Polymer and Organic Materials Commons^™

3d Printing Of A Solid-State Battery, Maurizio A. Brozzi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Solid-state battery research has gained significant attention in recent years, as it provides a unique solution for several common issues in conventional Li-ion batteries. Additionally, as additive manufacturing technologies continue to advance, they have the potential to fabricate solid-state batteries with new materials. The objective of this study is to explore the feasibility of 3D printing of a solid-state battery. By creating an initial PEO-PSF hybrid polymer matrix dissolved in DMSO and adding a lithium salt, the base electrolyte ink was formed. With the addition of conductive additives and active material, electrode inks were also produced. Super P was used …

Wood-Plastic Composites Integration For Triboelectric Nanogenerator Electricity Generation, Hanbyeol Park, Razamala Yashna F. Dimaporo, Sophia Maureen A. Emperado, Anton Jefferson L. Pangilinan, Juan Carlo T. Gumangan

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

Access to electricity in underdeveloped communities is particularly crucial in improving the living standards of people and alleviating poverty by promoting sustainable development. This study deals with the exploration of incorporating wood-plastic composite (WPC) – specifically wood pulp (W) and high-density polyethylene (H) – into triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) flooring system to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy, promoting sustainable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving the quality of life, and serving as feasible flooring tiles. Two types of TENG tiles were prepared by using different WPC ratios: 30W:70H and 70W:30H. A static bending test was conducted to assess the flexural …

Using Additive Manufacturing To Characterize Effects Of Sparse Infill Density And Sparse Infill Pattern On The Compressive Properties Of Short Strand Carbon Fiber Infused Petg, Luke C. Salisbury

Honors Theses

The advent of additive manufacturing has revolutionized the prototyping, design, and manufacturing of new and innovative products. Through the use of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), parts can be manufactured using different sparse infill percentages (the percentage of void space within a printed object) and sparse infill patterns (the lattice structure of material within the object). Through the manipulation of these variables, the same material and part can have different compressive and flexural properties. In addition to sparse infill, the thermoplastics used in fused deposition modeling can be reinforced with carbon fiber strands to create a printable composite material capable of …

Development Of Multifunctional Wood Composites With Integrated Phase Change Materials For Enhanced Thermal Management, Self-Healing, And Sustainability., Emmanuel Igbokwe

LSU Master's Theses

Abstract

This study focused on incorporating self-healing, flame retardancy, and energy harvesting capabilities into the wood composite to contribute to more sustainable and energy-efficient building practices. Oriented strand board has been widely used as sheath for roofing or dry walls in residential buildings. Residential buildings account for a large portion of energy consumption. Therefore, an oriented strand board with energy harvesting capability is highly desired. Additionally, flame retardancy and damage self-healing and end-of-life recycling are also critical features for buildings.

In this study, we prepared a novel oriented strand board by constructing sandwich structures. The face sheets of the sandwich …

Investigation Of Distributed Additive Manufacturing For 3d Printed Headband Component During Global Supply Chain Disruptions, Elizabeth M. Mamros, Saketh Kantipudi, Matthew C. Eaton, Jinjin Ha, Brad L. Kinsey

Faculty Conference Papers and Presentations

During the COVID-19 global pandemic, a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) occurred. Manufacturers of these critical products were unable to keep up with the growing demands as the situation evolved. Most face shields, a common type of PPE, include a headband component to provide the appropriate fit for the user and curvature for the clear face shield attachment. To mitigate this shortage in the local region, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) generated a computeraided design (CAD) file for the headband component and asked the University of New Hampshire (UNH) to manufacture it with all available 3D printers, including printers …

Synergistic Strategies In Hybrid Mxed Matrix 3d Printing Of Thermoplastics & Thermosets: Design, Manufacturing, And Materials Development., Saleh Akram Khanjar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Composite manufacturing and mixed matrix structures have been produced using traditional manufacturing processes for various industrial applications due to their high mechanical properties to material weight and cost ratio. However implementation of composite and mixed matrix manufacturing with advanced manufacturing such as additive manufacturing is limited due to the hardware limitations of current 3d printing technologies and materials available for 3D printing applications. This work has developed and investigated a new hybrid 3D printing manufacturing process utilizing a variety of material systems (thermoplastic – thermoset, thermoplastic – thermoplastic, thermoset – thermoset, thermoplastic – thermoplastic – thermoset). This study developed thermoplastic …

