Structures and Materials Commons^™

Material Degradation And Analysis Of N-Doped Graphene/Mof Nanocatalysts For Orr In Electrochemical Energy Systems, Niladri Talukder

Dissertations

The development of advanced electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems is crucial for achieving sustainable energy security. As alternatives to precious metal-based catalysts in electrochemical systems, especially for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), Nitrogen-doped Graphene with Metal-organic Frameworks (N-G/MOF) nanocatalysts have shown exceptional promise in recent years. This research advances the understanding of N-G/MOF nanocatalysts by systematically examining their structural features, degradation traits, correlated performance losses, and other aspects related to catalytic activities.

First, nitrogen-doped graphene (N-G) nanocatalysts were thoroughly investigated, resolving their physical properties, the influence of synthesis parameters, molecular-level material structures, and chemical and electronic structural details of …

In-Situ Investigations Of Calcium-Magnesium-Aluminosilicates (Cmas) Infiltration Effects On Thermal Barrier Coatings Under Extreme Environments Replicating Jet Engines, Zachary Stein

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Calcium-magnesium-aluminosilicate (CMAS) particulates, such as sand or volcanic ash, are ingested by gas turbine jet engines during operation. When operating within high abundance regions, these particulates negatively interact and degrade the high temperature thermal barrier coatings (TBC) protecting underlying superalloy turbine blades vital to engine operation. These CMAS particulates melt within the engine and infiltrate into the ceramic coatings. In electron-beam physical vapor deposited (EB-PVD) TBCs, the CMAS within the intercolumnar gaps stiffens the coatings and causes thermomechanical induced high stress concentrations, risking crack formation. While molten, the CMAS thermochemically alters and destabilizes the coating, also risking coating failure. Premature, …

Simulation Of Rocket Response To Electromagnetic Environments Using Finite Element Modeling, Eden Powers

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The purpose of this project is to develop a rocket model in FEMAP with NX-Nastran to simulate how a rocket might respond when exposed to external electromagnetic conditions. A simplified model of the SpaceX Starship will be constructed and analyzed to explore how various electromagnetic conditions interact with the rocket’s materials and geometry.

Internal Structural Design For Low-Cost Unmanned Fighter/Interceptor Aircraft, Andrew Zubyk

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Akriveia Aerospace is focused on the design of a high strength and efficient structure to accommodate the small size of Akriveia Aerospace’s Accipiter aircraft while ensuring the structure’s ability to sustain the required loadings. Emphasis is placed on wing spar, fuselage bulkhead, bulkhead-to-spar bracket, skin, and spar web sizing; as well as the fasteners used to join the structural components. The Accipiter was inspired based on historical and modern fighter/interceptor aircraft, such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Preliminary sizing was conducted using conventional evaluation techniques; future aims involve validation using Finite Element Analysis. Due to …

Wing Structure Design The Ramp-200, Nicholas Hillburn

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This project focuses on the design of the wing structure to increase fatigue resistance and lessen the shear force across the skin of the wings, while maintaining the structure’s stability and soundness. The designed wing structure will be optimized to account for the proposed weight and endurance of the aircraft. The overall wing shape and size was defined using preliminary design methods and optimized for efficiency at Mach 0.9. The main structures were sized using calculations that were programmed into MATLAB and supported by hand calculations. Finite element analysis was used to verify sizing, and the structures were assessed using …

Wing Structure Design For Yf-27 Shrike Homeland Defense Interceptor, Maurya Jandyala

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This project focuses on designing the wing structure of an interceptor aircraft to withstand sustained supersonic flight and provide sufficient fuel storage for extended operations. The aircraft and structure were designed according to the AIAA Homeland Defense Interceptor request for proposal (RFP). Sizing of structural components was performed utilizing hand calculations and an idealized shear box approach focused on maximum aircraft limit loads. Based on these preliminary calculations, different wing structural components such as spars, ribs, stringers, and attachment points were designed using computer aided design (CAD) software. Finite element analysis was used to verify results and structural integrity of …

