Research Summaries

Back Personal Protective Materials Based on Carbon Nanofiber Foams and Shear Thickening Suspensions

Fiscal Year 2015
Division Graduate School of Engineering & Applied Science
Department Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Investigator(s) Osswald, Sebastian
Sponsor Office of Naval Research (Navy)
Summary The goal of this proposal is to develop and characterize lightweight metal composites that are reinforced against blast and projectile impact by nanocarbon inclusions. Our proposed work involves a comprehensive study, including synthesis of new armor materials, characterization of their mechanical properties (including shock response), modeling, and testing under explosive blast loading and projectile impact. In order to avoid damage of the nanoparticles during processing and to minimize chemical reactions between the metal matrix and nanostructures, synthesis temperatures must be sufficiently low. This can be achieved by (I) using metal nanopowders as precursor materials, which require lower temperatures for solidification and compaction and/or (2) by utilizing novel low temperature methods, such as cold spray for NMC synthesis. We will focus our initial efforts on aluminum-based NMCs, but plan to extend our efforts to steel and magnesium-based NMCs. Following both approaches we will synthesize NMCs containing both homogeneous dispersions of CNTs and ND agglomerates.
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Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal