Research Overview

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Clustered patterns of stress concentration tensors for PNC

Current research areas include:

  • The characterization of nanoparticle reinforced polymers
  • Phase transformation response of shape memory alloys
  • Aging in polymeric based systems
  • Investigation of microstructure effects on properties of microporous materials for bioengineering

The research encompasses analytical, numerical and experimental investigation. Analytical micromechanics methods, finite element simulations of scanned material microstructures, and results from molecular level simulations are combined with continuum mechanics techniques to provide microstructurally based prediction of macroscopic environmental-mechanical response. On the experimental side, smaller scale testing includes optical and electron microscopy of samples with in situ loading, for example examining reorientation of martensitic variants with applied load in shape memory alloys. Macroscopic scale testing of samples in environmentally controlled chambers are also performed and the results of experiments are used to refine and better define models for advanced materials.

Research Areas