Sal-E: Responsive Space Pathfinder Mission, Adrian Serniak, Kayla Wong

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The main objective of the SAL-E mission is to grow the Cal Poly CubeSat Lab’s (PolySat) capabilities in rapid spacecraft design and testing, as well as to provide the current generation of students with the opportunity to design, test, integrate, and communicate with a satellite. This summer we will mainly be focusing on aspects of spacecraft test and integration, as we prepare for our satellite handoff in the Fall. Specifically, we will be conducting satellite assembly, Thermal Vacuum Chamber (TVAC) Testing, Vibrations Testing, and software validation and testing on the flight unit satellite. Students participating in this multidisciplinary SURP will …

Additively Manufactured Bioinspired Microstructures For Active Surface Modification, Zefu Ren

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Advancements in additive manufacturing have facilitated the development of bioinspired microstructures, which hold promise for applications, such as liquid transport, self-cleaning, and anti-icing. However, the controllability of these microstructures remains an area requiring further exploration. This research explores the design, fabrication, and active control of 3D-printed bioinspired microstructures for dynamic wettability modulation. First, the anisotropic scales of butterfly wings were replicated through optimized two-photon polymerization printing strategies, achieving directional droplet motion controlled by structural geometry and arrangement. The reversed wetting trend compared with natural wings revealed key insights into the structure–performance relationship. Next, microstructures were integrated with dielectric elastomer actuators …

Extraction Of Aluminum From Lunar Regolith Through Molten Salt Electrolysis, Jacob N. Ortega, Todd P. Sander, Jeffrey D. Smith, Fateme Rezaei, David J. Bayless, William Schonberg, Daniel S. Stutts, Frank D. Han

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents the methodology, development, and results of an end-to-end regolith-to-metal concept for producing aluminum in-situ on the lunar surface, namely, the Lunar In-Situ Aluminum Production through Molten Salt Electrolysis (LISAP-MSE) method. Using electrolytic reduction, aluminum oxide (i.e., alumina) can be reduced into aluminum and oxygen via electrolysis in a molten salt bath. A steady supply of hydrogen chloride could allow this in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) method to supply several necessary materials consumed in the electrolytic reduction step of the process to produce bulk aluminum metal, oxygen, water, and silica from anorthite abundant in lunar highland regions. In this …

Improvement Of The Fatigue Behaviour Of Additive Manufatured Scalmalloy By Using Surface Improvement Processes, Francisco José Boby Alcaide, Irene Eras, José Manuel De Los Santos, Alejandro Munoz Castro, Antonio Perinan Butrón, Jorge Sogorb

15th International Conference on Shot Peening

The use of light metals such as Aluminum alloys has experienced a remarkable increase for the additive manufacturing (AM) industry, especially in aerospace.

AM Scalmalloy®. (an Al-Mg-Sc alloy) shows outstanding behavior with much higher mechanical performance with respect to other alloys for powder bed fusion laser-based (PBF-LB) process like AlSi10Mg or AlSi7Mg. Recent studies have mainly focused on static loading, with minor attention to cyclic loading despite its vital importance in many applications.

In this work, the fatigue performance of PBF-LB Scalmalloy was investigated considering the effects of surface treatments to identify the set of optimal post-processes. Shot peening with …

Methodologies And Applications Of Precision Shot Peening To Hole Or Slot Geometry, James C. Hoffman

15th International Conference on Shot Peening

Shot peening, a commonly used method of fatigue and surface enhancement, is a critical process in many of the components in the aerospace industry. When it comes to small holes and/or slot geometries in these components, the process can become a challenge when these features are smaller than a conventional size Almen strip. In these cases, a decision must be made about how to process this type of geometry. Oftentimes, the method to apply the shot peen process is already defined in a process specification or part print so we must adhere to that method. If a method is not …

Improving Fatigue Strength And Life Of Single Crystal Cmsx-4, Jochen Peter Fuhr, Lloyd Hackel, Nicolau I. Morar, Noah Holtham, Keivan Davami, Montu Sharma, Rajkumar Roy

15th International Conference on Shot Peening

The deep penetration of laser peening (LP) and retention of residual stress at high temperature by LP is significant in improving fatigue life and strength of superalloys exposed to high temperature and corrosion. Single crystal CMSX-4, was evaluated for stress relaxation and both fatigue life and fatigue strength of material that was LP-treated compared to non-LP and shot-peened (SP) specimens. LP was done with multiple layers using a 20 J/pulse laser where the laser high energy enabled using a 5 mm spot size on the metal surface. Stress measurements by the slitting technique showed the plastic penetration depth exceeded SP …