Development And Processing Of Shape Memory Polymer Composites (Smpcs) For Application In Structural Robotics And Robotic Sensors., Kavish Sudan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Shape Memory Polymers (SMPs) have attracted significant attention since their introduction in the 1980s due to their remarkable ability to regain their original shape from a temporarily deformed state when exposed to an external stimulus, typically heat. This shape memory effect, driven by thermal transitions such as the glass transition temperature (T_g) or melting temperature (T_m), has made SMPs highly attractive for applications in soft robotics, aerospace, and biomedical devices. However, SMPs face challenges such as limited mechanical strength, thermal stability, and electrical conductivity, which hinder their broader adoption in advanced applications. To address these challenges, …

A Manufacturing-To-Response Pathway For Manufacturing Optimization Of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Structures, Madhura Limaye

All Dissertations

Over the past decade, there has been an increased adoption of thermoplastic and thermoset based continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites for structural applications in several industries. Among the different manufacturing methods, thermoforming process for thermoplastic based continuous CFRP’s offer a major advantage in reducing cycle times for large scale productions. Similarly, out-of-autoclave curing process for thermoset based continuous CFRP’s using heated tooling enables production of large composite structures. However, these manufacturing processes can have a significant impact on the structural performance of parts by inducing undesirable effects. These effects include inhomogeneous fiber orientations, thickness variations, and residual stresses …

Graphene Reinforced Polymer Composite For Small-Scale Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Rotors, Kunal A. Bachim

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses - Archive

Polymers have evolved as an indispensable asset in various sectors ranging from packaging and construction to energy and aerospace. However, the accumulation of polymer waste poses a necessity to shift toward sustainable waste management processes. Mechanical recycling is a primary method in establishing a circular economy approach for polymers. However, a fundamental challenge arises in this process: a decrease in the mechanical performance of the recycled product compared to that of its pristine counterpart.

This project addresses the challenge of enhancing the recyclability of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from discarded polymer material by incorporating graphene nanoparticles into the polymer matrix during …

Restoration Of Strength In Polyamide Woven Glass Fiber Organosheets By Hot Pressing, Mohammad Nazmus Saquib, Edwing Chaparro-Chavez, Christopher Morris, Kuthan Çelebi, Diego Pedrazzoli, Mingfu Zhang, Sergii G. Kravchenko, Oleksandr G. Kravchenko

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Thermoplastic composite organosheets (OSs) are increasingly recognized as a viable solution for automotive and aerospace structures, offering a range of benefits including cost-effectiveness through high-rate production, lightweight design, impact resistance, formability, and recyclability. This study examines the impact response, post-impact strength evaluation, and hot-pressing repair effectiveness of woven glass fiber nylon composite OSs across varying impact energy levels. Experimental investigations involved subjecting composite specimens to impact at varying energy levels using a drop-tower test rig, followed by compression-after-impact (CAI) tests. The results underscore the exceptional damage tolerance and improved residual compressive strength of the OSs compared to traditional thermoset composites. …

Insights Into The Characterization And Degradation Of Electrospun Polycaprolactone Scaffolds For Tissue Engineering Applications, Caleb B. Wells

Theses and Dissertations

Electrospun polymeric biodegradable scaffolds are essential in tissue engineering, particularly for Engineered Tissue Vascular Grafts (ETVGs), which promise advancements in treating coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, congenital cardiovascular defects, and renal disease. These scaffolds present a solution to issues with autologous graft availability and durability. While large-diameter grafts in low-pressure environments have seen success, small-diameter grafts in high-flow scenarios remain challenging. Understanding polymeric scaffold degradation and behavior during incubation, especially under dynamic mechanical loading, is vital for clinical translation of small-caliber ETVGs.

