RII Track-4: NSF: Self-healing Modular Panels for Space and Lunar Missions

NASA 通过阿耳忒弥斯计划，将于 2024 年将宇航员送回月球。作为该计划的一部分，计划在 2033 年建立永久性月球大本营和人类栖息地。对宇航员安全的一个重要担忧是航天器和月球栖息地受到微流星体和轨道碎片 (MMOD) 影响的可能性，这可能导致灾难性破坏和/或人员伤亡。 NSF Track-4 项目的目标是开发一种坚固的轻质自愈模块化面板系统，可以充当月球栖息地和车辆免受 MMOD 影响的屏障。这项工作将与美国宇航局马歇尔太空飞行中心的结构动力学和集成部门合作进行。 PI 和一名研究生将利用 NASA 的专业知识和设施来设计、制造和测试原型自愈模块化面板系统。 PI 将涉及来自当地 HBCU 的代表性不足的学生。该项目将与新奥尔良社区帆船运动 (CSNO) 合作开展新的外展工作，该组织为新奥尔良都会区的中低收入和少数族裔社区提供服务。 RII Track-4 奖学金将使 PI 能够建立长期合作和新的专业知识，从而增强杜兰大学的研究和教学能力。这个 NSF EPSCoR RII Track-4 研究人员项目支持开发一种坚固的轻质自愈模块化面板系统，该系统可以充当月球栖息地和车辆免受 MMOD 影响的屏障。所提出的自愈系统受到动物自然伤口愈合机制的生物启发，由聚丙烯/碳纳米管（PP/CNT）复合材料组成，可以“出血”并密封 MMOD 撞击形成的裂缝。为了成功设计和制造这样的自修复系统，需要更好地了解 PP/CNT 复合材料的热性能和流动行为。具体来说，该项目旨在测量 PP/CNT 复合材料的热导率与 CNT 负载量的函数关系，测量 PP/CNT 复合材料熔体的流动行为与 CNT 负载量的函数关系，并设计、制造和测试自修复面板原型。从技术角度来看，所提出的自愈概念有可能应用于太空应用以外的技术。例如，自愈概念可以应用于锂离子电池包装的一部分，以防止热失控反应。 PI 和他的学生将参观作为主办机构的 NASA 马歇尔太空飞行中心，探索新的研究方向并获得新的技能，这将为他们的职业生涯带来变革性的影响。如果没有 NASA 相关合作者提供的独特专业知识和主办地点的可用资源（包括模拟太空和月球环境的真空室），该项目就无法完成。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

NASA, through the Artemis program, will return astronauts to the Moon by 2024. As part of the program, a permanent lunar base camp and human habitats is planned for 2033. An important concern for the safety of the astronauts is the probability that spacecrafts and lunar habitats are impacted by micro-meteoroids and orbital debris (MMOD), which can result in catastrophic damage and/or loss of life. The goal of this NSF Track-4 project is to develop a tough lightweight self-healing modular panel system that can act as a shield against MMOD impacts for lunar habitats and vehicles. This work will be performed in collaboration with the Structural Dynamics and Integration Branch at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The PI and a graduate student will leverage the expertise and facilities at NASA to design, fabricate, and test a prototype self-healing modular panel system. The PI will involve underrepresented students from a local HBCU. This project will establish a new outreach effort in partnership with Community Sailing New Orleans (CSNO), which serves low and moderate income and minority communities within the metro New Orleans area. The RII Track-4 fellowship will enable the PI to establish long-term collaborations and new expertise that will enhance the research and teaching capacity at Tulane University.This NSF EPSCoR RII Track-4 Research Fellows project supports the development of a tough lightweight self-healing modular panel system that can act as a shield against MMOD impacts for lunar habitats and vehicles. The proposed self-healing system is bio-inspired from the natural wound healing mechanism of animals and consists of a polypropylene/carbon nanotube (PP/CNT) composite that “bleeds” and seals cracks formed from MMOD impacts. To successfully design and fabricate such a self-healing system, a better understanding of the thermal properties and flow behavior of PP/CNT composite are required. Specifically, the project seeks to measure the thermal conductivity of PP/CNT composite as a function of CNT loading, measure the flow behavior of PP/CNT composite melts as a function of CNT loading, and design, fabricate, and test a self-healing panel prototype. From the technological perspective, the proposed self-healing concept can potentially be applied to technologies beyond space applications. For example, the self-healing concept can be applied as a part of the packaging for Li-ion batteries that prevent thermal runaway reactions. The PI and his student will visit NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, which will serve as the host institution, to explore a new research direction and gain new skill sets that will provide a transformative impact on their careers. This project cannot be accomplished without the unique expertise provided by the associated NASA collaborator and the resources available at the host site, including vacuum chambers that simulate space and lunar environments.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.