Digital Commons Network^™

Elevating The Underrepresented And Marginalized Using Experiences In Stem (Lumens): A Stem Diversity And Inclusion Initiative, Robert Cobb Jr, Paula E. Faulkner, Deiadra Modlin, Obinna Chiekezi, Victoria Cobbold, Madison Beaudoin

Journal of Research Initiatives

The study offered a 5-week summer immersion program to address the shortage of students from underrepresented populations enrolling in degree programs and seeking careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The study also addressed the importance of offering summer immersion programs to close the achievement gap. A quantitative descriptive design was used to gather data from participants related to STEM lessons during the program. Gender, grade level, and race served as the demographic variables. The study included 21 secondary students in grades 9–12. Pre- and post-tests assessed participants' knowledge gain regarding STEM lessons. Data analyzed with SPSS version 29 …

Understanding Human Arm Stiffness Modulation In Overground Phri: The Roles Of Kinematics, Perturbation, And Trunk Sway, Mohsen Mohammadi Beirami, Sambad Regmi, Devin Michael Burns, Yun Seong Song

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study examines human arm kinematics during overground physical human-robot interaction (pHRI). Previous work showed humans adjust arm stiffness with changing trajectory uncertainty, but the roles of arm kinematics and muscle activation remained unclear. Building on a preliminary study, we analyzed arm movements with more participants (10 individuals) to achieve more reliable findings and examined two potential influences that arose in the preliminary study: the robot's perturbation effect (a brief hand push) and left-to-right trunk sway. Using a linear mixed-effects model, we evaluated the effects of participant, block, and trajectory condition on arm angles. Results showed minimal kinematic contribution to …

Bridging 2d And 3d Computational Modeling Of Vacuum Arc Remelting: Capturing Rotating Arc Dynamics In Axisymmetric Simulations, Zilong Zhang, Elaheh Dorari, Ramesh Minisandram, Shakarjee Krishnamoorthi, Lang Yuan

Faculty Publications

Computational modeling of the Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) process has been developed to provide a deeper physical and metallurgical understanding and assist in the manufacture of defect-free ingots. While fully 3D, time-resolved arc models capture arc–melt interactions with high fidelity, their high computational cost makes 2D steady arc models still the preferred option in industrial applications. In this study, a multi-physics VAR model, which accounts for magnetohydrodynamics, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and melting/solidification, was established in ANSYS Fluent for Alloy 718 in 3D with a rotating arc. It was validated against measured melt pool morphology. A new 2D axisymmetric oscillating …

Informing Consumer Product Sound Quality Analysis Using Generative Adversarial Networks, Daniel Jeffery Lesko, Vinh Nguyen

Michigan Tech Publications

Sound quality attributes have been proven important predictors of customer satisfaction with consumer goods and appliances. The results of several studies indicate that level-based, tonal, and temporal aspects of sound influence the perceived quality of consumer products. The current state-of-the-art of inferring consumer satisfaction with sound attributes is based on the jury test methodology. However, product engineers often find the models generated from these studies incomplete, resulting in products that fail to meet consumer expectations. Therefore, this study aims to utilize generative data-driven approaches to create a range of acceptable sound quality attributes given consumer satisfaction requirements. A baseline sound …

Balancing Carbon Emissions In Façade Of Residential Buildings Through Bim-Lca: A Comparative Analysis Of Insulation Materials, Mehran Alipour

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Thermal insulation materials play a significant role in balancing buildings' total carbon emissions. Balancing involves applying the optimized amount of insulation materials to avoid excessive emissions in either the operational or embodied phases. Due to the wide range of insulation materials and variations of their specifications, it is vital to analyse them individually. The focus of this study is to optimize the amount of insulation materials in the facades of Residential Buildings (RB) to balance the amount of Operational Carbon Emissions (OCE) and Embodied Carbon Emissions (ECE) by applying the Building Information Modelling-Life Cycle Assessment (BIM-LCA) integration method. The Life …

