Composite materials are commonly employed in modern aircraft structures and in many aerospace applications like engine casing, fan-blades, etc. This is attributed to their high strength-weight ratio and high stiffness-weight ratio, making composites extremely light, yet exceptionally strong. However, the use of composites makes them susceptible to damage, which could result in complex failure mechanisms like delamination, matrix cracking, fiber debonding, fiber fracture, etc.
Sustainability
Time, Money & Health Decision Making Model Education
The researchers use time, money and health as the basic individual/family resources to education university community to rethink the resources and survive the pandemic period.
Serenity in the Garden – A Local Pilot-Study Utilizing Applied Qualitative Sociology to Improve Social, Environmental, and Food Justice for Incarcerated Women and Their Communities
The aim of this local pilot-study is to further develop and qualitatively assess an educational gardening program for incarcerated women in Northeast Ohio. This is part of a larger project that started in Spring of 2019 and will continue until 2021.
Electrochemical sensors for microbial activities in benthic sediments: a sentry for lacustrine P biogeochemistry
Release of phosphate-P immobilized in benthic sediments poses a remnant threat to induce harmful algal blooms (HAB) despite adequate management of external loads of phosphate. This process, referred to as internal loading of P, is induced by microbially mediated alternations of sediment and porewater chemistry and bacteria that “breath” iron are mostly responsible for controlling the release of P from sediments. We have developed an electrochemical split-chamber zero resistance ammetry (SC-ZRA) technique that we can use to detect microbiological activities.
Rheological Dynamics of Liquid Crystals under Thermal Gradients
Our group has developed a rheological apparatus capable of sustaining spatial thermal gradients in shear rheometry. It is hypothesized that orthogonally superimposed thermal fields will produce linear, field-averaged rheological responses up to a threshold where anomalous, thermo-rheological dissipative phenomena will occur. The molecular influence of heat flow, especially at reduced dimensions, is from entropy production.
Productive Uncertainty in a Laboratory Setting (PULSe): Engaging Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Scientific Research
Peer mentors/research assistants are sought for the PULSe program. Those with ASD have particular modes of thinking and learning that is outside the realm of standard pedagogical practices. In the proper environment, these modes may help those with ASD to flourish. However, they are normally disadvantaged in basic learning environments. Academia is not wholly equipped to instill and help develop the necessary tools for ASD students to effectively function in society. Our aim is to bridge the learning gap.
Rheological Dynamics of Cellulose Nanocrystal Suspensions under Thermal Gradients
Our group has developed a rheological apparatus capable of sustaining spatial thermal gradients in shear rheometry. It is hypothesized that orthogonally superimposed thermal fields will produce linear, field-averaged rheological responses up to a threshold where anomalous, thermo-rheological dissipative phenomena will occur. The molecular influence of heat flow, especially at reduced dimensions, is from entropy production. Translational and orientational motions evolve as a molecular compensation mechanism.
Microfluidic Reactor Design for Helicene Synthesis
Helicenes are polycyclic aromatic compounds which are formed by ortho-fused aromatic rings that generate a non-planar, screw-shaped, three-dimensional structure that is inherently chiral and spring-like. The helical topology significantly contributes to the emergent properties of helicenes and has been garnering interest in the fields of nanotechnology, macromolecular and materials science.
Recycling, Regeneration, and Reusing Energy Materials
Manufacturing new energy systems such as fuel cells, batteries, wind turbines, photovoltaic cells, and catalytic reactors require materials that may be (1) precious, (2) rare on the earth, (3) not available or easily accessible in the United States, and/or (4) harmful for environment. Therefore, recycling (separation and reusing) energy materials is important.
Universal compatibilizers for plastic waste recycling
Plastic waste recycling is plagued by imperfect sorting processes which leaves recycling feeds contaminated with polymers of different molecular composition. These blends have thermodynamic driving forces to phase separate and entropic forces which produce weak interfaces between the materials.
The influence of organic pigments on coating properties
This project aims to investigate the effect of pigments on the properties of coatings. The high-performance pigments are expected to improve the coating’s corrosion resistance and UV stability.
Bio-based coating development from renewable resources
This project aims to develop a new biobased coating from substaniable resources. The coating is expected to be comparable to the petroleum based coating.
Non-isocyanate polyurethane coating development
This project aims to develop a new approach to generate polyurethane coating without using isocyanates, which are very toxic materials. The non-isocyanate polyurethane is expected to behave similar to the traditional isocyanate-based polyurethane.
“Cool” coating development
This project aims to develop a “cool” coating by invorporating inorganic pigments that reflect near-infrared radiation (NIR) into a commercial coating matrix.
Biomass-based Fillers for Polymers
Pyrolyzed (process of low or no oxygen thermal decomposition –carbonization- to convert biomass into clean and renewable carbon products) biomass obtained from agricultural products such as soybean hulls, sorghum etc., is used as a renewable, low cost and eco-friendly material which has large potential for reinforcement or functionality-inducing (such as electrical, thermal conductivity) filler for polymeric materials.
Photolytically degradable, hydrolytically degradable, and chemically recyclable commodity plastics
“White pollution” is a problem of massive scale. To replace the current nondegradable commodity plastics with degradable plastics, a key challenge is that the new raw materials must be readily available at costs comparable to current monomers such as ethylene and propylene. Low-carbon footprint is highly desirable for these raw materials in order to achieve overall environmental sustainability.
“Smart” degradable polymers: polymers with locked degradability that can be unlocked on demand
Synthetic degradable polymers are of pivotal importance for recycling and sustainability. While the degradability allows polymers to be recycled, it can also cause stability issue, which impairs the storage and functioning of materials.
3D printed battery components
The project will focus on the 3D printed polymer electrolyte and related lithium ion battery components.
Mechanochemistry of a helical metal-ligand complex
Mechanical stress is ubiquitously present in materials and biological systems, and the force-induced bond scission and materials failure have been extensively studied. In recent years, utilizing mechanical force to do targeted and constructive chemistry, largely fueled by the concept of mechanophore, i.e., stress-responsive moiety, has become a new trend.