in an NDE system that will allow rapid inspection of large components, thereby increasing efficiency and reliability of advanced composites manufacturing.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.