A Pathfinder Lunar Construction Mission Concept Using Regolith Filled Bags, Cameron S. Dickinson, Fu Nan Shi, Ketan Vasudeva, Rudranarayan M. Mukherjee, Joshua Blanchard, Steve Dubrule, Paul Van Susante, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Two challenges that have a permanent presence on the Moon are solar and cosmic radiation, as well as the large surface temperature variation between lunar day and night. To address these problems, we propose a lunar pathfinder mission concept that uses robotic systems to investigate whether regolith-filled bags can be used as a versatile construction medium for lunar surface structures and sensors to obtain data on the lunar regolith. The primary objectives of this mission are as follows: evaluation of the surface and subsurface regolith as fill material, lunar excavation using a robotic manipulator equipped with a bucket scoop, bag …

Integrating Sustainable Material Procurement In Construction Waste Management: A Systematic Review With Narrative Synthesis For The Libyan Construction Sector, Ramzi Fouzi Hamad Abdullah, Safaa N Saud Al-Humairi, Zunirah Binti Mohd Talib

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Integrating sustainable material procurement with construction waste management is essential to reduce construction and demolition waste in Libya, where current practices remain largely reactive and disposal-oriented. This narrative review aims to develop a conceptual framework linking procurement decisions to waste-generation pathways in Libyan construction projects, clarifying how proactive, sustainability-driven purchasing can serve as a primary driver of waste prevention. Using a PRISMA-guided systematic search of Web of Science, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore for 2001–2026, and a bibliometric analysis via VOSviewer, 956 high-quality studies were synthesized to map global knowledge and to expose the paucity of integrated SMP–CWM studies in developing …

Sound Insulation Performance Of Sustainable Lc3 Mortars With Barite And Waste Rubber Aggregates, Begüm Söyek Abay, Leyla Tanaçan

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study investigates the potential of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) as a sustainable binder for developing a single-layer composite material incorporating barite and rubber aggregates, hypothesized to achieve enhanced sound insulation performance compared to conventional multi-layered wall systems. Mortars were prepared using LC3 with 55% clinker, 30% metakaolin, 15% limestone, substituting 45% of cement clinker. Hybrid mixtures of barite and rubber aggregates (barite-to-rubber volume ratios of 2:1 and 1:2) were tested at aggregate-to-binder ratios of 2.0, 2.75, and 3.5 to evaluate their combined mass and damping effects on acoustic performance. Experiments were conducted to determine physical, mechanical, and acoustic …

From Lime To Geopolymers: Emerging Trends And Advances In Sustainable Soil Stabilization, Favour Chukwuebuka Egwu, Amin Eisazadeh

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Soil stabilization remains a critical challenge in geotechnical engineering, particularly for weak and expansive soils that compromise the safety and serviceability of infrastructure. Traditional stabilizers such as lime and cement have been widely applied; however, their limitations in terms of long-term durability, carbon footprint, and performance under aggressive environmental conditions necessitate alternative approaches. In recent years, geopolymer-based stabilizers derived from industrial by-products such as fly ash (FA), slag, and bottom ash (BA) have emerged as promising substitutes. This review critically examines the comparative performance of lime and geopolymer stabilization with respect to strength development, durability, compressibility, environmental impact, and economic …

Investigating The Behavior Of Self-Compacting Concrete Containing Scms And Recycled Fine Aggregates, Sachin Tiwari, Mahakavi P

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study addresses the unresolved gap in quantifying how recycled fine aggregates (RFA) and metakaolin (MK) interact synergistically in self-compacting concrete (SCC), a relationship that previous works have studied only in isolation or without mechanistic justification. Twenty-five SCC mixtures containing MK (0–25%) and RFA (0–100%) were evaluated to generate a unified understanding of fresh behaviour, strength development, pore refinement, interfacial transition zone (ITZ) characteristics, and sustainability indicators. Results show that RFA alone increases water demand and reduces strength, while MK compensates for these losses by densifying the matrix and improving ITZ bonding, as confirmed through SEM analysis. An optimum synergy …

Rapid Single-Cell Measurement Of Transient Transmembrane Water Flow Under Osmotic Gradient, Hong Jiang, Jinnawat Jongkhumkrong, Y. J. Chao, Qian Wang, Guiren Wang

