This grant will provide funding to establish a novel metal composite manufacturing process that can create a hierarchical structure bio-inspired by an abalone seashell. The hierarchical organization of soft and hard layers in a "brick-and-mortar" configuration of the abalone seashell is known to significantly improve the composite toughness (100- to 1000-fold) and compressive strength (5-fold). The proposed semisolid forming-joining (SFJ) technique uniquely exploits a material condition where both solid and liquid phases coexist. The designed structure is created by consolidating patterned aluminum sheets filled with hard silicon carbide particles. The composite synthesis mechanism will be analyzed by understanding the liquid phase infiltration and resultant interface microstructures between the soft and hard phases. A numerical model of the SFJ process will be developed to predict and analyze the dimensions of structures created from experiments. The strengthening and toughening effects of the bio-inspired composite will be measured by impact and fracture tests.
The successful completion of this research will enable development of a simple, low-cost and easily scalable metal composite manufacturing technology capable of realizing complex material designs. Moreover, the novel SFJ process is expected to serve as a platform for developing next-generation, advanced metal composites. Understanding the toughening and strengthening mechanism of the abalone seashell applied in metal composites may lead to development of ultrahard, lightweight, tough materials for various applications such as making energy efficient vehicles, strong armors, lightweight aircrafts, etc. The proposed educational and outreach activities will promote recruiting and retaining of women and under-represented students in engineering disciplines, and help academia to connect with local industries. The knowledge learned will be disseminated through premier journals and at professional society meetings.