Tensile Creep Of A Hybrid Polymer-Matrix/Ceramic-Matrix Composite At Elevated Temperature, Waleed S. Alshehri

Theses and Dissertations

Advanced aerospace systems require structural materials that can perform reliably in high-temperature environments for long durations. The performance of standard polymer matrix composites (PMCs) in these conditions is often limited by their susceptibility to time-dependent deformation, such as creep. The objective of this research is to characterize the high-temperature creep behavior of a novel unitized material system comprising a polymer matrix composite (PMC) and a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) co-cured together. The PMC part consists of the polyimide matrix reinforced with laminated carbon fibers woven in an eight harness satin weave (8HSW). The CMC part consists of a zirconia-based ceramic …

Impact Of Uncertainties On Structures Damage Tolerance Parameters, Breno De Bruns

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This research aims to enhance the understanding and management of aerospace structural integrity. Traditional fracture control methods, such as damage tolerance analysis (DTA), assume deterministic factors, considering uncertainties inherent in material properties, inspections, and operational conditions only at the final stage by applying safety factors. This research seeks to incorporate these uncertainties throughout the analysis by integrating Monte Carlo simulation with Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM). The objective is to investigate how varying parameters affect crack growth prediction and the effectiveness of inspection strategies. The methodology involves systematically analyzing inspection intervals, considering factors like material properties, probability of detection (POD), …

Design For Additive Manufacturing: Simultaneous Optimization Of Structural Integrity And Minimal Support Structures, Naresh Ahuja

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This dissertation addresses two core challenges limiting the widespread application of Topology Optimization (TO): the difficulty in fabricating its complex designs, especially for Additive Manufacturing (AM), and its significant computational costs. It develops a unified design framework that directly embeds AM constraints such as overhang angles and build direction into robust TO formulations. To enhance manufacturability, two distinct methodologies are proposed. Firstly, a Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) framework introduces a three-stage robust optimization algorithm. Secondly, the Geometric Projection Topology Optimization (GPTO) method inherently integrates overhang constraints by controlling individual geometric components and their inclined angles relative to a …

Research Into Technological Features In The Curring Process Of Multilayer Polymer Composite Parts, Umidbek Dilshod Ugli Kosimov, Jonibek Kobilovich Tokhirov, Andrey Dmitrievich Novikov

Technical science and innovation

This paper examines the main technologies and mechanisms used in the curing process of multilayer thick-walled parts of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) made of polymer composite materials (PCM) based on epoxy resin. The study provides a detailed analysis of the technological features of the curing process, its kinetics, and the influence of heat transfer mechanisms on the final quality of molded components. It is emphasized that due to the low thermal conductivity of PCM, temperature inhomogeneity may occur during curing, leading to defects, internal stresses, and deterioration of the mechanical properties of the product. Therefore, ensuring uniform temperature distribution throughout …

Analyzing The Interfacial Properties Of Natural Fiber Composites, Rahul Kumar Arram

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

In response to growing environmental concerns and the urgent demand for sustainable development, the composite materials industry is increasingly challenged to balance high performance with environmental responsibility. Conventional composites, typically composed of synthetic fibers and petroleum-based resins, offer outstanding mechanical properties but are associated with significant ecological drawbacks due to their non-biodegradable nature and energy-intensive production. This has led to increased interest in the development of sustainable composites that minimize environmental impact without compromising functionality. This study presents the development of eco-friendly composites reinforced with natural bast fibers—specifically ramie and jute—through a comprehensive program of materials processing and characterization. To …

Towards Accountability: A Primer On The Space Debris Problem And An Overview Of The Legal Issues Surrounding It, William Schonberg

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Since 1957, the near-Earth population of trackable space objects has grown in number to over 36,000. Of these 36,000+ trackable objects now in low Earth orbit, just a few thousand are working spacecraft. The rest are Earth-orbiting objects which are no longer operational and are considered to be space junk. Because this junk can no longer receive maneuvering commands from its Earth-based owners, the survivability of other spacecraft traveling through or operating in Earth orbit can be jeopardized by the impacts of any number of pieces of this space junk, whose origins can usually be traced back to defunct satellites. …