Faculty Publications

Aquaporins (AQPs) are critical for transmembrane water transport in response to osmotic gradients, but their gating and regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. A central challenge is the lack of methods to measure water flow across AQPs from individual cells with the spatiotemporal resolution and sensitivity equivalent to patch-clamp recordings of ion fluxes—a limitation stemming from the electrically silent nature of water flow. Here, we present a novel optical technique—Flow-Induced Fluorescence Increase Velocimetry (FIFIV) based on Laser-Induced Fluorescence Photobleaching Anemometry (LIFPA)—that enables direct, real-time monitoring of cytoplasmic flow induced by transmembrane water transport under osmotic pressure gradients. Using small molecular fluorescent …

Mae Enewsbrief Oct-Dec 2025, Department Of Mechanical And Aerospace Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

A New Highly Oxygen-Deficient And Cubic Pr3Zro8-Δ For Intermediate-Temperature Thermochemical Production Of Oxygen And Hydrogen, Jiaxin Lu, Yongliang Zhang, Luhong Chen, Yan Chen, Ke An, Yasser Shoukry, Xinfang Jin, Zhi-Hao Wang, Sai Mu, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

Two-step thermochemical cycles offer a clean route for hydrogen and oxygen production but are typically limited to high temperatures exceeding 1500 °C. Lowering operating temperatures would enable the use of alternative heat sources such as industrial waste heat. Here, we report Pr₃ZrO₈ as a new enabling material for efficient intermediate-temperature redox cycling, with thermal reduction at 900 °C in argon and steam oxidation at 400 °C. Pr₃ZrO₈ adopts a face-centered cubic structure similar to CeO₂ but exhibits significantly greater oxygen deficiency, achieving average oxygen and hydrogen fluxes of 331.7 and 70.3 µmol·g-1, respectively, …

Assessing The Geomechanical Modelling Of Underground Reservoir For Co₂ Storage Trapping Mechanisms, Bonavian Hasiholan, Mohammed Ali Farea, Elhassan Mostafa Abdallah, Sami Abdelrahman M. Yagoub, Yasir Mukhtar

Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications

Effective carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage is essential for mitigating climate change amid increasing global greenhouse gas emissions. This study investigates the influence of geomechanics on CO₂ storage performance within carbon capture and storage (CCS), focusing on structural, residual, and solubility trapping mechanisms using a fully coupled modeling framework. Two numerical models, with and without geomechanical effects, are developed to evaluate impacts on reservoir behavior, CO₂ migration, and trapping efficiency. Each mechanism is analyzed separately and within an integrated framework to assess their combined contributions. Results indicate that geomechanical coupling increases reservoir pressure, reduces CO₂ flow velocity, enhances migration control, and …

Digital Twin Enabled Robot Collision Detection Using Time Series Forecasting, Fadi El Kalach, Mojaba A. Farahani, Philip Samaha, Thorsten Wuest, Ramy Harik

Faculty Publications

The advent of Industry 4.0 has reshaped modern manufacturing, driven by breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies. A key example is the widespread deployment of sensors, which capture and transmit large volumes of operational data. This data surge has fueled the development of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, enhancing manufacturing intelligence and efficiency. A key enabler of such intelligence is Time-Series Forecasting (TSF), which leverages historical data to predict future trends and events, thereby providing actionable insights for proactive decision-making. In parallel, Digital Twin (DT) technology has gained significant prominence due to its capacity for bidirectional communication with physical manufacturing systems, enabling …

Approaching Lower Bound Of Lattice Thermal Conductivity By Simultaneously Suppressing Diagonal And Off-Diagonal Phonon Contributions, Alejandro David Rodriguez, Riccardo Rurali, Changpeng Lin, Joshua Ojih, Mohammed Al-Fahdi, G. Jeffrey Snyder, Ming Hu