This research focuses on characterizing the mechanical and microstructural properties of electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds and their …

Materials Testing For Large Format 3d Printing, William Jenkins

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

An ABS Carbon Fiber blend was printed into single walled hexagons at a variety of settings on a Cincinnati BAAM large format 3D printer. These hexagons were then cut down into sheets and had tensile and flexural test samples cut out of them, in order for materials testing to be performed. Tensile strength, tensile strain, young’s modulus, flexural strength, deflection and elastic modulus were all determined. A desktop CNC machine and a planer were purchased for the manufacturing of these samples, and an efficient cutting procedure was designed and optimized. After all data collection concluded, this data was thoroughly analyzed, …

Short Strand Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polylactic Acid Filament For Additive Manufacturing, Dale Chenoweth, Lukas Seggi, Luke Phillips

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this design project, the additive manufacturing filament of short strand carbon fiber (SSCF) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composite was developed. The micro-size, precision cut SSCFs were mixed with the PLA pellets through a melting homogenization process. Through this process the composite material block is cut and divided into pieces for ease of pelletizing. The material block pieces are then pelletized to be fed through the single screw extruder to develop the SSCF-PLA composite filament. The SSCF-PLA filaments were manufactured with a varying amount of SSCF ranging from 0.5% to 10% of the material block's weight. Development of a 1% …

Schaeffler Icvd Coating Machine, Louis Mcgrath

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) is mutual technology used to deposit thin film through a gaseous phase by vaporizing the solid materials. This conventional process usually requires high thermal stability of the materials, which is not applicable for most of the polymeric materials. Therefore, a novel process, initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) is developed by introducing the gaseous monument and initiator to form the thin film in-situ. By adjusting the free-radical polymerization in the vapor phase, a variety of thin and uniform polymer films can be achieved. Depending on the chemistry, iCVD has many categories. This report explains the design …

Functional Verification Of Additively Manufactured Metallopolymer Structures For Structural Electronics Design, Nathan D. Singhal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As an attempt to improve the overall cost-effectiveness and ease of structural electronics manufacturing, this study characterizes the mechanical and electrical responses of structures which are fabricated from a novel metallopolymer composite material by fused deposition modeling as they are subjected to quasi-static, uniaxial mechanical tension. Baseline values of tensile properties and electrical resistivity were first obtained via ASTM D638-22 standard testing procedures and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), respectively. A hybrid procedure to measure in-situ mechanically dependent electrical behavior was subsequently developed and implemented. The mechanical and electromechanical testing was followed by the derivation of stochastic values for several mechanical …

A Novel Magnetorheological Pump Concept For Insulin Delivery, Mohammad Towhidul Islam Rimon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Over the past 25 years, awareness of type 1 diabetes has significantly increased, leading to a comprehensive understanding of various aspects, including its genetics, epidemiology, and disease burden. According to the Type 1 Diabetic Index, about 8.7 million people around the world live with this long-term autoimmune disease characterized by insulin deficiency and resultant hyperglycemia. However, the increased availability and utilization of artificial pancreas systems could potentially save 673,000 lives by 2040. Although, the advancement of diabetes technology offers Type 1 diabetic patients more tools to enhance glycemic management and achieve effective outcomes, many patients are still hesitant to adopt …

Inherently Porous Metal Structures With Sufficient Mechanical Properties Through Direct Writing Of Bio-Based Inks, Havva Eda Aysal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There is currently a burgeoning interest in developing 3D printed metal structures with inherent porosity and sufficient mechanical properties for mass customization in the biomedical field. Current approaches for 3D printing of biocompatible metals rely on powder-bed fusion methods which are energy intensive and utilize large amounts of metal powder that is challenging to recycle. In addition, such methods aim on producing dense parts and porosity generation, within the printed part, is challenging due to the complex physics of the melting pool. Here, a relatively new and promising approach is undertaken to study the 3D printing of inherently porous structures …

Fabrication & Characterization Of Hybrid Piezoelectric/Triboelectric Nanocomposite Nanogenerators Via Fusion Deposition Modeling, Khaled El Toukhy

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to discuss the potential of using piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators (PTENGs) for energy harvesting, particularly in the sportswear industry. PTENG's main advantage is that it offers good flexibility making it suitable for high-strain applications. The piezoelectric effect is induced by embedding piezoelectric nanofillers into one of the two triboelectric layers. PTENGs can generate both piezoelectric and triboelectric signals when strained resulting in an enhanced output compared to regular piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). TPU was adopted as the matrix for PTENGs advantageous due to their flexibility, low electrical resistivity, and compatibility with additive manufacturing techniques. …

