In-situ Metrologies for Multifunctional Composites, Textiles, and Elastomers

Nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and nanocellulose are a route to improve strength, and impart multifunctional capabilities (sensing, actuation, processing) to traditional engineering polymers. There are several examples where these advanced composites have significantly impacted design. Conductive composites facilitate out-of-autoclave curing and thermoforming composites manufacturing processes to reduce energy costs. Conductive composites facilitate in-situ strain and damage sensing for asset management. Conductive composites have led to synthetic muscles and skin for biomimetic devices and safer autonomous robots. Often the measurement science to characterize structure-property relationships lags behind the initial innovation. The objective of this project is to connect nanomaterial structure, interface chemistry, dispersion/alignment to composite performance. We are interested in candidates with expertise in spectroscopic (Raman and fluorescence) imaging techniques for stress transfer, mechanical measurements across rate and length scales (molecular to bulk), modeling composite properties, and the response of these composites to electromagnetic radiation. This understanding will develop next generation non-destructive metrologies for evaluating the multifunctional performance of these composites.

NRC Post-doctoral Research Opportunities,  Opportunity number:  50.64.31.B8397