Faculty Publications

Pushing the intrinsic lattice thermal conductivity (LTC) in crystalline materials to lower bounds is crucial for fundamental materials research towards emerging technologies including thermoelectric energy conversion and thermal management in both hypersonic aircraft and next-generation turbine systems. However, in the ultralow LTC regime ( <  1 Wm-1K-1), the competition between propagative (particle-like) and coherent phonons—arising from off-diagonal components—poses a significant challenge in further reducing LTC. We perform quantitative analysis of 4700 materials using density functional theory (DFT), spanning all crystallographic groups, to elucidate the interplay between diagonal and off-diagonal phonon contributions. We identify a critical balance between these transport mechanisms, where intermediate phonon lifetimes ( ~ 1 ps) and slow group velocities ( ~ 1 km/s) collectively suppress both contributions, enabling ultralow LTC. Results from a large dataset of 31,058 structures by machine learning models strongly resemble the DFT trends of two-channel phonon transport. Leveraging these models, we screen 25,882 additional materials and confirm their properties with DFT, identifying 12 candidates with ultralow room-temperature LTC—including a record-low value of 0.132 Wm-1K-1. Our large-scale analysis reveals fundamental insights into dual-channel phonon transport, enabling rational design of ultralow LTC materials and accelerating the discovery of advanced phononic crystals with tailored thermal transport properties.

Tribological Properties Of Aisi 420 Esr Stainless Steel Modified By Sequential Boriding And Nitriding, Melvyn Alvarez Vera, Rafael Carrera Espinoza, Valeria López López, Marc Wettlaufer, Stefan Barth, Juan Carlos Díaz Guillén, Héctor Manuel Hernández García, Rita Muñoz Arroyo, Javier A. Ortega, Marco A. Cruz-Gómez

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

This study investigates the effects of surface thermochemical treatments using boriding, nitriding, and boronitriding on the microstructure and mechanical properties of martensitic stainless steel AISI 420 ESR. Powder-pack boriding, gas nitriding, and sequential boronitriding processes were applied to enhance surface hardness, wear resistance, and adhesion. The microstructural and mechanical properties of the surface samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, microhardness, and nanoindentation testing. Tribological behavior was analyzed using a pin-on-disk tribometer under dry-sliding wear conditions, with applied normal loads of 5 N and 10 N and a sliding distance of 1000 m. The results showed …

Enhancement Of Plastic Deformation In Ultrasound-Assisted Cold Spray Of Tungsten: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Md Tusher Ahmed, Farid Ahmed, Jianzhi Li

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Tungsten (W) is widely valued for its exceptional thermal stability, mechanical strength, and corrosion resistance, making it an ideal candidate for high-performance military and aerospace applications. However, its high melting point and limited room-temperature plasticity pose significant challenges for processing W using additive manufacturing (AM). Cold spray (CS), a solid-state AM process that relies on high-velocity particle impact and plastic deformation, offers a promising route for additive manufacturing of W, yet conventional CS fails to induce sufficient plastic deformation for effective bonding. In this study, we employ atomistic simulations to investigate the effect of ultrasonic perturbation in …

Characterizing Indoor Surface Voc Contamination After The 2025 Los Angeles Fires, Brett W. Stinson, Emily Lei, Elliott T. Gall

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We quantify volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from indoor surface swabs and portable air cleaner (PAC) filters collected in a home 30 days after the 2025 Los Angeles wildland-urban interface (WUI) fires. We calculate emissions for 17 fire-relevant compounds. Surface emissions exceeded those of clean controls, and emissions from a windowsill in a room without a PAC were ∼15× and ∼2× higher for benzene and toluene, respectively, than rates reported in the literature for comparable materials unaffected by smoke/soot. Particle filters installed in PACs at the start of the fire emitted aromatics at rates comparable to those reported in a …

Contrasting Coastal Dune Environments In Chile, Aurora Christianson

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Emerging coastalization and urbanization threats to the prehistoric Concón Dunes and Humedal de Mantagua coastal area of Chile is being investigated by researchers via uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). Four UAS were utilized: Anzu Raptor T, DJI Mavic 3E, DJI Mavic 3M, and DJI Air 3 to collect various images of the coastal dunes. Multispectral and RGB cameras gather images by photogrammetry to create orthomosaics and monitor vegetation indexes in Pix4Dmapper. Thermal cameras provided images in rainbow, white hot infrared, and black hot infrared schemes to monitor wildlife and vegetation. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was calculated to visualize overall …