Mno2 Nanoscale Interface Modification, Alexander C. Skoppe

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Interface modification of carbon fibers has been shown to improve the mechanical performance of composites. In addition, interface modification of carbon fiber composites can impart multifunctionality into the resulting composite. This work will explore ZnO and MnO2 as interface modifications for use on carbon fibers. When exposed to high temperatures, carbon fibers undergo fiber degradation, leading to the need for low-temperature hydrothermal processes. This work will develop and characterize a nanoscale ZnO and MnO2 interface modification for use on carbon fibers. These nanomodifications will be developed with low-temperature processes, minimizing the fiber degradation that the fibers undergo. Fourier transform infrared …

Self-Regulated Thermal Management With Shape-Memory Alloy Torsional Tubes, Paula Sanjuan Espejo

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The need for dynamic thermal management that adapts to varying system needs and requirements is a growing topic of interest in different engineering disciplines, most prominently aerospace and electronics. This demand for improved thermal management systems comes from the general increase of system efficiencies leading to an increase in component energy density. Shape-memory alloy actuators, which respond with a mechanical shape recovery to variations in temperature, can be used as self-regulated thermal management actuators that are able to respond to environmental thermal changes autonomously. In this dissertation, modeling and experimental analysis of a two-way shape-memory effect trained SMA torsional tube …

Embeddable Multi-Material Wireless Micro-Sensors Utilizing Additive Manufacturing And Enhanced Microstructure, Nicholas Reed

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The development of embeddable, multi-material wireless microsensors offers transformative potential for structural health monitoring (SHM) in aerospace applications. This work integrates additive manufacturing (AM) techniques with advanced microstructural design to produce flexible, high-resolution sensors that can be directly embedded into polymer substrates. By utilizing the vat photopolymerization process, customized embedded sensors are seamlessly integrated into polymer AM structures. These sensors are then continuously refined, targeting increases in performance, both internal and external. Microstructural enhancements are explored to modify the rheological properties of the fabricated embedded sensing channels and enhance the adhesive bonding between the embedded sensor and the AM structure. …

Reusing Materials In The Aerospace Industry, Lama Alanazi, Burtegeljin Gombosuren, Byhalia Jewett

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

This research explores the material recycling methods used by the aerospace industry, particularly in comparison to the reusability of aerospace materials and with the objective to find uses for recycled materials from aircraft. Through an analysis of various other material mitigation methods, it is apparent that the physical degradation of materials after they go through recycling processes and the cost of recycling are the most prominent issues holding the aerospace industry back from being able to recycle aircraft up to 100%. From a comparison of physical characteristics of materials after reprocessing, several materials were found to meet industry standards, while …

Effect Of Thermal History On The Fracture And Fatigue Behaviors Of Semi-Crystalline Polymers Prepared Via Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing, Ava M. Lea, Khaled Matalgah, Arief Yudhanto, Trevor J. Fleck

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Material extrusion (MEX) additive manufacturing (AM) is transforming the design and production of complex structures, providing reliable on-demand components. However, the effect of thermal history on the resultant microstructure and damage tolerance of MEX-AM materials is not fully understood. This research investigates the critical role of interfacial thermal history, which is dependent on processing conditions, in determining the fracture and fatigue behaviors of semi-crystalline polymers, as exemplified by polyamide-6 (PA-6). Utilizing infrared thermography, the thermal history, and its dependence on nozzle temperature of extruded PA-6, was investigated. Quasi-static and cyclic tests of compact tension specimens were used to evaluate fracture …

In-Situ Defect Detection In Selective Laser Melting Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Ethan Gaigalas

Master's Theses

This thesis develops and trains a convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify defects in metal parts produced by selective laser melting (SLM) using acoustic emission (AE) data. The model successfully identified porosity and standard build layers with high accuracy but consistently struggled to classify lack of fusion (LOF) defects, regardless of input type, normalization, or class count. These results suggest that while AE signals contain distinguishable features for certain defect types, LOF signals may be too subtle or inconsistent for reliable detection. The study addresses the ongoing challenge of in-situ quality monitoring in metal additive manufacturing, where defects like cracks, …