Modeling Of Asphalt Concrete For Cross-Anisotropic Visco-Elasticity And Heterogeneity, Zafrul Hakim Khan

Civil Engineering ETDs

Asphalt Concrete (AC) is a cross-anisotropic viscoelastic material. This study has developed a methodology to backcalculate the cross-anisotropic properties of the AC layer from the Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) sensor and pavement response data from embedded sensors inside a pavement section. This study has also developed a two-way coupled Multiscale Finite Element Model (MsFEM) with Phase Field Fracture (PFF) to study the microstructural heterogeneity and damage of the AC layer based on the actual field loadings. A Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) and Machine learning-based backcalculation algorithm were developed to determine the layer thickness and dielectric constant from air-coupled Ground …

Design, Fabrication And Characterization Of Zero Power Sensor/Harvester For Smart Grid Applications, Zeynel Guler

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

This study presents a flexible sensor/harvester device to be used in both electromagnetic sensing and energy harvesting applications for smart grids. When a current passes through a wire, the sensor detects the magnetic field created by that current. The sensor magnet interacts with the wire magnetic field resulting in a transfer of energy through the piezoelectric cantilever. Piezoelectric, conductive, magnetic, and magnetostrictive composite thin films were prepared to fabricate this device.

Initially, the magnet of the cantilever was optimized considering its shape, thickness, length, taper angle etc. via both simulations and experiments. Peak to peak voltage versus cantilever position graph …

Air-Jet Bioprinting Of Stem Cell-Encapsulated Alginate Micro-Droplets For Organoid Biomanufacturing, Mirabella B. Stump

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biomanufactured 3D-organoids show promise for modeling and treating various conditions, particularly insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type-1 diabetes). Pancreatic islet organoids serve as sustainable sources of insulin-producing β-cells, potentially restoring insulin regulation in patients and providing a long-term solution for diabetes. Hydrogel droplet printing is an emerging technique in regenerative medicine due to its advantageous tunability and biocompatibility; however, challenges of consistency, quality control, and scalability persist. To address these issues, we developed a novel air-jetting based droplet bioprinting system for the generation of monodispersed alginate micro-droplets. The objective of this project was to incorporate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into …

Characterization Of Interlayer Laser Shock Peening During Fused Filament Fabrication Of Polylactic Acid (Pla), Fabien Denise

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The field of additive manufacturing (AM) has gained a significant amount of popularity due to the increasing need for more sustainable manufacturing techniques and the adaptive development of complex product geometries. The problem is that AM parts routinely exhibit flaws or weaknesses that affect functionality or performance. Over the years, surface treatments have been developed to compensate certain flaws or weaknesses in manufactured products. Combining surface treatments with the modularity of additive manufacturing could lead to more adaptable and creative improvements of product functions in the future. The current work evaluates the feasibility of pursuing a new research axis in …

Analyzing The Effects Of Ultrafast Laser Processing On Mechanical Properties Of 3d-Printed Pla Parts, Darshan Pramodbhai Yadav

Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in additive manufacturing technologies have already led to wide-scale adoption of 3D-printed parts in various industries. The expansion in choice of materials that can be processed, particularly using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), and the steady advancements in dimensional accuracy control have extended the range of applications far beyond rapid prototyping. However, additive manufacturing still has considerable limitations compared to traditional and subtractive manufacturing processes. This work addresses limitations associated with the as-deposited surface roughness of 3D-printed parts. The effects of roughness-induced stress concentrations were studied on ultimate tensile strength and fatigue life. The samples were manufactured using a …

Cfrp Delamination Density Propagation Analysis By Magnetostriction Theory, Brandon Eugene Williams

All Dissertations

While Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRPs) have exceptional mechanical properties concerning their overall weight, their failure profile in demanding high-stress environments raises reliability concerns in structural applications. Two crucial limiting factors in CFRP reliability are low-strain material degradation and low fracture toughness. Due to CFRP’s low strain degradation characteristics, a wide variety of interlaminar damage can be sustained without any appreciable change to the physical structure itself. This damage suffered by the energy transfer from high- stress levels appears in the form of microporosity, crazes, microcracks, and delamination in the matrix material before any severe laminate damage is observed. This …