Uav-Deployable Open-Source Sensor Nodes For Spatial And Temporal In Situ Water Quality Monitoring And Mapping, Matthew Burnett, Mohamed Abdelwahab, Joud N. Satme, Austin Downey, Gabriel Barahona Smith, Antonio Fonce, Jasim Imran

Faculty Publications

Cost efficient, spatially resolved water quality monitoring is essential for managing pollution and protecting aquatic ecosystems. This study presents a low-cost (approximately USD 200), open-source, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-deployable in situ sensor node for real-time assessment of surface-water conditions. The system integrates sensors for pH, turbidity, temperature, and total dissolved solids (TDSs), with onboard data logging and real-time clock (RTC) synchronization. Bench validation of the sensor package yielded mean absolute percentage errors of 1.34% for pH, 5.23% for TDS, and 0.81% for temperature, and the device operated continuously for 42 h. Field deployment demonstrated its ability to resolve spatial gradients, …

An Autonomous Robotic System For Object Retrieval And Delivery: Enhancing Independence For Users Living With Disability And Older Adults, Jincheng Li, Chenghao Lin, Amna Mazen, Youssef A. Bazzi

Michigan Tech Publications

As the global population ages, there is a growing need for assistive technologies to help older adults maintain their independence. This work presents a cost-effective autonomous socially assistive robot designed for object retrieval and delivery, enhancing accessibility in home environments. The system is built on the Robot Operating System (ROS) framework and integrates three key components: the Pioneer P3-DX mobile robot for autonomous navigation, the ReactorX-200 robotic arm for pick-and-place operations, and the Kinect v2 RGB-D camera for object detection and localization. Users interact with the robot through natural language processing by issuing voice commands to retrieve various objects. Microsoft …

Developments Of New Metal-Free Batteries And Self-Charging Batteries For Sustainability, Abhishek Paudel

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The growing concerns over the limitations and environmental impact of conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have driven the search for more sustainable energy storage solutions. Metal-free batteries, such as those utilizing ammonium ions (NH₄⁺), offer a compelling alternative due to their non-toxic nature, abundant availability, and unique electrochemical properties. The NH₄⁺ ion's lower molar mass and distinct tetrahedral structure enable efficient charge transfer and intercalation, distinguishing it from traditional metal ions and potentially improving battery performance. Self-charging batteries, which integrate piezoelectric materials to harvest ambient mechanical energy, present a significant advancement in energy storage technology. By capturing and converting mechanical energy …

Striation Characteristics In Atmospheric Pressure Ac-Driven Glow Discharge Operating In Monoatomic Gas, Ayuob K. Alwahaibi, Sang Hee Won, Tanvir Farouk

Faculty Publications

Striation in an atmospheric pressure AC-driven helium glow discharge operating at 25 kHz is experimentally characterized. Striation behavior is characterized by the visualization of discharges and voltage–current measurements over a range of plasma power. Voltage–current characteris tics reveal that striations form in the “normal” glow regime of operation, with a higher number of strata at low current, diminishing as dis charge current increases. The relative differences and similarities in the striation patterns during the positive and negative cycles are identified. High-speed imaging shows the striations to be traveling in time—“moving striations.” The spatial luminosity of the striations is tracked over …

Artificial Intelligence And Additive Manufacturing As A Coupled Design System: Rethinking Inference, Manufacturability, And Design Education, Charul Chadha, Garth Crosby, Sabit Ekin, Mohamed Gharib, Eman Hammad, Congrui Jin, Ali Ahmad Malik, Noemi Mendoza Diaz, Calahan Mollan, Monsuru Ramoni

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming deeply integrated into additive manufacturing (AM) workflows, reshaping how designers approach geometry, materials, and process constraints. AI holds significant potential by accelerating design exploration, revealing complex patterns in AM behavior, and supporting earlier assessment of manufacturability. At the same time, it introduces new risks related to model transparency, data quality, physical validity, and the potential for overreliance by students and practitioners. This perspective examines these issues through four guiding questions that address the role of AI in AM-enabled design, the gaps that limit or enable AI contribution, the implications for engineering education, and the responsibilities …

Bulk Absorber Acoustic Characterization Via The Two-Cavity Impedance Tube Methoda), Anthony Ciletti, Janith Godakawela, Martha Brown, Bhisham Sharma

