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

美国宇航局将通过阿尔忒弥斯计划，在2024年之前将宇航员送回月球。作为该计划的一部分，计划在2033年建立一个永久的月球大本营和人类栖息地。对宇航员安全的一个重要关切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，这可能导致灾难性的破坏和/或生命损失。NSF Track-4项目的目标是开发一种坚固的轻型自修复模块化面板系统，该系统可以作为月球栖息地和车辆抵御MMOD影响的屏障。这项工作将与美国宇航局马歇尔航天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的专业知识和设备来设计、制造和测试一个自我修复模块化面板系统的原型。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协会（CSNO）合作开展新的推广工作，该协会服务于新奥尔良市区内的中低收入和少数族裔社区。RII Track-4奖学金将使PI能够建立长期合作和新的专业知识，从而提高杜兰大学的研究和教学能力。这个NSF EPSCoR RII Track-4研究员项目支持一种坚固的轻型自修复模块化面板系统的开发，该系统可以作为月球栖息地和车辆抵御MMOD影响的屏障。提出的自修复系统是受动物自然伤口愈合机制的启发，由聚丙烯/碳纳米管（PP/CNT）复合材料组成，可以“出血”并密封由MMOD撞击形成的裂缝。为了成功地设计和制造这种自修复系统，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复合材料的导热性作为碳纳米管载荷的函数，测量PP/CNT复合材料熔体的流动行为作为碳纳米管载荷的函数，并设计、制造和测试一个自修复面板原型。从技术角度看，拟议的自我修复概念有可能应用于空间应用以外的技术。例如，自我修复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和他的学生将访问NASA马歇尔太空飞行中心，该中心将作为主办机构，探索新的研究方向，获得新的技能，这将对他们的职业生涯产生变革性的影响。如果没有美国宇航局相关合作伙伴提供的独特专业知识和东道国现有的资源，包括模拟空间和月球环境的真空室，这个项目就无法完成。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识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.