Investigation Into Silicone-Silicate Conversion Due To Atomic Oxygen In The Low Earth Orbit Environment, Justin T. Self

Master's Theses

Silicones have been widely used over the years in spacecraft for a variety of functions, but atomic oxygen (AO) exposure in Low Earth Orbit causes a silicate (SiO₂) surface layer to rapidly develop on the silicone which results in a permanent change in its thermal and optical properties. Although this silicone to silicate conversion is known to occur, statistical predictions of layer formation as a function of time on orbit are not found in literature. This thesis utilized optical and scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and nonlinear regression statistical techniques after RF plasma asher …

Model-Based Design Of Compressed Lithium-Metal Pouch Cell Battery Modules For Evtol Applications, Scott J. Stirling

Master's Theses

Batteries with higher specific energy and power are essential for extending the range and performance of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs). Anode-free lithium-metal pouch cells offer strong potential at the cell-level but require high compressive pressures to enhance cycle life and discharge performance. These pressures necessitate heavier structural components, reducing packaging efficiency at the module level.

To evaluate this tradeoff, a full-factorial enumeration model was developed to explore viable module designs within a constrained packaging volume. The model scales subsystem masses, enforces design rules and material limits, and accounts for large (~20%) cell thickness changes during cycling.

Results …

Optimizing Concrete Strength: How Nanomaterials And Ai Redefine Mix Design, Dan Huang, Guangshuai Han, Ziyang Tang

Physics and Engineering Science

Nanomaterials and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are typically used together in efforts to enhance the performance of concrete and mitigate the environmental impact of concrete construction. However, the complex interactions between nanomaterials, SCMs, and cement make concrete mix design a challenging, iterative, and labor-intensive process, often relying on trial-and-error experimentation. Machine learning (ML) offers an opportunity to better understand the influence of input parameters and to accelerate the optimization of mix designs through data-driven insights. This study proposes an open-source and easy-to-access framework, Canopy, to support the concrete research community in optimizing mix design. Using a dataset collected from the …

Re-Analysis Of The Anthropogenic Effect Of The Covid-19 Global Lockdown On Night-Time Lunar Surface Temperatures, W. Schonberg, S. Haque

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A study by Durga Prasad and Ambily observed an anomalous decrease in the lunar surface temperatures during the period April–May 2020, which they then attributed to the anthropogenic effects of the COVID-19 global lockdown effect. We have re-examined their data and while the anomalous decrease in the lunar surface temperature during April–May 2020 appears in our analysis as well, so does another significant dip in early 2018. Furthermore, the decline to the minimum observed during April–May 2020 is seen to begin in 2019, that is, quite some time before the COVID-19 event that led to the global lockdown and the …

Exploring Metal Additive Manufacturing In Martian Atmospheric Environments, Zane Mebruer

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

On-surface manufacturing is key to the success of a planetary colonization, especially that of Mars. However, traditional subtractive manufacturing processes are equipment, energy, and material intensive, meaning novel additive manufacturing (AM) processes must be pursued for this end. Selective laser melting, one of the most effective and versatile AM methods, would be incredibly beneficial to a Martian mission but requires an artificial argon atmosphere to create effective parts. The purpose of this study was to examine if carbon dioxide, the gas that makes up over 95% of Mars’ surface atmosphere, would be a sufficient substitute for argon in SLM fabrication. …

Experimental And Theoretical Fracture Analysis Of Additively Manufactured Orthotropic V-Notches, Venkata Siva Sainath Bavapuram

Theses and Dissertations

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the fracture behavior of additively manufactured orthotropic V-notched components made of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) material. The research integrates both theoretical and finite element approaches to evaluate stress intensity factors (SIFs) in Modes-I and II, which are fundamental in characterizing stress field distributions around notches under applied loading conditions. Unlike isotropic materials, where stress fields depend only on geometry of the component, the anisotropic nature of 3D-printed ABS introduces a dependency on material properties that necessitate different approaches to include anisotropy of the material.

Tensile specimens are 3D-printed with specific material orientations to …