Michigan Tech Publications

The primary goal of this study is to investigate and refine the two-cavity impedance tube method for acoustic characterization of bulk porous materials, specifically addressing previously unexplained inaccuracies in the prediction of surface impedance and absorption coefficients. Unlike the conventional two-thickness approach, the two-cavity method requires only one sample thickness and involves conducting measurements at various air cavity depths behind the sample. The initial analyses revealed previously unidentified numerical instabilities, resulting in anomalous predictions of sound absorption at specific frequencies. Through systematic investigation and use of calculated data, the numerical origins of these anomalies are uncovered and a practical solution, …

Patient‐Specific Computational Flow Simulation Reveals Adverse Hemodynamic Factors Associated With Occlusion Of Directional Branches After Fenestrated‐Branched Endovascular Aneurysm Repair, Kenneth Tran, Jesse Chait, Emmanuel Tenorio, Weiguang Yang, Alison Marsden, Bernardo Mendes, Jason T. Lee, Gustavo S. Oderich

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Background: Fenestrated and branched endovascular aneurysm repair can be complicated by branch vessel occlusion in the absence of structural stenosis. We hypothesized that computational flow simulation could identify adverse hemodynamic features associated with postfenestrated and branched endovascular aneurysm repair branch occlusion.

Methods: Patients undergoing 4-vessel fenestrated and branched endovascular aneurysm repair for Extent II to IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms were retrospectively reviewed. Branches that occluded without identifiable kinking or stenosis on computed tomography were included, along with an equal cohort of anatomy-matched patent controls. Patient-specific pulsatile rigid-wall simulations were performed using SimVascular with individualized geometries and boundary conditions. Abnormal time-averaged …

High-Throughput Computational Framework For High-Order Anharmonic Thermal Transport In Cubic And Tetragonal Crystals, Zhi Li, Huiju Lee, Chris Wolverton, Yi Xia

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Accurate first-principles prediction of lattice thermal conductivity (κ L) remains challenging in identifying materials with extreme thermal behavior. While the harmonic approximation with three-phonon scattering (HA + 3ph) is now routine, reliable κ L prediction often requires higher-order anharmonic effects, including self-consistent phonon renormalization, three- and four-phonon scattering, and off-diagonal heat flux (SCPH + 3, 4ph + OD). We present a state-of-the-art high-throughput workflow that unifies these effects and apply it to 773 cubic and tetragonal crystals spanning diverse chemistries and structures. From 562 dynamically stable compounds, we assess the hierarchical impacts of higher-order anharmonicity. For around 60% of materials, …

Influence Of Superhydrophobic Surface Microstructure On Transient Jet Impingement Cooling, D. Jacob Butterfield, Brian D. Iverson, Daniel Maynes, Julie Crockett

Faculty Publications

Water jet impingement is an effective method of rapidly cooling a surface, but heat transfer from the surface is highly dependent on the surface condition and properties. Here, the impact of a superhydrophobic (SH) surface on heat transfer to an impinging, axisymmetric, room-temperature water jet with Re=6 x 10³to 18 x 103 is explored. SH surfaces are created by etching thin silicon wafers to form different micropatterns (posts or holes). Surfaces are heated to between 200 and 320°C, and the local surface temperature is measured with a thermal camera. The time resolved heat transfer from the surface and …

Manufacturing And Material Property Verification Of Short Fiber Particle Reinforced Composites, Megan Elise Howell

Graduate Theses - Mechanical Engineering

This thesis investigates the manufacturing, testing, and material property verification of short fiber and particle reinforced polymer composites intended for use in flywheel energy storage systems. Composite tensile specimens were fabricated using controlled mold geometries and autoclave-assisted curing to improve consolidation quality and reduce void content. Short carbon fibers and particulate reinforcements were selected to balance mechanical performance, manufacturability, and isotropy for high-speed rotor applications. Tensile testing was performed using a tensile testing machine, and machine compliance effects were quantified and removed to obtain accurate elastic moduli. Experimental results were compared against analytical micromechanics predictions to evaluate stiffness trends and …