Cellulose Materials For Drug Delivery Applications, Reham Mohamed

Mechanical Engineering Theses

Non-healing wounds are a growing global public health concern due to inadequate or ineffective therapeutic products available. Cellulose-based biopolymers are attractive wound dressing materials due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity, and cost-effectiveness. This study aims to design and fabricate solid dosage formulations using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and ethyl cellulose (EC) to facilitate multi-stage releases of phenytoin (PHT) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) from plain carriers, fibers/films composites, and layer-by-layer fiber composites. Results from in vitro drug release assays demonstrated a time-dependent release up to 8 hours from PHT-loaded EC fibers, while TCH-loaded CMC films exhibited a rapid release within 5 minutes. …

Life Cycle Energy Assesment Of Advanced Fiber Reinforced Composite Design And Manufacturing Methodologies, Urjit Lad

All Theses

Automotive industry at large is focused on vehicle light-weighting since a 6%-8% increase in fuel efficiency can be achieved with a 10% reduction in vehicle weight [1]. With the growing demand for cost-effective and sustainable light weighting of automobile structures, interest has increased in the application of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composites for use in the Body-in-White (BiW), which can account for up to 40% of the total vehicle weight. Traditional FRP composite manufacturing processes like vacuum assisted resin transfer molding, autoclave consolidation or use of automated fiber placement have been successfully used for marine and aerospace applications. However, these …

Characterization Of Mechanically Recycled Polylactic Acid (Pla) Filament For 3d-Printing By Evaluating Mechanical, Thermal, And Chemical Properties And Process Performance, Mahsa Shabani Samghabady

All Theses

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biopolymer made from renewable resources such as sugar and corn. PLA filament is a popular material used in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D-printing. While this material has many advantages, all the failed parts, support structures, rafts, nozzle tests, and the many prototype iterations during the 3D-printing process contribute to the plastic pollution and release of greenhouse gases. Although PLA is biodegradable, it can take years to degrade in landfills. Instead of throwing away PLA waste and buying new filaments, PLA can be recycled. Amongst the different recycling technologies, mechanical recycling is the most environmentally friendly. …

Double Cantilever Beam Mode-I Testing Validation In Large-Scale Additive Manufacturing Carbon Composite, Luis Alfonso Camacho

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Testing for mechanical properties for additive manufacturing has been based on already existing standards for traditional manufacturing methods. For composites in large scale additive manufacturing there is a research gap in bond strength and fracture toughness for a single layer interface. By using Double cantilever beam Mode I, this thesis manuscript validates testing parameters and protocols to describe the intricacies of ABS matrix 20 wt.% carbon filled composite, specifically on the layer-to-layer interface. Studies suggest that fracture toughness is sensitive to process parameters, like deflection speed and sharpened crack tip at the layer interface of BAAM 3D printed part and …

Introduction To Data-Driven Systems For Plastics And Composites Manufacturing, Saeed Farahani, Srikanth Pilla, Yun Zhang, Fausto Tucci

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Applications of high-performance plastics and composites have widely been expanded to various industries due to their superior properties, such as high strength-to-weight ratio, chemical resistance, and thermal/electrical insulation. However, the numerous possible combinations of polymers and reinforcements/fillers, the variability of these materials, and their complex manufacturing processes pose challenges in terms of efficiently developing new plastics and composites, accurately modeling their properties, and effectively monitoring and controlling their manufacturing processes. Integrating data-driven techniques, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics, is a promising pathway to overcome these challenges as it is demonstrated by the state-of-the-art research works …

Shape Memory Polymer-Based Multifunctional Syntactic Foams, Siavash Sarrafan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With the increase in popularity of shape memory polymers (SMPs), especially in applications such as aerospace, textile, biomedical engineering, and even structures, the weight of the material and the devices made with it has always been a crucial factor. Using the shape memory polymer as a matrix to make a syntactic foam is one of the best and most affordable approaches to creating a lighter material that still has the shape memory effect. The addition of particles of different stiffness, strength, and size, with variable fractions, creates a composite that enables engineering the mechanical, as well as other physical and …